DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Local gun rights advocates are calling the temporary order to block downloadable blueprints for 3-D guns ineffective, noting that the plans have already been widely distributed with little-to-no adverse effect.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle issued a temporary order blocking downloadable blueprints for 3-D printed guns. Attorneys General from 21 states - including Illinois and Iowa - supported the judge's order to halt the publication of the blueprints.
The blueprints in question come from a Defense Distributed of Austin, Texas . The guns can be made anywhere with a 3-D printer, are not legally registered, and can't be traced.
The Iowa Firearms Coalition says blueprints for 3-D gun printing has been around for years, not just now.
"It feels a little silly to us at this point," coalition member Kurt Liske said. "Basically the cat's been out of the bag for years on this stuff. Prints have been out there for a while, for a number of years actually, and to be going after them now and to be making such a big fuss actually seems silly since these are already readily available."
Liske also says he feels this is more than a second amendment argument, but more of a first amendment issue.
" What there talking about is information," Liske said. "I mean it's computer code, so you could argue, and I would argue this is ultimately not a second amendment issue, but a first amendment issue. I mean we're trying to stifle the free flow of information."
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley addressed the issue today, saying he agrees with Judge Lasnik.
"Obviously since the Second Amendment is a personal freedom that people have, we have to make sure that our present laws don't violate the Second Amendment," Grassley said. "Since there are plenty of guns to own without making plastic guns, it seems to me the judge was right by doing that."
Judge Lasnik's temporary restraining order will block the downloads until a hearing on August 10th.
