Defense Distributed Launches The “Netflix of Guns”

Houston, TX –-(Ammoland.com)- The company that started the 3D gun craze a few years back with its single fire pistol, the Liberator, is back online. Defense Distributed has rolled out a new version of its Defcad website. Defcad is the non-profit’s online repository of files that lets users print firearms using 3D printers.

The Obama administration shut down the Defcad website by claiming that the file repository violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rules against exporting firearms outside the country. The State Department argued that there was no difference in exporting a gun and sharing a file on the internet since anyone anywhere in the world can download a file.

Under the Trump administration, Defense Distributed was allowed to start sharing their files online again. Still, New Jersey and several other states sued the company in federal court to prevent the blueprints from being distributed through the Defcad website. They claimed the Texas-based organization was making their states more dangerous by giving criminals the ability to print guns at home.

Defense Distributed, led by crypto-anarchist Cody Wilson, has always claimed that the company was well within its rights to distribute the files through the internet. They often cited the first amendment as well as the second amendment as their defense against these attacks. The goal of Defense Distributed is to make gun control obsolete by using the power of the internet and 3D printing technology. The company also released a small CNC machine (Ghost Gunner) to mill out firearm receivers to achieve this goal of giving the power back to the people.

The new model of file distribution is what Defense Distributed Managing Director Cody Wilson calls a “Netflix for guns” model. The company will charge $50 for an annual subscription to Defcad. At the time of launch, the site will host 3,680 files. Defense Distributed plans to add more data to grow the repository over time.

Defense Distributed believes that the new model will be in line with all federal regulations. The federal government will not be able to use ITAR to shut the site down.

“I think our model is perfectly compliant with federal and state law,” Wilson told AmmoLand. “I spent seven years building the infrastructure to comply, knowing compliance was always an option. This model ensures our platform will maintain a legal and commercial monopoly until the jurisdiction of the files is transferred to the Commerce Department.”

The site will only be open to people residing in the United States. This way Defense Distributed will not be accused of breaking ITAR regulations since the files never cross an international border. Wilson says the company will vet everyone who wants to access the site with measures such as geolocation and other various undisclosed methods.

The Brady Organization is worried that the site will help criminals get their hands on unserialized firearms. Legal Alliance and Racial Justice Council Kelly Sampson for Brady claims it will allow criminals to get their hands on guns that they wouldn’t be able to access otherwise.

Studies have shown that more than half of the firearms used in crimes are obtained illegally by such methods as theft. Criminals have used very few unserialized guns in crimes. Most of the unserialized firearms criminals have used in crimes were made from 80% kits.

With these 80% kits, the user has to mill out the receiver by using a drill press or other methods. The user could also use a Ghost Gunner, but those can get pricy for the average gun owner. Plastic 3D printed AR15s have a tendency to fail. AmmoLand contributors have attempted to print AR15 lowers out of multiple plastics and were able only to get a single magazine to run before the receiver failed.

Cheap 3D printers capable of printing in different materials are hitting the market every day. Soon Wilson’s goal might be realized.

 

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About John Crump

John is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.