Cody Wilson, head of Defense Distributed, recently unveiled a new product that will allow gun enthusiasts to manufacture their own untraceable firearms at the comfort of their own homes, CNET reported.
The new tool, which costs around $1,500 is dubbed as the Ghost Gunner. It is a compact milling machine that can be connected to a personal computer. According to the specifications of the Ghost Gunner, the computer must run Windows 7 or higher.
Once connected, the Ghost Gunner's drill bit can be programmed to create a lower receiver for an AR-15 rifle.
Wilson noted that his machine can speed up the process of creating the component by 10 times, according to Wired.
Although the machine is not designed to create an entire rifle, the Ghost Gunner addresses the requirement as stated by firearm laws.
In the U.S., the lower receiver is the main component legally considered as a firearm because it features the weapon's serial number. Through handmade lower receivers, people can assemble guns with no serial numbers, making them untraceable.
These untraceable firearms are what gun-control advocates refer to as ghost guns. According to Wilson, this is where he got the name for his machine.
Due to the controversial nature of homemade guns, California State Senator Kevin de Leon has been pushing for a bill that would require self-made firearms to carry serial numbers, PC Mag reported.
"Technological advancements require that we update our laws to meet new and growing public safety concerns to make sure dangerous individuals cannot manipulate technologies at the expense of public safety," de Leon said.
In response, Wilson took de Leon's proposal as a challenge which led to the development of the Ghost Gunner.
"It just seemed to be such an affront and also a challenge," he said. "We used his creation and his words to trademark the project. The ball is in his court."