"usually it's because it is highly plausible that they were entirely unaware that they were legally unable to purchase guns"

"So we can make 6-inch mortars in our garages?"

You're right. A plastic book wouldn't be suspicious at all.

"Why would criminals need to obtain them illegally?! Just about anyone can pick up a gun from a gun show these days..."

"It requires some skill to craft a metal gun. Trust me, if you think it's so easy try it yourself, guy."

Despite how you see them advertised, 3D printers do require skill to operate and maintain - at the software level, it's the same skillset as needed to operate CNC machining equipment, and at the hardware level, it ranges from similar to even more complex.

But these also contain metal - the screws, the firing pin, and of course the bullets and shell casings.

In general, 3D printing (additive manufacturing) is many times slower than machining (subtractive manufacturing) parts.

Actually, these 3D printed guns are pretty bulky compared to zip guns made out of things like Mini Maglite flashlights, or pocket derringers (since they aren't firearms, muzzle loading derringer kits don't require registration or tracking from the manufacturer).

"Far more dangerous" seems a bit of a stretch to me. This is still a single-shot pistol, and it requires tools to be re-loaded for a repeat shot.

Sure it's different.

Left-Wing Solution: Cops carry guns.

But it's not made completely out of plastic.

But all that debt comes with it...

Fasten your seatbelt, the country is headed the same direction.

Not according to the page selling them: "The Millennium Falcon from Star Wars has joined the high quality metal model Metallic Nano Puzzle series made using ultra-fine laser cutting!!"

With a laser, it's easy to cut and etch in a single pass, with the laser's movement speed and or intensity making the difference of which it does.

OK, I'm not digging the new comment menus, in that I have now twice deleted replies that I meant to promote by clicking the x next to the star.

And Lucasfilm lawyers go after an unlicensed Star Wars product in 3... 2... 1...

Not M16, AR-15.