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Comment by cascom | Hacker News Reader

Like Biden’s proposed executive actions on “Ghost Guns” they sound scary, but it’s not as if anyone is using them, especially as there is no market demand in the US given the ease of getting a regular gun.

Disclaimer: please don’t infer anything about my comment regarding the broader gun control debate

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That's not really true. Plenty of people in the US build their own guns (ghost guns as they like to call them today). You can see this in the sales of places selling 80% receivers/frames. Even if you can buy a professionally built gun at the store, some people would rather build their own, putting their own personal touches on it. It's a similar mentality to hotrodders, or custom motorcycles, etc.

Except the receiver/frame is the part that is FFL regulated and treated the same as an assembled gun from a sales/regulation standpoint - so they are not in fact “Ghost Guns”

But my point still stands - the cost and obtainability of real guns to people that would misuse them obviates the need to manufacture their own

"80% recievers" aren't regulated, so there's no paperwork when they are sold and then finished by the buyer.

Of course they would be subject to regulation once finished, but there's not any record of the firearm.

I agree, but just want to point out that they aren't required to be finished. If you do any work to it at all (81%+ complete), then they are considered a firearm.

I know it sounds like I'm being pedantic, but I wouldn't want anyone to get into serious trouble if they read this didn't understand the difference.

"Except the receiver/frame is the part that is FFL regulated and treated the same as an assembled gun from a sales/regulation standpoint - so they are not in fact 'Ghost Guns'”.

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to - the 80% receivers/kits? Those do not have serial numbers and are not considered firearms until you make them 81%+.

> Like Biden’s proposed executive actions on “Ghost Guns” they sound scary, but it’s not as if anyone is using them, especially as there is no market demand in the US given the ease of getting a regular gun.

A "ghost gun" is just a firearm without a serial. That would include 80% lowers too (which do not require any ID to purchase as they're just hunks of plastic or metal). Many people enjoy the hobby of building their own guns. To say there is "no market demand in the US given the ease of getting a regular gun" is simply untrue.

I think parent meant to communicate that the vast majority of "uses" of guns in the U.S. are still serialized, mass-manufactured guns. Not that the market for non-serialized but legal guns is literally zero.

Article has nothing to do with the US. I am not even sure why anyone is bringing up the US at all.

Lots of Americans here

Yes and their comments lack any insight into the effect of having readily available guns in Europe. The points made are along the lines of this isn't a problem cause genuine guns are so easily available.

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