Good to know the AFT and the Lame Stream Media are out there spreading manure everywhere. They make it seem as though the "guns" are the problem. Even though the article does say the items made are illegal and done by criminals (who don't follow laws anyways)

https://abc13.com/houston-crime-ghost-guns-atf-training-used-in/11633731/

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I may have heard a story of a guy who ordered airsoft switches via wish.com.  AFT showed up at his door asking for the X amount of switched he purchased. Told him give them to us or we will arrest and go to trial. Surrender them and that's the end of it. Just don't order more.  1 was installed in his airsoft, the rest were still in the box.  He surrendered all to them and they left.

I may have heard a story of a guy who ordered airsoft switches via wish.com.  AFT showed up at his door asking for the X amount of switched he purchased. Told him give them to us or we will arrest and go to trial. Surrender them and that's the end of it. Just don't order more.  1 was installed in his airsoft, the rest were still in the box.  He surrendered all to them and they left.

If the airsoft version is not compatible with the real firearm version, I would have told the ATF to pound sand.  Since they didn't arrest him, it goes to the legality of the item and his actions.

My daughter fought a traffic ticket, and the prosecutor tried every lie, threat and trick he could think of to get a conviction before she testified.  The ticket was thrown out even though the issuing officer testified.

Don't trust ANYTHING someone in law enforcement or the justice system tells you if they are on the opposing side.  Have a lawyer's number/card handy, and tell them to contact that office if they have any more questions.

My daughter fought a traffic ticket, and the prosecutor tried every lie, threat and trick he could think of to get a conviction before she testified.  The ticket was thrown out even though the issuing officer testified.

What did they lie about?

The increased ease of getting a firearm through automated machining and printing does worry me, it definitely makes obtaining a firearm by a prohibited person easier. I think we shouldn't ignore that aspect of this issue.

The increased ease of getting a firearm through automated machining and printing does worry me, it definitely makes obtaining a firearm by a prohibited person easier. I think we shouldn't ignore that aspect of this issue.

The issue is that people make irrational judgementa on what it really takes to produce a functioning firearm.

The increased ease of getting a firearm through automated machining and printing does worry me, it definitely makes obtaining a firearm by a prohibited person easier. I think we shouldn't ignore that aspect of this issue.

Or maybe we should keep career felons behind bars. Find the $ in the budget for it.

You're statement reminds me of what Major Neilson testified to when HPD was for the "ghost gun" bill. Someone mentioned the cost to make a P80 was about $600 vs. the cost to buy a factory gun from the blackmarket at $200ish.  Major Neilson stated it actually cost HPD $800 to make the "ghost gun". So someone in HPD got a free P80 with premium parts courtesy of John Q tax payer.

Actually a prohibited person making 3D printing one can work out in the favor of the people because unless they really know what they're doing, the gun is not reliable. As seen in the Lucky Strike shooting, the gun jammed after the 1st shot.  I've seen P80s jam way more often at the range compared to factory guns (non modified).  And someone who really does know how to build a P80 or 3D printed gun, will be able to do so whether laws are passed banning them or not.

If the airsoft version is not compatible with the real firearm version, I would have told the ATF to pound sand.  Since they didn't arrest him, it goes to the legality of the item and his actions.

They were at his door because the are compatible.  They also wanted every one he bought, if 1 was "missing" to the jail he goes.

The issue is that people make irrational judgementa on what it really takes to produce a functioning firearm.

Not really though. I am sure there are people with an unsubstantiated fear that people can just push a button then out pops a fully functional firearm however I would argue that "ghost guns" and the ability to manufacture certain parts easily make it much easier to come by a completed firearm for illegal use.

Or maybe we should keep career felons behind bars. Find the $ in the budget for it.

You're statement reminds me of what Major Neilson testified to when HPD was for the "ghost gun" bill. Someone mentioned the cost to make a P80 was about $600 vs. the cost to buy a factory gun from the blackmarket at $200ish.  Major Neilson stated it actually cost HPD $800 to make the "ghost gun". So someone in HPD got a free P80 with premium parts courtesy of John Q tax payer.

Actually a prohibited person making 3D printing one can work out in the favor of the people because unless they really know what they're doing, the gun is not reliable. As seen in the Lucky Strike shooting, the gun jammed after the 1st shot.  I've seen P80s jam way more often at the range compared to factory guns (non modified).  And someone who really does know how to build a P80 or 3D printed gun, will be able to do so whether laws are passed banning them or not.

If you analyze the dollar amount then you could make the argument that the black market firearm is easier to get but I was looking at it a different way. If I order a ghost gun receiver and order the other parts I can get them readily and finish them relatively easily whereas the black market involves more risks and complications. I need to first know a guy who can get me one. That guy has to get the firearm, which has probably been stolen by him or someone else in a burglary, robbery etc. So along that path the people involved can be robbed themselves, they could be caught by cops, they could be arrested in a sting operation, I might get the gun but later be ratted out to the cops. To me, if I were trying to get a gun for crimes, even if the ghost gun is going to cost me more I would opt for the ghost gun type because now I avoid all those risks associated with getting a black market one.

