US court: 3D-printing weapons can be published without federal permission

A panel of federal judges at a US Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that publishing blueprints for 3D-printed weapons can now be done without permission from federal authorities.

This decision by the panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is in line with the executive order of former US President Trump that in 2018 the blueprints of 3d-printable weapons, known as ghost guns, from the United States Department Munition List deleted. As a result, they no longer fell under the control of American gun laws and no license had to be applied for to carry the 3d-printed weapons.

In early April, current US President Joe Biden stated that he wants to curb the proliferation of so-called ghost guns. He instructed the US Department of Justice to work out a scheme within 30 days that should be aimed at preventing the spread of 3D-printable weapons.