Defense Distributed
![]() | |
Type of site | Open source digital publishing |
---|---|
URL | defdist |
Commercial | No[1][2] |
Launched | July 27, 2012 |
Current status | Active |
Defense Distributed is an online open-source hardware[1] organization that develops digital schematics of firearms in CAD files, or "wiki weapons",[3][4][5] that may be downloaded from the Internet and used in 3D printing or CNC milling applications.[3] Among the organization's goals is to develop and freely publish firearms-related design schematics that can be downloaded and reproduced by anyone with a 3D printer or milling machine, facilitating the popular production of ghost guns.[6][7]
The company is best known for developing and releasing the files for the Liberator, the world's first completely 3D printed gun.[8][9] On May 5, 2013, Defense Distributed made these printable STL files public,[10] and within days the United States Department of State demanded they be removed from the Internet, citing a violation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.[11][12]
On May 6, 2015, Defense Distributed, joined by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), filed Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State in the Western District of Texas, leading the State Department to eventually offer a settlement in 2018.[13][14][15][16] On July 27, 2018, Defense Distributed released ten CAD files for download at DEFCAD before a federal judge in Washington State enjoined the settlement in Defense Distributed I.[17][18] Multiple federal and state lawsuits are pending which challenge, or attempt to uphold, this settlement.
History
Founding
After raising US$20,000 via a suspended crowd-funding appeal,[19][3][7] suffering the confiscation of its first 3D printer,[20] and partnering with private manufacturing firms,[21] the organization began live fire testing of the first generation of printable firearms in December 2012.[22][23]
In its first year of operation the organization produced a durable printed receiver for the AR-15,[24][25][26] the first printed standard capacity AR-15 magazine,[27][28][29] and the first printed magazine for the AK-47.[30][31] These 3D printable files were available for download at the organization's publishing site DEFCAD,[32] but are now largely hosted on file sharing websites.[33][34]
The organization has been predominantly represented in public since July 2012 by Cody Wilson, who is described as a founder and spokesperson.[5][35]
Purpose
According to the Defense Distributed website, the nonprofit was founded as "the first private defense contractor in service of the general public," in order to "[advance] the state of the art in small scale, digital, personal gunsmithing." In court records the organization claims "to publish and distribute... such information and knowledge in promotion of the public interest."[1][21]
The organization's motivations have been described as "less about [a] gun... than about democratizing manufacturing technology,"[36] In an interview with Slashdot, Cody Wilson described the Wiki Weapon project as a chance to "experiment with Enlightenment ideas… to literally materialize freedom.”[37]
At Bitcoin 2012 in London, Wilson explained the organization as interested in inspiring libertarian forms of social organization and technologically driven inversions of authority.[38]
DEFCAD
In December 2012, as a response to Makerbot Industries' decision[39][40][41] to remove firearms-related 3D printable files at the popular repository Thingiverse, Defense Distributed launched a companion site at defcad.org to publicly host the removed 3D printable files and its own.[42][43][44] Public and community submissions to DEFCAD rose quickly,[32][44][45] and in March 2013, at the SXSW Interactive festival, Wilson announced a repurposed and expanded DEFCAD as a separate entity that would serve as a 3D search engine and development hub, while maintaining the spirit of access endemic to Defense Distributed.[46][47][48] The new DEFCAD was deemed "The Pirate Bay of 3D Printing"[49] and "the anti-Makerbot"[48] even before its launch, provided an index of over 100,000 files.[50]
Ghost Gunner
In October 2014, Defense Distributed began selling to the public a miniature CNC mill for completing receivers for the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.[51] For a review of the machine in Wired, Andy Greenberg manufactured a series of lowers and called the machine "absurdly easy to use."[52] Since 2016 the Ghost Gunner has been recognized as the most popular machine tool for the production of ghost guns.[53]
Administration
Legal history
Defense Distributed was seeking 501(c)(3) federal tax exemption [5][21][54] but they abandoned their application after being denied by the IRS.[55]
The organization operates to publish intellectual property and information developed by licensed firearms manufacturers and the public.[21]
Cody Wilson has a Type 7 Federal Firearms License (FFL).[56]
Legal challenges
Stratasys confiscation
Learning of Defense Distributed's plans in 2012, manufacturer Stratasys, Ltd threatened legal action and demanded the return of the 3D printer it had leased to Wilson.[20] On September 26, before the printer was assembled for use, Wilson received an email from Stratasys suggesting that he might use the printer "for illegal purposes".[20] Stratasys immediately canceled its lease with Wilson and sent a team to confiscate the printer the next day.[20][23] Wilson was subsequently questioned by the ATF when visiting an ATF field office in Austin, Texas to inquire about legalities and regulations relating to the Wiki Weapons project.[20]