What did they lie about?

Prosecutor:  "The officer is here and ready to testify.  He used a laser, which is very reliable.  If you don't plead guilty, we'll be seeking the maximum fine, which is $450."

The fine stated on the ticket was $265, not $450.

Prosecutor, after she said she's still fighting it, "We're going to call all the other cases before yours, so you might not even be heard today.  That's means you'll have to come back again."

It was 10:15AM.  Given the number of cases being actually disputed, there was no way that was going to happen.  As it turns out, he was off by about 5-6 hours!

Prosecutor @10.30 as court reconvenes after the break: HE CALLS MY DAUGHTER'S CASE FIRST!  As she starts toward the bench, the prosecutor "corrected himself," and told her to be seated.  He then called another case.

Prosecutor @11:00 comes over and says they will be breaking for lunch at 11:30.  He said she'd be called long after lunch is over.  HE SUGGESTED WE GO GET LUNCH and be back about 1:00.  When court reconvened after that short break, HE AGAIN CALLED MY DAUGHTER'S CASE FIRST!  He looked shocked that she approached, expecting we'd taken his "advice" and gone to lunch.

As soon as the prosecutor "corrected himself" again and called a different case, the judge smiled.  He obviously knew what the prosecutor was doing -- trying to rattle my daughter and/or get a summary judgement if she wasn't present when called.

The third time he called her case, it was barely past 11:45 -- not even lunch yet.  She testified after the Cop.  The prosecutor spent most of his time reading a traffic stop "script" that got all of the required facts on the record:  who, what, when, how, radar/laser used, qualification training on the device, calibration date, environmental factors at the stop, etc, etc.  He basically went down a laundry list of questions to which the Cop supplied the answers.  Then my daughter questioned the Cop.  She got the answers she needed.   

The prosecutor in his final arguments made a couple of lame comments that had nothing to do with her defense, which is what we'd hoped for.  She'd asked "semi-irrelevant" questions about the stop just to throw the prosecutor off.

The case was dismissed.  As soon as the judge said the prosecution had failed to meet its burden, the prosecutor's jaw dropped to the table!  It was priceless!

Prosecutor:  "The officer is here and ready to testify.  He used a laser, which is very reliable.  If you don't plead guilty, we'll be seeking the maximum fine, which is $450."

The fine stated on the ticket was $265, not $450.

Prosecutor, after she said she's still fighting it, "We're going to call all the other cases before yours, so you might not even be heard today.  That's means you'll have to come back again."

It was 10:15AM.  Given the number of cases being actually disputed, there was no way that was going to happen.  As it turns out, he was off by about 5-6 hours!

Prosecutor @10.30 as court reconvenes after the break: HE CALLS MY DAUGHTER'S CASE FIRST!  As she starts toward the bench, the prosecutor "corrected himself," and told her to be seated.  He then called another case.

Prosecutor @11:00 comes over and says they will be breaking for lunch at 11:30.  He said she'd be called long after lunch is over.  HE SUGGESTED WE GO GET LUNCH and be back about 1:00.  When court reconvened after that short break, HE AGAIN CALLED MY DAUGHTER'S CASE FIRST!  He looked shocked that she approached, expecting we'd taken his "advice" and gone to lunch.

As soon as the prosecutor "corrected himself" again and called a different case, the judge smiled.  He obviously knew what the prosecutor was doing -- trying to rattle my daughter and/or get a summary judgement if she wasn't present when called.

The third time he called her case, it was barely past 11:45 -- not even lunch yet.  She testified after the Cop.  The prosecutor spent most of his time reading a traffic stop "script" that got all of the required facts on the record:  who, what, when, how, radar/laser used, qualification training on the device, calibration date, environmental factors at the stop, etc, etc.  He basically went down a laundry list of questions to which the Cop supplied the answers.  Then my daughter questioned the Cop.  She got the answers she needed.   

The prosecutor did his final arguments made a couple of lame comments that had nothing to do with her defense, which is what we'd hoped for.  She'd asked "semi-irrelevant" questions about the stop just to throw the prosecutor off.

The case was dismissed.  As soon as the judge said the prosecution had failed to meet its burden, the prosecutor's jaw dropped to the table!  It was priceless!

Interesting. I think they want the easy wins.

Was she contesting that she was speeding or was it another thing? (Don't have to answer of course, just curious)

Not really though. I am sure there are people with an unsubstantiated fear that people can just push a button then out pops a fully functional firearm however I would argue that "ghost guns" and the ability to manufacture certain parts easily make it much easier to come by a completed firearm for illegal use.

