The United States Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. § 922(p)) makes it illegal to manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive any firearm that is not as detectable by walk-through metal detection as a security exemplar containing 3.7 oz (105 g) of steel, or any firearm with major components that do not generate an accurate image before standard airport imaging technology.[1]
Undetectable Firearms Act
Other short titles
Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988
Long title
An Act to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit certain firearms especially useful to terrorists.
The general effect of this legislation is a ban on the manufacture, possession and transfer of firearms with less than 3.7 oz (105 g) of metal content. The bill also requires handguns to be in the traditional shape of a handgun. The Act excepts from its prohibitions the federal government and its agencies, and may offer a safe harbor for licensed manufactures testing to determine if their firearms meet the Act's criteria.
Historyedit
What became the Undetectable Firearms Act began as an attempt to ban handguns like the Glock 17 in the mid-1980s.[3] Pistols like the Glock had frames and grips made from lightweight polymer, and their novelty prompted public criticism that their relative lack of metal content meant they might be able to slip past airport metal detection and be suitable for use by terrorists.[3][4][5]
Initial proposals to ban handguns with less than 8 oz of steel were opposed by the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), and what resulted was a compromise that banned guns with less than half the metal content of the Glock.[6][7] The NRA agreed not to oppose the Act because it did not affect any existing guns. Introduced by William J. Hughes (D-NJ), it passed overwhelmingly in October 1988.[7]
The gun control lobby was eager to promote it as one of the first successes of groups like Handgun Control, Inc (later the Brady Campaign).[7] The Act set the stage for the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban.[7]
The original Act had a ten-year sunset clause, and would have expired on November 10, 1998. Congress subsequently renewed it in 1998 for five years,[8][9] in 2003 for ten years,[10][11] in 2013 for another ten years,[12][13] and in 2024 until March 8, 2031.[14]
Proposals to extend the scope of the law at the 2013 renewal were unsuccessful. At that time, the NRA continued to support the law but opposed any extension of its scope.[15]
With the advent of projects like the Wiki Weapon, 3D printing technologies have been noted for their abilities to help create largely polymer and ceramic firearms.[16][17] Various groups of makers and tech enthusiasts have experimented with the technology in this capacity as well, leading to widespread speculation that traditional methods of gun control will become increasingly inoperable.[18]
Proposed renewals and expansions of the current Undetectable Firearms Act include provisions to criminalize individual production of firearm receivers and magazines that is not detectable by a walk-through metal detector, measures outside the scope of the original UFA[citation needed] and not extended to cover commercial manufacture.[19][20][non-primary source needed] The modernization proposals have been criticized as disingenuous attempts to suppress adoption of and experimentation with 3D printers in home gunsmithing.[21][better source needed]
^William Hughes. "Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 (1988; 100th Congress H.R. 4445)". GovTrack.us. from the original on 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
^. Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
^ abCrooker, Constance (June 30, 2003). Gun Control and Gun Rights (Historical Guides to Controversial Issues in America). Greenwood. ISBN0313321744.
^Anderson, Jack; Van Atta, Dale (Jan 15, 1986). "Qaddafi Buying Austrian Plastic Pistols". The Washington Post. from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
^Feldman, Richard (October 1, 2007). Ricochet: Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN978-0471679288.
^Kopel, Dave (July 27, 2000). . National Review Online. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
^ abcdCarter, Greg (May 4, 2012). Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. ABC-CLIO. ISBN978-0313386701.
^Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 105–277 (text) (PDF), H.R. 4328, 112 Stat. 2681, enacted October 21, 1998
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
^Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 108–174 (text) (PDF), H.R. 3348, 117 Stat. 2481, enacted December 9, 2003
^James Sensenbrenner Jr. "To reauthorize the ban on undetectable firearms. (2003; 108th Congress H.R. 3348)". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
^"Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie Objects to Plastic Gun Ban". 89.3 WFPL. 4 December 2013. from the original on February 6, 2015.