The Undetectable Firearms Act
Defense Distributed's efforts have prompted renewed discussion and examination of the Undetectable Firearms Act.[5][56][57][58] The Liberator pistol was cited in White House and Congressional calls to renew the Act in 2013.[59][60]
International Traffic in Arms Regulations
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Letter-from-Department-of-State-to-Defense-Distributed.pdf/page1-220px-Letter-from-Department-of-State-to-Defense-Distributed.pdf.jpg)
On May 9, 2013, The United States Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) directed Defense Distributed to remove the download links to its publicly accessible CAD files.[61] The State Department's letter, likely prompted by the Liberator Pistol, referenced § 127.1 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), interpreting the regulations to impose a prior approval requirement on publication of Defense Distributed's files into the public domain,[62] a legal position noted at the time to suffer from First and Second Amendment infirmities.[62][63]
Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State
On May 6, 2015, Defense Distributed filed a Constitutional challenge against the State Department in the Western District of Texas, suing agents of the DDTC and accusing the federal government of knowingly violating the company's First, Second, and Fifth amendment liberties.[13][14] Defense Distributed was joined in its suit by the Second Amendment Foundation.[14]
After three years of procedural wrangling, on July 10, 2018, Wired magazine reported Defense Distributed and SAF had accepted a settlement offer from the Department of State.[16] Cody Wilson explained his intention to immediately relaunch DEFCAD and begin the work of digitizing popular firearms for public consumption.[16]
State of Washington et al v. United States Department of State et al
Several states immediately sued to enjoin the settlement in Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State, citing "irreparable harm if the [firearm CAD files] are published on the internet."[64] Defense Distributed counter-claimed, citing unlawful prior restraint and the states' lack of Article III standing.[65][66] A temporary restraining order was issued by U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik on July 31, 2018, [67] followed by a permanent injunction on November 12, 2019.[68]
Defense Distributed appealed the ruling, which is currently before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.[69]
Reception
Despite the years of legal challenges, Defense Distributed's and other firearms CAD files have always been on the internet.[70][11][12] The files remain available on sympathetic mirror sites, Twitter, Reddit, and GitHub, and have been downloaded millions of times through peer-to-peer torrent and other services.[71]
The company has been obliquely endorsed by the Gun Owners of America (GOA).[72][failed verification] However, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has offered - to date - no public comment on the organization or its activities.
Open-source software advocate Eric S. Raymond has endorsed the organization and its efforts, calling Defense Distributed "friends of freedom" and writing "I approve of any development that makes it more difficult for governments and criminals to monopolize the use of force. As 3D printers become less expensive and more ubiquitous, this could be a major step in the right direction."[73][74]
Aaron Timms of Blouin News has written Defense Distributed has performed “the greatest piece of political performance art of [the 21st] century.”[75]
For its activities, Defense Distributed has been accused of endangering public safety and attempting to frustrate and alter the US system of government.[76][77] However, critics have also noted that Defense Distributed has merely offered the means of production back to the masses in a way not too dissimilar from the effect the printing press had on the spread of information and the decentralization of power in societies.[78]
See also
- 3D printed firearms
- Right to keep and bear arms
- Gun control
- Gun politics in the United States
- Improvised firearm
- List of notable 3D printed weapons and parts
References
- ^ a b c "About Us". Defense Distributed. Archived from the original on December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ "Defense Distributed". Defense Distributed. Archived from the original on April 23, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
- ^ a b c Greenberg, Andy (August 23, 2012). "'Wiki Weapon Project' Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Bilton, Nick (October 7, 2012). "Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Doherty, Brian (December 12, 2012). "Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button". Reason.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ "Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer". Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ a b Poeter, Damon (August 24, 2012). "Could a 'Printable Gun' Change the World?". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (May 5, 2013). "Meet The 'Liberator': Test-Firing The World's First Fully 3D-Printed Gun". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ Morelle, Rebecca (May 6, 2013). "Working gun made with 3D printer". BBC News. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ Hutchinson, Lee. "The first entirely 3D-printed handgun is here". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
