In a rare moment of clarity, even for a Supreme Court stacked with Trump appointees, the justices did something that actually makes sense. They upheld a federal regulation that helps stop the spread of ghost guns.

Ghost guns, for those who may not know, are DIY gun kits. You order them online. No serial number. No background check. Just a bunch of parts that, with minimal effort, you can assemble into a fully functional firearm. One parts manufacturer even labeled their kits “Buy. Build. Shoot.”

Until 2022, these kits existed in a legal gray zone. The ATF finally decided to call them what they are, guns. Under the 1968 Gun Control Act, if something is “designed to or may readily be converted into” a working firearm, it’s a gun. Seems obvious. But of course, gun manufacturers cried foul. “It’s just a pile of parts!” they whined, as if a pile of bricks isn’t a wall if you know how to stack them.

This week, in a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court said, yeah, actually, these are guns. The ATF has every right to require serial numbers, record-keeping, and background checks. And guess who wrote the opinion? Neil Gorsuch. Trump’s golden boy. I had to double-check I wasn’t reading an Onion headline.

But before we celebrate like we’ve solved gun violence, let’s talk about what this ruling didn’t do.

It didn’t touch 3D-printed ghost guns. That’s right, there’s still a whole separate pipeline of unserialized, untraceable firearms being whipped up on personal printers like high-tech murder Legos. You don’t even need a kit anymore, just a blueprint, a printer, and a grudge. That’s the new frontier, and the court didn’t go near it.

So yes, this ruling is a step in the right direction. A small, shaky, legally narrow step. But the road ahead is still lined with loopholes wide enough to drive a truck full of unregistered firearms through. And until this country gets serious about regulating not just kits, but code and components and digital blueprints, we’re just playing whack-a-mole with innovation-fueled death.

Enjoy this win, such as it is. But keep your eye on the printer. Because the next ghost gun won’t come in a kit. It’ll come out of a basement, unmarked and undetectable, and the law still hasn’t caught up.

(Source)

Supreme Court upholds federal regulation banning ‘ghost guns’

Thanks to Mare for the tip.