Download with one click, lethality equivalent to real guns: The Impact of Ghost Guns: The Threat and Reality of 3D-Printed Firearms

1 "Ghost Guns" Becoming a Daily Reality—Prologue

Ghost guns, produced by 3D printers and leaving no serial numbers or purchase history, were dismissed as hobbyist pranks a decade ago. However, by 2025, they have become commonplace in murder, terrorism, and drug trafficking scenes. Earlier this month, a partially 3D-printed gun combining resin and metal was found at the scene where United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead. The BBC's Portuguese edition reported extensively on this trend, and this article will summarize the key points, including the swirling opinions on social media, the latest technological trends, and the direction of regulations in various countries.

2 "Blueprints Are Information"—Hacker Culture Fueling the Spread

The open-source weapon movement began in 2013 when Texas activist Cody Wilson released the blueprints for the single-shot pistol "Liberator." Recently, hybrid guns like the FGC-9 and Urutau, capable of automatic fire, have emerged. In January, researcher Veyou-Lepage and others warned that "Urutau is easier to produce than the FGC-9"gnet-research.org.

Within the development community, the hashtag "#3D2A (3D Second Amendment)" serves as a rallying cry. Florida attorney Matthew Larosiere told the BBC, "Bits and bytes cannot be stopped. Are we to criminalize information itself?"

3 Is Social Media a Black Market or a Whistleblower Platform?—Meta's Advertising Loopholes

Meta has ostensibly banned firearm advertisements since 2016, yet a Tech Transparency Project investigation in October 2024 found over 230 ads posted in just two monthseverytownsupportfund.orgcbsnews.com. Many ad links lead to Telegram or WhatsApp. Upon rechecking Meta's ad library, the author found that while some were marked "invalid," image thumbnails were still viewable, and seller accounts remained active.

Nick Suplina, Senior Vice President of the U.S. nonprofit Everytown, asserts, "Materials are cheap, and blueprints are countless. This will become a 'standard method' to evade regulations."

4 Telegram's "Jessy" and the Dark International Shipping Network

A Telegram vendor known as "Jessy," contacted by a BBC reporter, showed no remorse when pointed out that shipping to the UK was prohibited, saying, "It's business." He proposed payment in Bitcoin equivalent to 160 pounds and a bank transfer to a UK account.

While the actual transaction remains unverified, similar "dark deliveries" have already materialized. Posts on the Telegram market reviewed by the author showed "Liberator mods" and "Glock switches (full-auto parts)" being traded for 300 euros each for the EU market.

5 The RedNote Phenomenon—"We Have a Duty to Teach Ghost Guns to the Chinese"

Displeased with the TikTok ban, American users have migrated to the Chinese social network "RedNote," posting ghost gun videos—reported by Gizmodo and SOFXgizmodo.comsofx.com. The poster "@yzy_is_who" provocatively stated on X (formerly Twitter)

"We have a moral obligation to teach the Chinese how to make ghost guns."

On RedNote, while some comments like "666! (Awesome!)" express agreement, others warn "the authorities will notice," mixing controversy with curiosity in the comments section.

6 Myanmar, Northern Ireland—Deployment in Conflict Zones

According to a BBC Burmese investigation, Myanmar's anti-government forces produced hundreds of FGC-9s in 2022-23, but their usage has declined due to material controls and an abundance of captured weapons. However, the advantages of being "cheap, lightweight, and easily manufactured" remain attractive to small factions. Reports also indicate usage in rituals and conflicts by gangs in Northern Ireland and Brazil.

7 The Cutting Edge of Regulation—"Possession of Blueprints" and Printer-Side Blocks

New South Wales, Australia, and Singapore have criminalized the possession of blueprints, and in the UK, a student was convicted for manufacturing in 2019en.wikipedia.org. In contrast, U.S. regulations are fragmented by state, and federal "frame receiver regulations" remain in limbo, pending a Supreme Court decision.

Discussions around "print ban filters" on hardware continue, but their effectiveness is uncertain as they can be bypassed by modifying open-source firmware.

8 Voices on Social Media—The Reality of Divided Opinions

• Supporters: "True freedom is being armed without legal constraints" (X user @freedomforge)

• Skeptics: "It's over when kids can bring resin guns to school" (Reddit/r/worldnews)

• Complex View: "For citizens fighting military regimes in Myanmar, it might be a necessary evil" (X user @asiapolitics)

• Practitioners: U.S. ATF staff lament in internal memos, "Modified Glocks are seized weekly."

9 Technological Trends—The Evolution of Resin × Metal Hybrids

The latest Urutau model features a fully 3D-printed trigger that doesn't require AR-15 parts and a "weldless bolt," reducing assembly time by 30%. In the CAD community, rumors abound that the next breakthrough will be home metal printers capable of sintering titanium powder, causing further headaches for authorities.

10 Conclusion—Questioning Governance in the "Irreversible" Era

Before the internet, guns could be managed by controlling factories and distribution networks. Now, with the convergence of the cloud and consumer 3D printers, the scope of regulation extends to "data," "knowledge," and "workbenches in private homes." Can nations regulate everything, or will civil society develop a new ethical framework of "responsible open source"?

The proliferation of 3D-printed guns presents not just an issue of gun regulation but challenges the 21st-century agenda of redefining freedom and safety in a world where information and matter seamlessly interchange.