^Albanesius, Chloe (2013-12-10). "Obama Signs Bill to Extend Ban on Plastic Guns | News & Opinion". PCMag.com. from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
^Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 118–42 (text) (PDF)
^"NRA Statement on the Reauthorization of the "Undetectable Firearms Act", HR 3626". National Rifle Association of America - Institute for Legislative Action. December 3, 2013. from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
^Hutchinson, Lee (2013-05-03). "The first entirely 3D-printed handgun is here". Ars Technica. from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
^. Archived from the original on April 23, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
^"Livestream - Watch thousands of live events & live stream your events". Retrieved November 14, 2013.[dead link]
^. blog.defdist.org. Defense Distributed. November 18, 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
January 01, 1970
undetectable, firearms, this, article, about, original, 1988, december, 2013, extension, this, extend, 1988, years, united, states, 1988, makes, illegal, manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, receive, firearm, that, detectable, walk, thr. This article is about the original 1988 Undetectable Firearms Act For the December 2013 extension of this law see An Act to extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years The United States Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 18 U S C 922 p makes it illegal to manufacture import sell ship deliver possess transfer or receive any firearm that is not as detectable by walk through metal detection as a security exemplar containing 3 7 oz 105 g of steel or any firearm with major components that do not generate an accurate image before standard airport imaging technology 1 Undetectable Firearms ActOther short titlesUndetectable Firearms Act of 1988Long titleAn Act to amend title 18 United States Code to prohibit certain firearms especially useful to terrorists Acronyms colloquial UFA TFDANicknamesTerrorist Firearms Detection Act of 1988Enacted bythe 100th United States CongressEffectiveDecember 9 1988CitationsPublic law100 649Statutes at Large102 Stat 3816CodificationTitles amended18 U S C Crimes and Criminal Procedure49 U S C TransportationU S C sections amended18 U S C ch 44 921 et seq 49 U S C ch 449 subch I 44901Legislative historyIntroduced in the House as H R 4445 by William J Hughes D NJ on April 21 1988Committee consideration by House Judiciary Senate JudiciaryPassed the House on May 10 1988 413 4 Passed the Senate on May 25 1988 Passed voice vote in lieu of S 2180 with amendmentHouse agreed to Senate amendment on October 20 1988 Agreed unanimous consent with further amendmentSenate agreed to House amendment on October 21 1988 Agreed voice vote Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 10 1988 It was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 10 1988 2 Contents 1 Overview 2 History 3 Renewals 4 Application to 3D printing 5 See also 6 ReferencesOverview editThe general effect of this legislation is a ban on the manufacture possession and transfer of firearms with less than 3 7 oz 105 g of metal content The bill also requires handguns to be in the traditional shape of a handgun The Act excepts from its prohibitions the federal government and its agencies and may offer a safe harbor for licensed manufactures testing to determine if their firearms meet the Act s criteria History editWhat became the Undetectable Firearms Act began as an attempt to ban handguns like the Glock 17 in the mid 1980s 3 Pistols like the Glock had frames and grips made from lightweight polymer and their novelty prompted public criticism that their relative lack of metal content meant they might be able to slip past airport metal detection and be suitable for use by terrorists 3 4 5 Initial proposals to ban handguns with less than 8 oz of steel were opposed by the National Rifle Association of America NRA and what resulted was a compromise that banned guns with less than half the metal content of the Glock 6 7 The NRA agreed not to oppose the Act because it did not affect any existing guns Introduced by William J Hughes D NJ it passed overwhelmingly in October 1988 7 The gun control lobby was eager to promote it as one of the first successes of groups like Handgun Control Inc later the Brady Campaign 7 The Act set the stage for the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban 7 Renewals editMain