- ^ a b "3D-printed gun blueprints pulled from Internet, at request of State Department". CBS News. May 10, 2013. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- ^ a b Nozowitz, Dan. "U.S. State Department Tells Defense Distributed To Take Down 3-D Printed Gun Plans". Popular Science. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- ^ a b Feuer, Alan (May 6, 2015). "Cody Wilson, Who Posted Gun Instructions Online, Sues State Department". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c Greenberg, Andy (May 6, 2015). "3-D Printed Gun Lawsuit Starts the War Between Arms Control and Free Speech". Wired. Archived from the original on August 28, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ "Search - Supreme Court of the United States". www.supremecourt.gov. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ a b c Greenberg, Andy (July 10, 2018). "A Landmark Legal Shift Opens Pandora's Box for DIY Guns". Wired. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- ^ "US judge blocks release of blueprints for 3D printed guns". the Guardian. Associated Press. August 1, 2018. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
- ^ "Post-Cody Wilson's arrest, few know what's up with his company or legal efforts". Ars Technica. September 22, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
- ^ Martinez, Fidel (August 27, 2012). "Indiegogo shuts down campaign to develop world's first printable gun". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Beckhusen, Robert (October 1, 2012). "3-D Printer Company Seizes Machine From Desktop Gunsmith". Wired. Wired News. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Hotz, Alexander (November 25, 2012). "3D 'Wiki Weapon' guns could go into testing by end of year, maker claims". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Beckhusen, Robert (December 3, 2012). "3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots". Wired. Archived from the original on December 13, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ a b Greenberg, Andy (December 3, 2012). "Here's What It Looks Like To Fire A (Partly) 3D-Printed Gun (Video)". Forbes Online. Archived from the original on December 6, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Beckhusen, Robert (February 28, 2013). "Watch the New and Improved Printable Gun Spew Hundreds of Bullets". Wired. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Farivar, Cyrus (March 1, 2013). ""Download this gun": 3D-printed semi-automatic fires over 600 rounds". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Biggs, John (March 1, 2013). "Defense Distributed Prints An AR-15 Receiver That Has Fired More Than 600 Rounds". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (January 14, 2013). "Gunsmiths 3D-Print High Capacity Ammo Clips To Thwart Proposed Gun Laws". Forbes Online. Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Franzen, Carl (February 7, 2013). "Defense Distributed Unveils New 3D Printed Gun Magazine 'Cuomo' (VIDEO)". Talking Points Memo. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Beckhusen, Robert (February 8, 2013). "New 3-D Printed Rifle Magazine Lets You Fire Hundreds of Rounds". Wired Danger Room. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Ingersoll, Geoffrey (March 8, 2013). "3D Printing Company Names AK-47 Magazine After Gun Control Congresswoman". Business Insider. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Branson, Michael (April 8, 2013). "Defense Distributed Releases Printable AK Magazine". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on September 19, 2014. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ a b Bilton, Ricardo (February 19, 2013). "3D-printing gun site DEFCAD now attracting 3K visitors an hour, 250K downloads since launch". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ "Defiant Pirate Bay to continue hosting banned 3D printer gun designs". RT.com. May 10, 2013. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ Ernesto (May 10, 2013). "Pirate Bay Takes Over Distribution of Censored 3D Printable Gun". TorrentFreak. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
- ^ Brown, Rich (September 7, 2012). "You don't bring a 3D printer to a gun fight - yet - Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ Brown, Rich (September 6, 2012). "You don't bring a 3D printer to a gun fight -- yet". CNET. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ "Should We Print Guns? Cody R. Wilson Says "Yes" (Video) -Slashdot". Hardware.slashdot.org. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ "Bitcoin2012 London". Bitcoin2012.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ Maly, Tim (December 19, 2012). "Thingiverse Removes (Most) Printable Gun Parts". Wired. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ "MakerBot pulls 3D gun-parts blueprints after Sandy Hook". BBC News. December 20, 2012. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Pepitone, Julianne (December 20, 2012). "3-D printer MakerBot cracks down on blueprints for gun parts". CNN Money. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Limer, Eric (December 21, 2012). "There's a New Site Just for 3D-Printed Gun Designs". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Bilton, Ricardo (December 21, 2012). "Fighting 'censorship,' 3D-printed gun designs find a new home". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b Robertson, Adi (December 21, 2012). "3D printed gun enthusiasts build site for firearm 3D printable files after MakerBot crackdown". The Verge. