Summary

Americans are posting videos about 3D-printed guns on the Chinese video app RedNote, despite the content being illegal in China.

While some users are uncomfortable with the topic, others see it as an opportunity for cultural exchange.

The future of TikTok remains uncertain as the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the ban.

  • Hathaway@lemmy.zip
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    2 days ago

    Electro chemical machining can make a barrel.

    But, idk how any of what you said makes them a “meme”. You can buy a barrel online for cheap, also ammo, and I don’t have to go through a government check. That’s what a lot of these people want to avoid.

    • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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      19 hours ago

      Electro chemical machining can make a barrel.

      Yes, but that’s not 3d printing any more.

      It’s a separate process requiring separate tools, materials and skills.

      • Jumpingspiderman@lemmy.world
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        13 hours ago

        But you can make anything with that additional process. SO it’s going to be difficult for a government to lock down those additional processes.

        • mycelium underground@lemmy.world
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          12 hours ago

          I can make barrels and stuff like that on a milling machine and a lathe. Not just shitty parts but better than most big manufacturers put out. Government can’t control manufacturing.

          Still not 3d printing.

          edit: Typo

    • scoobford@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      In most countries, the barrel or other pressures bearing parts are the regulated piece. We are the weird ones for regulating receivers instead.

      • Hathaway@lemmy.zip
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        2 days ago

        Well, the article references Americans, I’m American, so okay?

        Europeans can also get guns mailed to their front door, are we just comparing gun laws?

        • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          Europeans can also get guns mailed to their front door, are we just comparing gun laws?

          I mean, there’s a lot of context surrounding licensing and pre-approval to get that mail order heater in Europe. Local laws vary, yadda yadda

          And if you collect old guns and have a C&R license, you too can get guns delivered to your door in America.

          • RaoulDook@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            In the UK you can also purchase a pistol with bitcoin on the dark web and have it delivered to a train station locker, but that is not legal at all.

          • Hathaway@lemmy.zip
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            2 days ago

            Oh yeah, 1000%. Also, with a C&R license, you’re not legally purchasing a “firearm”. It’s a curio or relic, but yeah, point still stands.

            Also, none of that has anything to do with the discussion at hand, which was sorta my point.

            • nerdyshades@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              I have my 03-FFL, and “Curio & Relic” is a classification that firearms can fall into, defined as firearms manufactured 50-years or more ago. Legally, by definition, you are still purchasing a firearm. You’ve just had more background checks to bypass some of the rules in most states about transfers, if the firearm you are buying qualifies as a “Curio & Relic”.

                • nerdyshades@lemmy.world
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                  9 hours ago

                  Reading my comment back makes it sound more dick-ish than I intended, my bad. You just happened to mention a special interest of mine that I know a lot about.

                  • Hathaway@lemmy.zip
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                    2 hours ago

                    No worries dog. I was also tired of semantic battles at that point and also wasn’t having it, so also came off as a dick. I also have my 07 FFL and SOT, so, trust me, I get it, I was/am wrong. The correction is warranted. Just not at all the conversation I was trying to have lmao

        • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          It mentions sending videos about them to China. Where most of those videos are useless because the parts and ammo are not sold there.

            • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              Okay so a lot of work to create the barrel, but the gun still takes 9mm ammunition. And if someone in China can get their hands on ammo they can get their hands on a gun.

              • Hathaway@lemmy.zip
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                2 days ago

                Okay? I don’t know what you’re arguing here? 3D printed guns aren’t a meme. Some don’t require any regulated parts. I don’t care if the average Chinese person can or will get their hands on one. You can just say you didn’t know what you were talking about when you said 3d printed guns are a “meme”. It’s not that deep

    • IndustryStandard@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Barrels require rifling. It is fairly difficult to manually create the groove as it requires a lot of tooling. Not impossible. But not something people will do to create a single gun. Only the barrel would be more work than assembling the rest of the gun.

      Purchased ammo and other parts are specific to the US. 3D printed guns give people the illusion that they can make the entire gun using a 3d printer and off the shelf consumer parts. But most 3d printed guns are made by buying all the required metal parts for guns and printing out the exterior.