Ghost Guns

[7shooter]

There was a story on 60 Minutes about Ghost Guns and how they were a real threat. They interviewed a former BATF Official and a chief of police. I had never heard that term.

Has anyone heard about this and how big of a problem is this?

 

[Rustyt1953]

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iJmFEv6BHM0[/ame]

 

[Absalom]

....
Has anyone heard about this and how big of a problem is this?

If they are going by the common definition of "ghost gun" as a privately assembled gun without a required serial, it depends on how you define "problem".

They can't be traced back anywhere by serial if recovered at a crime scene. That may pose a problem to law enforcement in certain cases.

But I suspect there are millions of older guns in private hands out there that have changed hands multiple times in undocumented private sales and thefts and can also not be traced.

So I don't see any new and fundamental threat to Western civilization. An LEO's perspective may differ.

PS: As for any concern that a felon might acquire a gun illegally, bypassing background checks, by building one, that seems a non-issue. He'd be breaking the law anyways, and trust me, it'd be much, much easier to break the law by just acquiring a "regular" illegal gun.

 

[Old_Cop]

They are a problem if your long term goal is total registration.

 

[LittleCooner]

I have to agree, the only problem a ghost gun creates it to the person trying to confiscate the public's firearms. There are a few out there, but not very many in my opinion.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I don't know how prevalent ghost guns are among the criminal class, if they even have any, but I can't imagine it being much of an issue as most guns used by criminals are stolen.

My understanding is that tracing gun registrations isn't a very effective method for solving crimes for most cases, but I'm not LE so I could be wrong.

Personally, I think it's an attempt to make the public think something is being done about violent crime, even if it ends up accomplishing little, if anything at all.

Just my opinion.

 

[Beemerguy53]

If they are going by the common definition of "ghost gun" as a privately assembled gun without a required serial, it depends on how you define "problem"...

Well, here's how one city defines the problem:

The Washington Post reported on February 27 of this year that in 2019, Washington, D.C., Police took 116 homemade, unserialized guns "off the streets", and that such firearms have been used in three homicides there in recent years.

Let's be honest: If you're unqualified to buy a gun legally, building your own would be a very attractive alternative...and apparently, some people do just that.

 

[Chukar60]

I doubt the average criminal could care a less if a gun was legal, traceable, or off the books.
Getting caught is obviously a small concern

 

[pharmer]

I got my Marlin b/a rifle in about 1965. Didn't have a serial # as other long guns of the pre-1968 era. Joe

 

[Ματθιας]

That's what the 80% receivers are. No SN# and a non-gun. Finish the machining on the aluminum receivers or drill out the polymer on the poly ones and supply/acquire your own parts kit and there's your unregistered/untraceable firearm.
I've seen them for ARs and Glocks. The one for glocks come with everything needed to finish the receiver - even the jig! They also make a kit for their poly AR lowers.

That's not even mentioning the 3D printed receivers.

All in, it's about $600+ for a Glock variant poly kit and Glock
parts kit. Is it worth it? If you want an untraceable gun it is.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

I had never heard of the term.
Didn't watch the fictional news but saw a commercial. Some blow hard stated it could be made in any household with everyday common hand tools.

Immediately I knew it was a grain of truth wrapped up in a bag of bile

 

[Ματθιας]

That's what the 80% receivers are. No SN# and a non-gun. Finish the machining on the aluminum receivers or drill out the polymer on the poly ones and supply/acquire your own parts kit and there's your unregistered/untraceable firearm.
I've seen them for ARs and Glocks. The one for glocks come with everything needed to finish the receiver - even the jig! They also make a kit for their poly AR lowers.

That's not even mentioning the 3D printed receivers.

All in, it's about $600+ for a Glock variant poly kit and Glock
parts kit. Is it worth it? If you want an untraceable gun it is.

Here is the poly Glock kit w/jig.

 

[shell627]

I don't think it's the ( ghost Guns) that are the problem. It's the people who use guns for crimes.

 

[usmc2427765]

You can't fix stupid and Kevin DeLeon just proved that beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Injunbro]

If these clever souls spent 1/10th the time chasing criminals as they do chasing publicity crime would plummet. Instead they release criminals from prison to keep them from catching the covid19... unbelievable. No wonder criminals aren't afraid of being arrested, it's not like they will be actually punished or anything.

 

[ameridaddy]

YouTube

30 in half a second?
=3600 rounds/min.
Takes a really, really fast, itchy trigger finger to do that rate, and a really, really fine firing mechanism too. He gives the builder a lot of credit, no?
What a jerk.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Now Illegal in New Jersey
Some were already busted on the new law

Four men charged with trafficking 'ghost guns' into New Jersey

 

[Golddollar]

The Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police tried to declare that "partially completed receivers" were to be considered firearms and had to be transferred through a licensed dealer. There was no percentage of completion stated in his declaration, so technically a solid block of metal could be considered as a "firearm." Happily, my honorary nephew and another attorney in his office took the Commissioner to Commonwealth Court and the Court found credence in the claim that the letter of policy issued by the Commissioner violated due process and was void on its face for vagueness. The Court issued an injunction against the Commissioner and others prohibiting them from carrying out or enforcing this new "policy."

 

[Absalom]

Now Illegal in New Jersey
Some were already busted on the new law

Four men charged with trafficking 'ghost guns' into New Jersey

There are so many gun-related things illegal in New Jersey that the state isn't a good basis for discussion.

I love the term used in that linked article, "new-age firearms". As if the guns emit incense and play electronic tunes by Enya or Vangelis

 

[Camster]

I have to agree, the only problem a ghost gun creates it to the person trying to confiscate the public's firearms. There are a few out there, but not very many in my opinion.

You obviously did not watch the show.
Previous to watching the program, I was aware of them, but thought they were mostly Filipino backwoods 1911s, made one at a time.
Not so. Quite a industry right here, making hundreds of thousands of many models, with minimal requirements for completing the frame.