3D printing making ‘Glock switches’ simpler to get in Arizona, ATF says
Glock switches turns handguns into machine weapons
Glock switches flip handguns into machine weapons, and Columbus police are seeing extra of them
Doral Chenoweth, The Columbus Dispatch
“Glock switches,” small gadgets able to turning nearly any handgun right into a machine gun, are more and more being discovered amongst seized firearms within the Phoenix space, in line with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
“Our proactive circumstances, whether or not undercover, historic, or different sorts of investigations, are more and more uncovering these machine gun conversion gadgets,” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost Brendan Iber.
Iber defined that these switches, roughly the dimensions of 1 / 4 and constituted of steel or plastic, have turn out to be simpler to amass because of the rise of 3-D printing and widespread on-line ordering.
“Particularly within the final 5 years, these gadgets have turn out to be readily and simply obtainable,” Iber mentioned. “Relying in your 3D printer’s pace, it takes a mean of 40 minutes to print certainly one of these machine gun conversion gadgets.”
Iber famous that these gadgets have turn out to be extra widespread amongst juveniles lately.
“It’s regarding as a result of we’re seeing youthful and youthful juveniles concerned in violent crimes,” Iber mentioned.
Along with collaborating with native police departments to hint the sources of Glock switches, the bureau is partnering with libraries and colleges to boost consciousness concerning the potential misuse of 3D printers to provide these gadgets.
Below Arizona legislation, the gadgets are unlawful when hooked up to a firearm, whereas federal legislation criminalizes possession of the gadget even when unattached, with penalties of as much as 10 years in jail.
