The Washington state legislature just passed a law making it a felony to possess digital files that can be used to make any part on a CNC or a 3d machine that could potentially be used as a part of a firearm.
Not only impossible to make work in any practical or Constitutional sense, it opens a huge can of worms.
21 Comments
ghostsniper · March 15, 2026 at 8:45 am
Going by only what you have written here, this law will not hold up under scrutiny.
The word “potentially” is the weasel word.
I have been a licensed AutoCAD user for more than 30 years and I have in my possession literally thousands of digital files that can be “potentially” used to create any kind of part one can imagine with with metalworking CNC machines. Any pipe, for example, can “potentially” be a gun barrel.
The same is true for any lever, bar, rod, pivot, spring, etc., you get the picture.
The people that produced this law need to be dragged.
Boneman · March 16, 2026 at 5:20 am
Been using AutoCAD since 1987. Never had a license for it. 😉 I presume you mean licensed copies of the software. I do have a fully licensed (to me) copy of LT2007 running on an XP machine that I still use regularly. I would agree, so many files that _could_ be used as a firearm component. They forgot to cover such things as patterns for holsters, etc. 😉
ghostsniper · March 16, 2026 at 1:12 pm
Yes, guess I forgot a comma. Licensed AutoCAD, user. I bought the software and have never subscribed. I’m using 2004 on an XP machine. I bought Longbow to install my AutoCAD 2004 on a Win 10 machine but could never get it to work. It requires me to enter that secondary serial number that can only be gotten from AutoCAD and they aren’t giving it out any more.
Joe Blow · March 15, 2026 at 8:59 am
Why are people still surprised when commies act like commies?
Tsgt Joe · March 15, 2026 at 9:40 am
I’m not as sanguine as the you tube guy. Those folks creating these laws are tools of oppression, not reasonable folks willing to listen to reason. A trait I’ve seen with people, more-so on the left is the “we have to do something!” Syndrome. It doesn’t have to be good, effective, relevant or even right, but we gotta do something. Visible effort is rewarded.
Honk Honk · March 15, 2026 at 10:18 am
CPUSA occupied territory. Gut busting laughs when the real commies say please face wall now comrade, you are about to see the New Man workers utopia with equality of results for all.
Barbarus · March 15, 2026 at 1:09 pm
When (as I do) you live somewhere this sort of thing keeps happening, always in the same direction, and always in a way that leaves large areas open to interpretation, eventually you are driven to the conclusion that the legislators concerned are evil, not nice but stupid. The intention must be to create a police state, in which it is impossible to keep within the law unless the police and justice system so decide after the event.
Elrod · March 15, 2026 at 2:23 pm
RE: the video. He makes the assumption that the authors and supporters of the bill are “nice people,” “reasonable,” “well meaning.”
His assumptions are incorrect.
@HomeInSC · March 15, 2026 at 3:07 pm
I wrote a g-code parser and motor driver for a friend, a professional machinist, who was making a small cnc machine for home use back in 1986 or so.
Trying to force the machine makers to prevent the printing of a part would essentially force them to connect to some online service to check the file before printing.
Likewise for preventing CAD tools from being used for creating files.
Doomed to failure.
It seems like the only way that law could be practically used would be as an add-on charge if someone pops up on the radar as making forbidden items. A search might turn up outlawed files and presto! more crimes.
Basic computer security measures should prevent that.
I really hate products that have to connect to their manufacturer to work. I also hate SW subscription stuff that does similar connection crap. I also hate idiot politicians. That’s a lot if hate🤣
Exile1981 · March 18, 2026 at 6:16 am
I hate when you have a subscription to a design code and if you download a pdf copy it expires every thirty days. Working at remote sites its hard to use codes when they require internet to verify you are the owner every time.
Jester · March 15, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Weird, they don’t think they are banning books or freedom of speech when they do this, but scream to the clouds when people determine that having porn available to kids in their school library is inappropriate.
Al · March 15, 2026 at 7:34 pm
F THESE COMMIES!! THAT IS ALL THEY ARE WORTH!!
hh475 · March 15, 2026 at 8:05 pm
This is just one part of a broad range of censorship/surveillance measures. California recently passed a law that all operating systems must do age verification, and other states are following suit. Thus, even open source OSs like linux will have to put surveillance code into their systems.
@HomeInSC · March 15, 2026 at 8:39 pm
Paraphrasing my Dad, from long ago. If the results of evil and stupid are the same, maybe stupid is evil. The inverse is up for discussion.
nones · March 16, 2026 at 5:14 am
I attempted to use the Cura slicing program to print a Glock 19 lower on my Ender 3 printer. Cura filled in major parts of the print so as to make the final product unusable. I reprinted the same file using Prusa slicer and it rendered what looked to be a usable product. So what I am trying to say is that censorship is already being done through the software from some companies. I really need to learn to use a cad program to create my own files.
@HomeInSC · March 16, 2026 at 1:14 pm
All the 3D stuff is pretty neat. Regardless, I still like all-steel(prefer stainless) for my tools.
As far as the sw, open-source has the right idea about freedom but it isn’t always a finished product quality.
Just a guess about Cura: it probably identified that particular file by name, header, metadata, or file hash as a proscribed file. Some hand editing would probably bypass its check. Bastards.
Tom235 · March 16, 2026 at 7:21 am
Constitution??? What the hell does that matter anymore? Unless it fits the narrative; 14, 17, and 19 coming to mind … as long as it’s not 1 or 2 or 4 or 6 … or coming soon, 3.
Slow Joe Crow · March 16, 2026 at 3:41 pm
Where does this leave Aero Precision? Their business is CNC machining firearm parts. Of course they do have an FFL as a manufacturer but I’m sure the Mao wannabes in Olympia didn’t make an exception and think driving a,gun maker out of state is a net good
James · March 16, 2026 at 6:22 pm
Saved a lot of these files years ago,never used them but thought why not?
Now I know why.
Unknownsailor · March 16, 2026 at 9:53 pm
This bill (HB2321) died in committee, but a companion bill (HB2320) did pass both houses, and is sitting on the governor’s desk. HB2320 does not affect the printers themselves, but regulates distribution of the CAD files.
Totally unenforceable, of course, but WA gun laws mostly are. The state hasn’t tried to apply most of the recent laws it has enacted because it knows the moment it does the law will get tossed by the court.
GrayDog · March 18, 2026 at 1:55 am
Sadly, that’s not quite true.
See: State of Washington v. Gator’s Custom Guns.
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