Wednesday, 1 August 2018 ()
A little-known dispute over 3D-printed guns has morphed into a national legal debate in the last week, drawing attention to a technology that seems a bit of sci-fi fantasy and — to gun-control advocates — a dangerous way for criminals to get their hands on firearms that are easy to conceal and tough to detect. The gun industry calls the outcry an overreaction that preys on unwarranted fears about a firearm that can barely shoot a round or two without disintegrating. It also raises a host of constitutional questions involving First Amendment protections for free speech and Second Amendment rights to own guns. Here are some questions and answers about the debate: Q. What is behind the dispute? A.