Communities around the U.S. have seen shootings carried out with weapons converted to fully automatic in recent years, fueled by a staggering increase in small pieces of metal or plastic made with a 3D printer or ordered online. Laws against machine guns date back to the bloody violence of Prohibition-era gangsters. But the proliferation of devices known by nicknames such as Glock switches, auto sears and chips has allowed people to transform legal semi-automatic weapons into even more dangerous guns, helping fuel gun violence, police and federal authorities said.

The (ATF) reported a 570% increase in the number of conversion devices collected by police departments between 2017 and 2021, the most recent data available.

The devices that can convert legal semi-automatic weapons can be made on a 3D printer in about 35 minutes or ordered from overseas online for less than $30. They’re also quick to install.

“It takes two or three seconds to put in some of these devices into a firearm to make that firearm into a machine gun instantly,” Dettelbach said.

  • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    8 months ago

    Sure, but if they say “here is the gun violence data” instead, they’d be fine. Tbh your statement while it may be true does sound a little advocate-y, therein may lie your misunderstanding.

    Just always from the outside,

    Sure, like the NRA.

    where they can’t affect policy.

    Ehhhh…like the NRA? Seems to me groups outside of regulatory agencies can indeed still influence politics.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Sure, but if they say “here is the gun violence data” instead, they’d be fine.

      Right. Because that data can then be manipulated by cagey legislators to mean whatever they like. If the agency producing the data comes out with a clear declarative “The conclusions we reach from the data is X” it becomes more difficult for a Louie Gohmert or Sarah Huckabee Sanders to claim “Even the CDC agrees that more guns are good” without getting some kind of easy media push back.

      Sure, like the NRA.

      So you’ve got a federal agency that’s forced to defer to the NRA on the question of publicly available statements on gun safety.

      Ehhhh…like the NRA?

      The folks with the biggest pile of financial contributors setting the standard for good gun habits makes about as much sense as telling the FDA to let pro and anti-smoking advertisement agencies argue over the safety of cigarettes.

      • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        8 months ago

        And by that same coin some Warren or Pelosi can claim the opposite, just because the cdc itself can’t advocate using the data doesn’t mean others can’t.

        The NRA is a federal agency? So Wayne LaPierre is a government official now? News to me. Seems to me they aren’t, but are in fact a real world example of a non-governmental entity affecting politics, which is supposedly not possible according to your refutation of me saying there are other groups that are allowed to push an agenda.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          And by that same coin some Warren or Pelosi can claim the opposite

          That’s not an argument in favor of censoring the CDC. Two lies do not get us closer to the truth

            • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Point is, they can study, just not advocate

              Which becomes a problem when it comes time to author functional administrative policy

              • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                8 months ago

                May I remind you of the subject at hand?

                https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/comment/8603867

                Again, despite your feelings on the matter, the common misconception that the Dickey Amendment prevents the CDC from studying gun violence is just that, a misconception, as they in fact can study gun violence, they just can’t advocate for gun control.

                • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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                  8 months ago

                  the common misconception that the Dickey Amendment prevents the CDC from studying gun violence

                  They’re unable to write the “Conclusion” section of their research reports.