3-D Printers At Center Of Controversy Over Plastic Guns

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - From prototypes to figurines, the list of things to make with a 3-D printer is constantly growing. But some lawmakers say making guns and weapons should not be an option.

"Even the legislature steps in, bad guys are going to make guns with the 3-D printers," said attorney John Myers.

Eight states are waging a legal battle against a man in Washington state who is distributing blueprints for 3-D guns. On Tuesday, a court halted the blueprint business as it considers the lawsuit. Still, some people already have the plans and public places have the technology.

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So how easy is it for someone to actually print their own gun?

"The problem is there is currently a gap in legislation regarding this issue," Myers said.

A 3-D printer is a little different than the old inkjet printer sitting in your garage.

"You can think about it as replacing the ink head that was on one of those printers to something that is like a hot glue gun," said Nile Mittow, who works at the Hacker Lab in Midtown. "It's just laying down a bead of plastic instead of a bead of ink."

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Spools of plastic are powered by a digital blueprint on a computer. At the Hacker Lab, Mittow says the most common creations are toys and prototypes for mechanical designs.

"We provide training on how to use the equipment so people can print things for themselves," he told CBS13.

But when it comes to weapons, they won't print anything like that.

From the concept stage to the printer to the final product, the Sacramento Public Library has roughly 12 to 15 printers throughout the entire system, but their policy prohibits making anything that's unsafe, harmful, or poses an immediate threat to the well-being of others.

In the past three days, more than 25,000 people have downloaded Cody Wilson's blueprints to 3-D print AR-15 assault-style rifles.

"I don't believe that I provide you with anything other than the general knowledge of what an AR15 is," Wilson told CBS News. "I am no different from a publisher of information."

But eight states have filed a lawsuit to block access to the blueprints. President Trump tweeted, "I am looking into 3D Plastic Guns being sold to the public...doesn't seem to make much sense!"

Assault Style rifles like AK-47s and certain AR-15s are banned in California. But we asked Myers if the weapons would still be illegal if you crafted them out of plastic yourself?

"Oh, I would think it would be illegal but that's an unanswered question at that point," he said.

His conclusion: the law needs to catch up to the technology.

"The ability to make lethal firearms in the comfort of your home is an issue that is coming and anybody that says it is not a serious issue is either naïve or a liar," Myers said.

Buying a 3-D printer can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.