article An Act to extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years The original Act had a ten year sunset clause and would have expired on November 10 1998 Congress subsequently renewed it in 1998 for five years 8 9 in 2003 for ten years 10 11 in 2013 for another ten years 12 13 and in 2024 until March 8 2031 14 Proposals to extend the scope of the law at the 2013 renewal were unsuccessful At that time the NRA continued to support the law but opposed any extension of its scope 15 Application to 3D printing editMain article 3D printed firearms With the advent of projects like the Wiki Weapon 3D printing technologies have been noted for their abilities to help create largely polymer and ceramic firearms 16 17 Various groups of makers and tech enthusiasts have experimented with the technology in this capacity as well leading to widespread speculation that traditional methods of gun control will become increasingly inoperable 18 Proposed renewals and expansions of the current Undetectable Firearms Act include provisions to criminalize individual production of firearm receivers and magazines that is not detectable by a walk through metal detector measures outside the scope of the original UFA citation needed and not extended to cover commercial manufacture 19 20 non primary source needed The modernization proposals have been criticized as disingenuous attempts to suppress adoption of and experimentation with 3D printers in home gunsmithing 21 better source needed See also editGun control Gun law in the United States Gun politics in the United States Improvised firearm To extend the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 for 10 years H R 3626 113th Congress References edit William Hughes Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 1988 100th Congress H R 4445 GovTrack us Archived from the original on 2013 08 26 Retrieved 2016 02 27 H R 4445 Major Congressional Actions Library of Congress Archived from the original on 4 July 2016 Retrieved 3 February 2015 a b Crooker Constance June 30 2003 Gun Control and Gun Rights Historical Guides to Controversial Issues in America Greenwood ISBN 0313321744 Anderson Jack Van Atta Dale Jan 15 1986 Qaddafi Buying Austrian Plastic Pistols The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 10 2015 Retrieved 14 November 2013 Feldman Richard October 1 2007 Ricochet Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist John Wiley amp Sons ISBN 978 0471679288 Kopel Dave July 27 2000 The Cheney Glock n Spiel National Review Online Archived from the original on 8 December 2013 Retrieved 14 November 2013 a b c d Carter Greg May 4 2012 Guns in American Society An Encyclopedia of History Politics Culture and the Law ABC CLIO ISBN 978 0313386701 Pub L Tooltip Public Law United States 105 277 text PDF H R 4328 112 Stat 2681 enacted October 21 1998 Public Law 105 277 105th Congress PDF Archived from the original PDF on April 18 2015 Retrieved April 18 2015 Pub L Tooltip Public Law United States 108 174 text PDF H R 3348 117 Stat 2481 enacted December 9 2003 James Sensenbrenner Jr To reauthorize the ban on undetectable firearms 2003 108th Congress H R 3348 GovTrack us Retrieved 2016 02 27 Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie Objects to Plastic Gun Ban 89 3 WFPL 4 December 2013 Archived from the original on February 6 2015 Albanesius Chloe 2013 12 10 Obama Signs Bill to Extend Ban on Plastic Guns News amp Opinion PCMag com Archived from the original on December 12 2013 Retrieved 2016 02 27 Pub L Tooltip Public Law United States 118 42 text PDF NRA Statement on the Reauthorization of the Undetectable Firearms Act HR 3626 National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action December 3 2013 Archived from the original on December 6 2013 Retrieved 5 December 2013 Hutchinson Lee 2013 05 03 The first entirely 3D printed handgun is here Ars Technica Archived from the original on May 4 2013 Retrieved 2016 02 27 Wiki Weapon 3D Printable Gun Defense Distributed Archived from the original on April 23 2013 Retrieved November 14 2013 Livestream Watch thousands of live events amp live stream your events Retrieved November 14 2013 dead link H R 1474 S 1149 On Undetectable Firearms Act Renewal blog defdist org Defense Distributed November 18 2013 Archived from the original on 11 December 2013 Retrieved 18 November 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Undetectable Firearms Act amp oldid 1215080221, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
