Buckeye Reporter

On Sept. 26, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at “combatting emerging firearm threats.” The order will establish an “Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force,” which includes leadership from key federal departments and agencies.

The task force is tasked with producing a report on the threat posed by machinegun conversion devices and unserialized, 3D-printed firearms. According to the White House press release, this taxpayer-funded report will be used to advocate for increased power and resources for the federal bureaucracy. “The report will include any additional authorities or funding the federal agencies need from Congress in order to complete this work,” the release stated.

Federal law already addresses unregistered machinegun conversion devices. Federal statutes define a machinegun as any weapon that can shoot automatically more than one shot per trigger pull, including parts intended solely for converting a weapon into a machinegun. Possession of such devices is illegal unless registered through the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, with severe penalties for violations.

Violent criminals using these devices during certain crimes face significant penalties under 18 USC § 924(c). For instance, if a firearm involved in a crime is a machinegun or equipped with a silencer, the person shall be sentenced to at least 30 years imprisonment or life if it follows a prior conviction under this subsection.

There are concerns about whether current laws are being enforced effectively. The NRA-ILA has pointed out that some U.S. Attorneys may not be fully enforcing existing laws on machinegun conversion devices.

Regarding unserialized, 3D-printed firearms, Biden’s executive order press release highlighted their potential illegal uses. However, current laws already regulate those who manufacture firearms for sale or distribution for profit must be licensed and mark firearms with serial numbers. Individuals making firearms for personal use are not subject to these requirements unless state law dictates otherwise.

Unserialized firearms still fall under federal regulations prohibiting possession by convicted felons or domestic abusers. The Second Amendment protects Americans' right to make their own firearms without government interference as affirmed by Supreme Court decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022).

The administration's concern about undetectable 3D-printed firearms relates to existing restrictions under the Undetectable Firearms Act, which prohibits manufacturing or possessing non-detectable firearms.

NRA-ILA Executive Director Randy Kozuch commented on the new order: “This Executive Order is just one more attempt by the Biden-Harris Administration to deflect attention from their soft-on-crime policies that have emboldened criminals in our country."

The focus on already unlawful firearms suggests that individuals who failed to use available tools bear responsibility for their proliferation over recent years.