The U.S. Justice Department has launched a task force to stop the proliferation of machine guns because of a rapid increase in illegal conversion devices. Even though fully automatic weapons have been banned for decades, criminals have found ways to use 3D printers to manufacture the Lego-sized devices often called “Glock switches” or auto sears. If one of these devices is installed on a semi-automatic handgun or rifle, the weapon can fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger. A recent report by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found a 570% increase in seizures of machine gun conversion devices.
