Undetectable Firearms Act — Currently Active Federal Law
Informational only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on this content.
Summary
Federal law prohibiting firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or x-ray machines. Applies directly to all-plastic 3D printed guns.
Full Details
The Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 is the primary federal law that applies to 3D printed firearms. It prohibits the manufacture, import, possession, transfer, or delivery of any firearm that is not detectable by walk-through metal detectors or that does not produce an accurate image when subjected to x-ray machines.
All-plastic 3D printed firearms — the kind that can be made entirely from consumer FDM printers — violate this act. The law has been renewed multiple times and remains in active force.
For hobbyists printing non-firearm objects, this law is irrelevant. For anyone considering printing functional firearms, this is the primary federal legal barrier.
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