Colorado Students Demand Democrats Restrict 3D Printing

February 12, 2026
3:35 pm

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Colorado students are hitting the streets, rallying lawmakers to clamp down on 3D-printed guns, citing the usual chorus of rising concerns over gun violence. It's the latest salvo in the endless war on innovation, where a bunch of wide-eyed activists—likely fresh off TikTok tutorials on activism—demand Democrats slam the brakes on technology that's as American as apple pie and the right to tinker. Picture this: kids who can barely balance a checkbook preaching about ghost guns that evade the nanny state's loving embrace of background checks and serial numbers. Never mind that 3D printing democratizes manufacturing, putting the power of creation back in the hands of everyday inventors, hobbyists, and yes, defenders of self-reliance. But let's peel back the emotional veneer with some cold, hard context. 3D-printed firearms aren't the boogeyman they're made out to be—successful prints like the FGC-9 require real skill, non-plastic components, and aren't churning out arsenals in high school basements. FBI data shows ghost guns make up a tiny fraction of crime guns recovered (less than 2% in most reports), dwarfed by hand-me-down gang bangers and straw-purchased semi-autos. This push is pure theater, echoing failed bans in states like California where underground fabrication thrives anyway. It's not about safety; it's about control—chipping away at the Second Amendment by targeting the tools of innovation. Remember the DeCSS case or the MPAA's war on VCRs? Same playbook: fear tech that bypasses gatekeepers. For the 2A community, the implications are crystal clear: this is a canary in the coal mine for broader assaults on home manufacturing. If Colorado's Dems bite, expect copycat bills nationwide, potentially criminalizing your garage Ender 3 alongside AR lowers. It's a rallying cry to double down on advocacy—lobby your reps, support orgs like FPC fighting these in court, and keep printing (legally, of course). Innovation won't be regulated into oblivion; it'll evolve faster than bureaucrats can type. Stay vigilant, print on, and remind these students: the real violence comes from disarmed citizens, not DIY blueprints.

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Colorado students are hitting the streets, rallying lawmakers to clamp down on 3D-printed guns, citing the usual chorus of rising concerns over gun violence. It’s the latest salvo in the endless war on innovation, where a bunch of wide-eyed activists—likely fresh off TikTok tutorials on activism—demand Democrats slam the brakes on technology that’s as American as apple pie and the right to tinker. Picture this: kids who can barely balance a checkbook preaching about ghost guns that evade the nanny state’s loving embrace of background checks and serial numbers. Never mind that 3D printing democratizes manufacturing, putting the power of creation back in the hands of everyday inventors, hobbyists, and yes, defenders of self-reliance.

But let’s peel back the emotional veneer with some cold, hard context. 3D-printed firearms aren’t the boogeyman they’re made out to be—successful prints like the FGC-9 require real skill, non-plastic components, and aren’t churning out arsenals in high school basements. FBI data shows ghost guns make up a tiny fraction of crime guns recovered (less than 2% in most reports), dwarfed by hand-me-down gang bangers and straw-purchased semi-autos. This push is pure theater, echoing failed bans in states like California where underground fabrication thrives anyway. It’s not about safety; it’s about control—chipping away at the Second Amendment by targeting the tools of innovation. Remember the DeCSS case or the MPAA’s war on VCRs? Same playbook: fear tech that bypasses gatekeepers.

For the 2A community, the implications are crystal clear: this is a canary in the coal mine for broader assaults on home manufacturing. If Colorado’s Dems bite, expect copycat bills nationwide, potentially criminalizing your garage Ender 3 alongside AR lowers. It’s a rallying cry to double down on advocacy—lobby your reps, support orgs like FPC fighting these in court, and keep printing (legally, of course). Innovation won’t be regulated into oblivion; it’ll evolve faster than bureaucrats can type. Stay vigilant, print on, and remind these students: the real violence comes from disarmed citizens, not DIY blueprints.

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