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Klimas, Liz (January 9, 2012). "Website to The Blaze: People Rushing to Download Online Blueprints for 3D Printed Guns". The Blaze. Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (March 11, 2013). "3D-Printable Gun Project Announces Plans For A For-Profit Search Engine Startup". Forbes Online. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Farivar, Cyrus (March 11, 2013). "3D printing gunmaker forms company to flout copyright law, à la the Pirate Bay". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ a b Bilton, Ricardo (March 11, 2013). "Expanding beyond 3D printed guns, DEFCAD is officially the anti-MakerBot". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ "'Pirate Bay' for 3D printing launched". BBC News. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 25, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ "DEFCAD.com". DEFCAD. Archived from the original on August 5, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (October 1, 2015). "The $1,200 Machine That Lets Anyone Make a Metal Gun at Home". Wired. Archived from the original on August 27, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (June 3, 2015). "I Made an Untraceable AR-15 'Ghost Gun' in My Office—And It Was Easy". Wired. Archived from the original on October 20, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ Romero, Dennis (August 1, 2018). "Officials across the country fear a new era of untraceable firearms". NBCNews.com. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ Coldewey, Devin (October 2, 2012). "3-D printed gun project derailed by legal woes". NBC News. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Sumagaysay, Levi (July 11, 2018). "3D-printed guns: Settlement paves way for DIY weapons". The Mercury News. Austin, TX. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- ^ a b LeJacq, Yannick (December 10, 2012). "Defense Distributed's 'Wiki Weapon': U.S. Congressman Steve Israel Offers First Legislative Challenge". Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Hsu, Jeremy (December 10, 2012). "3D-Printable Guns Face Federal Ban". Mashable. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Brown, Rich (December 10, 2012). "The Undetectable Firearms Act and 3D-printed guns (FAQ)". CNET. Archived from the original on December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ Pérez, Evan (November 15, 2013). "ATF tests show 3-D guns lethal as metal detection law expires". CNN.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Schmidt, Michael (November 28, 2013). "Law Limiting Plastic Guns Set to Expire". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Preston, Jennifer (May 10, 2013). "Printable-Gun Instructions Spread Online After State Dept. Orders Their Removal". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ a b Morris, Kevin (September 27, 2013). "The Liberator: Cody Wilson's armed for a free speech battle". ValleyWag. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Goldstein, Matthew (June 15, 2013). "Department of State Confirms Prior Approval Requirement for Electronic Exports to Public Domain in Case of 3D-Printable Gun". Thomson Reuters Practical Trade & Customs Strategies. 2 (11). Thomson Reuters: 3–6. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ^ , Text.
- ^ "8 states take aim at 3D gun company, sue to get files off the Internet". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ "Defense Distributed Sues New Jersey, Los Angeles Over Legal Threats". Reason.com. July 29, 2018. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ "3D-printed gun website yanks CAD files after federal judicial order". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ Mihir Zaveri (November 12, 2019). "Blueprints for 3-D Printed Guns Cannot Be Posted Online, Judge Says". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ Erik Larson (November 12, 2019). "Trump's Deal Allowing 3D-Printed Guns Online Deemed Illegal". Bloomberg Technology. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
- ^ Greenberg, Andy (May 9, 2013). "State Department Demands Takedown Of 3D-Printable Gun Files For Possible Export Control Violations". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- ^ "Defense Distributed Takes 3D Gun Plans Offline, But They Can Be Found Here". redstate.com. August 1, 2018. Archived from the original on December 27, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
- ^ Rosenwald, Michael (February 18, 2013). "Weapons made with 3-D printers could test gun-control efforts". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ Raymond, Eric (August 23, 2012). "Defense Distributed". Armed and Dangerous. Archived from the original on December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Kopfstein, Janus (April 12, 2013). "Guns want to be free: what happens when 3D printing and crypto-anarchy collide?". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
- ^ Timms, Aaron (March 29, 2013). "The future of 3D printing might be scarier than you thought". Blouin News. Archived from the original on April 1, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ "The 15 Most Dangerous People in the World". Wired. Wired Danger Room. December 19, 2012. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Morozov, Evgeny (March 16, 2013). "Open and Closed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
- ^ Oremus, Will (October 2, 2012). "Designer of 3-D Printable Gun Has His 3-D Printer Seized". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Archived from the original on January 1, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)