America’s Next Gun Crisis: Rise of 3D-Printed Firearms

Across the U.S., law enforcement agencies are reporting a sharp rise in 3D-printed firearms recovered from crime scenes — signaling what experts warn could be the country’s next major gun crisis.

At a summit in New York City, convened policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and police officials to address the surge of untraceable, homemade weapons that evade serial-number tracking and background checks.

Data collected from around two dozen departments reveal that the number of 3D-printed guns seized jumped from just over 30 in 2020 to more than 300 by 2024 — a trajectory mirroring the early rise of “ghost guns.”

While new federal rules have curbed kit-built weapons, 3D-printed guns present a tougher challenge since they aren’t regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Officials like the Manhattan District Attorney are pushing tech companies such as YouTube and 3D-printer manufacturers to remove blueprints and integrate detection safeguards.

Some firms have begun embedding software that recognizes and blocks gun-part designs — a proactive step that advocates compare to the anti-counterfeiting features in color printers.