Defense Distributed

Defense Distributed
Company typeNonprofit
FoundedOctober 16, 2012; 12 years ago (2012-10-16) in Austin, Texas
FoundersCody Wilson
Benjamin Denio
[1]
ProductsGhost Gunner
DEFCAD
Websitedefdist.org

Defense Distributed is an online, open-source hardware and software organization that develops digital schematics of firearms in CAD files, or "wiki weapons", that may be downloaded from the Internet and used in 3D printing or CNC milling applications.[2] Among the organization's goals is to develop and freely publish firearms-related design schematics that can be downloaded and reproduced by anyone with a 3D printer or milling machine, facilitating the popular production of homemade firearms.[3][4]

The company is best known for developing and releasing the files for the Liberator, the world's first completely 3D printed gun.[5][6] On May 5, 2013, Defense Distributed made these printable STL files public,[7] and within days the United States Department of State demanded they be removed from the Internet, citing a violation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.[8][9]

On May 6, 2015, Defense Distributed, joined by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), filed Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State in the Western District of Texas, leading the State Department to eventually offer a settlement in 2018. On July 27, 2018, Defense Distributed released ten CAD files to the public domain at DEFCAD before a federal judge in Washington State enjoined the settlement in Defense Distributed I.[10][11][12] On April 27, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated the injunction, and ordered the district court to dismiss the suit challenging the settlement.[13] Shortly thereafter, Defense Distributed again released its library of files to the public domain.[14][better source needed] Multiple federal and state lawsuits are pending which challenge the legality and of this settlement, and the protected speech content of 3D printable gun files.

  1. ^ "A Crypto-Anarchist Will Help You Build a DIY AR-15". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  2. ^ Greenberg, Andy (August 23, 2012). "'Wiki Weapon Project' Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  3. ^ "Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer". The Register. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  4. ^ Poeter, Damon (August 24, 2012). "Could a 'Printable Gun' Change the World?". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  5. ^ Greenberg, Andy (May 5, 2013). "Meet The 'Liberator': Test-Firing The World's First Fully 3D-Printed Gun". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  6. ^ Morelle, Rebecca (May 6, 2013). "Working gun made with 3D printer". BBC News. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  7. ^ Hutchinson, Lee (May 3, 2013). "The first entirely 3D-printed handgun is here". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  8. ^ "3D-printed gun blueprints pulled from Internet, at request of State Department". CBS News. May 10, 2013. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  9. ^ Nozowitz, Dan (May 10, 2013). "U.S. State Department Tells Defense Distributed To Take Down 3-D Printed Gun Plans". Popular Science. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  10. ^ "US judge blocks release of blueprints for 3D printed guns". the Guardian. Associated Press. August 1, 2018. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "Are Downloadable Plans for 3D Printed Guns Legal?". www.criminaldefenselawyer.com. Criminal Defense Lawyer (Published by NOLO). August 30, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  12. ^ "Post-Cody Wilson's arrest, few know what's up with his company or legal efforts". Ars Technica. September 22, 2018. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  13. ^ https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2021/04/27/20-35391.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ "Defense Distributed Releases All 3D Gun Files to the Public Following Ninth Circuit Decision". April 29, 2021.