Again. Fear. They have no idea what it takes to make certain parts. "Push a button"? that's cute. No clue.

Interesting. I think they want the easy wins.

Was she contesting that she was speeding or was it another thing? (Don't have to answer of course, just curious)

She said she was not speeding, and that he pulled her over after he lasered a different car.

He had printed on the ticket the wrong location for the stop.  The place he stopped her was about 2 miles before the place he documented AND TESTIFIED ABOUT.  There were major differences in the locations, including construction about where he was sitting -- a road crew was removing rocks that fell onto the H2 northbound just after the H1-H2 exit.  Cars were speeding up after clearing the construction and moving around her, making it impossible for her to get out of the left lane.  The big fact that she got from the Cop was that, at night, he can't see the front license plate of the cars he lasers.  Also, the street lights there were out due to copper thieves, making identifying a car that much harder.

Basically, everything he testified about -- weather, road conditions, traffic conditions, lighting, etc. -- was now in question because he relied on the location he wrote on the ticket.  My daughter had him mark a Google Maps printout showing where he stopped her, just so there was no question about where he was describing.  Then she presented her own copy of the map she'd marked beforehand showing where she was actually stopped.  That gave a good visual of just how far apart the two spots were.

The judge said, while he didn't believe the Cop willfully lied, he did think the officer may have confused this stop with another, especially after another of my daughter's questions got the fact he'd written over 50 tickets that shift on the record.

Interesting. I think they want the easy wins.

Was she contesting that she was speeding or was it another thing? (Don't have to answer of course, just curious)

Easy or not, he just wanted the win without bothering to hear my daughter's side of the traffic stop.

He played dirty.  Had we trusted him and gone to lunch, he would have won by default.  That's how our government employees operate.  It's not about the truth.  It's about winning.  Period.  The public they supposedly work for get screwed in the process, and they could not care less.

Again. Fear. They have no idea what it takes to make certain parts. "Push a button"? that's cute. No clue.

Clearly I am not talking about those people who fear based on ignorance. You act as if all people who would worry are somehow ignorant.

Easy or not, he just wanted the win without bothering to hear my daughter's side of the traffic stop.

He played dirty.  Had we trusted him and gone to lunch, he would have won by default.  That's how our government employees operate.  It's not about the truth.  It's about winning.  Period.  The public they supposedly work for get screwed in the process, and they could not care less.

I have heard that some judges really don't take crap from attorneys and will toss their cases when they act like this even if it were a winnable case

They were at his door because the are compatible.  They also wanted every one he bought, if 1 was "missing" to the jail he goes.

Really?  It was always my understanding that the ATF requires airsoft gun makers design them in a way that prevents fire control components from real guns from working in them.  That way, someone can't convert an airsoft gun from airsoft to actual firearm by swapping some of the parts out.

So, if the parts in question are cross-compatible between airsoft and "real" Glocks, the ATF should not be going after the buyers, but the airsoft company or distributors.

That's probably why they didn't arrest him.  They had no evidence he intended to convert, or sell to others wanting to convert, a real Glock to full auto.

Where did you see the parts are cross-compatible?  Was that in an article?  The linked article doesn't use the word "airsoft" at all.

Clearly I am not talking about those people who fear based on ignorance. You act as if all people who would worry are somehow ignorant.

I'm not acting. I did not say all people who worry are ignorant. Making a firearm is more involved than what you described. Someone needs to have the knowledge and skill to operate the automated machinery. A DIY firearm like a :ghost gun" will cost more than one produced by a factory.

If you analyze the dollar amount then you could make the argument that the black market firearm is easier to get but I was looking at it a different way. If I order a ghost gun receiver and order the other parts I can get them readily and finish them relatively easily whereas the black market involves more risks and complications. I need to first know a guy who can get me one. That guy has to get the firearm, which has probably been stolen by him or someone else in a burglary, robbery etc. So along that path the people involved can be robbed themselves, they could be caught by cops, they could be arrested in a sting operation, I might get the gun but later be ratted out to the cops. To me, if I were trying to get a gun for crimes, even if the ghost gun is going to cost me more I would opt for the ghost gun type because now I avoid all those risks associated with getting a black market one.

You're thinking like someone who is trying to remain a law abiding citizen. Think like a criminal. Why would 1 spend $800 plus time, effort and tools for a gun they may have to toss in the bushes when being chased by cops.  When they could spend $200 and toss it with less financial worry.  Then add in that factory guns are usually more reliable. 

Now say the criminal doesn't make it himself and saves on the time and effort, as HPD stated it cost them $800. Which means if someone else is making it, there will be a mark up. So a $800 gun will now cost probably $1400 because why go thru such risk for a $100 per gun profit if it's sold at $900.  Same reason why a gun that killed someone cost way less than a gun that didn't on the black market. VICE had a docu about these types of clean vs. murder guns. Basically, murder guns cost less than $100.