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The UK Home Office has added language to its firearms rules, making clear that its generally illegal to make, own, or sell 3D-printed guns. A revised version of its licensing policies says that guns like the Liberator, designed by Defense Distributed and released to the world in May, are covered under and forbidden by the Firearms Act 1968 — manufacturing 3D-printed guns or parts is effectively already banned because of rules against manufacturing guns or gun parts except under certain exemptions, but the guidance now includes explicit text to that effect. If someone were to possess, purchase, manufacture or sell a firearm or its component parts otherwise than in accordance with the requirements of sections 1, 3 and 5 of the Firearms Act 1968, they would be liable to prosecution, the guidance says. We are working closely with our partners, including the police and firearms experts, to assess other implications. So far, the change is more symbolic, a pushback against Defense Distributeds assertion that affordable printers will make gun control impractical.