By Trace Munson ·

BOO! D.C. Sues “Ghost Gun” Manufacturer

Update, August 20, 2026: the federal rule that grew out of this era of “ghost gun” litigation has now been partly undone. On August 17, 2026 a federal judge held the ATF’s 2022 Frame or Receiver Rule unconstitutional — though only as applied to specific plaintiffs and products. Read the 2026 ruling.

Last updated: August 20, 2026 · Originally published June 26, 2020

‘Twas a dark and stormy night…and Americans were building their own firearms legally. AAAH!

The anti-gunners are back to their legislation-by-lawsuit strategy, this time with ghost stories!

The city of Washington, D.C., which competes with only New York City in its unconstitutionally harsh gun laws, is at it again: They’re suing popular firearm manufacturer Polymer80 for making and selling the parts needed to create a so-called “ghost gun.” Never mind that what Polymer80 is doing is actually 100 percent legal according to the ATF. Never mind that what the D.C. residents who purchase an 80% lower from Polymer80 and then manufacture it into a firearm are doing is also 100 percent legal according to the ATF. The city has been smarting ever since the District of Columbia v. Heller Supreme Court decision forced them to allow D.C. residents to own handguns in 2008, and they’re damn well going to make sure their residents know that they mean to keep them disarmed by hook or by crook. You see, despite the fact that it’s now technically legal to purchase and own a handgun in D.C., at this time, the city has done a yeoman’s job of making sure that it’s extremely difficult. For example, if you’d like to buy a gun, there’s only one licensed dealer in the city: the city police.  (Yes, the same police that the very same D.C. government is currently trying to defund because…well, apparently they can be trusted to transfer guns, but not to do any actual policing? I don’t know, but it’s fun to watch.) So, what some D.C. residents have done is what any American is permitted to do under the Second Amendment: Manufacture their own gun for their own personal use. Yes, that’s totally legal. To quote the ATF:
Does an individual need a license to make a firearm for personal use?

No, a license is not required to make a firearm solely for personal use. However, a license is required to manufacture firearms for sale or distribution. The law prohibits a person from assembling a non–sporting semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from 10 or more imported parts, as well as firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or x–ray machines. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and advance approval by ATF.

[18 U.S.C. 922(o), (p) and (r); 26 U.S.C. 5822; 27 CFR 478.39, 479.62 and 479.105]

There’s an old saying among litigators that goes like this: “If the facts are on your side, pound on the facts. If the law is on your side, pound on the law. If neither is on your side, pound on the table.” What’s happening here is that the law is not on the D.C. anti-gunners’ side. The facts are not on the D.C. anti gunners’ side. So they’re “pounding the table” with a lawsuit. There’s just one little teeny tiny problem with that lawsuit: It’s illegal. Ever since the passage of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms act, lawsuits against gun manufacturers for crimes committed with their guns aren’t permitted. The reason this act was passed was because back in the mid-90s to early 2000s, anti-gunners were attempting to sue gun manufacturers out of existence with multiple nuisance suits. It was as stupid then as it is now–suing a gun manufacturer for crimes committed with their guns is like suing Ford because one caused a multi-car pileup. What they’re doing now is abusing the tort system and, frankly, lying about it. Let’s go back to that article about the lawsuit, shall we? Here’s the ninth paragraph: The city is seeking a court order to stop the gun maker from continuing to sell illegal ghost guns to District residents, as well as civil penalties, monetary relief and legal costs. [Emphasis mine.] But wait, didn’t we just find that very clear direction from the ATF saying that it’s legal? Why yes, we did! Because “ghost guns” aren’t illegal in D.C. A mere two sentences later, we get this: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed legislation that would prohibit the possession, assembly, sale and purchase of any type of “ghost gun” in February. [Emphasis mine.] She proposed the legislation–it hasn’t passed, and it won’t, because it violates the Second Amendment. But that matters neither to the reporter who wrote this, nor to Bowser, nor to the anti-gunners. They know that the facts aren’t on their side; they know the laws aren’t on their side; and so they’re pounding the table as hard as they can in hopes they can legislate by lawsuit until there’s no such thing as a “new gun” of any kind anymore.

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James Nicholas
Trace Munson
Trace, a proud Special Farces who goes commando, is dedicated to pubic service. Although he's a legend among YouTube commenters, he actually began life as a humble dingleberry farmer. Now, no subject is too moist or sensitive for his incisive odor and scintillating lymph nodes.
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5 Comments

  1. After reading and then re-reading this article , I AM convinced someone in the government told ATF that they can make any law they choose. TOTALLY WRONG! ATF is an enforcement branch, just like your local “Deputy Dawg” Sheriff. And since when has a police department become a retail outlet? Washington, DC is slowly becoming (maybe it already is) the second biggest joke among the anti-gunners (California tops the list for stupidity) who think they know what a firearm is.

  2. When writing about these power crazed politicians who want to restrict all firearms, call them what they are- gun banners!
    Since DC is over run with criminals, drug dealers and murderers, do these stupid politicians think that these criminal people have machine shops to manufacture their own firearms? And if they pass another illegal gun law (hey doesn’t that make the politicians criminals?), do they really think all these criminals will suddenly obey it? How stupid and ignorant the politicians are! All they really want to do is enslave all Americans and all of America. They want to make the USA like the UK, , where people are subjects-slaves- to the government! They own you, they are your masters! Resistance is futile! You will comply!
    These gun banning politicians all suffer from severe mental illness and should be put into institutions to be studied!

    1. Your argument is perfectly valid.
      Your use of England as an example is spot on. Since the populous were disarmed of firearms the crime rate including rape and murder rates has INCREASED, while in America if you don’t include the BLM riots our crime rate continues to drop. The Brit’s are now attempting to disarm the populous of knives. I guess clubs will be next. Then perhaps rocks.

      An armed civilization is indeed a polite civilization.

  3. Mayor bowser, your name reminds me of the gas pumps back in th 40’s and 50’s.

    In Australia they were called bowsers and only worked half the time and when working would spew forth more gasoline on the ground than in the tank.

    Hmmmnnn sounds like we have a theme going here.

    Mayor get real and listen to the courts. It’s your sworn oath to do so.

    Alan Carnell

  4. Since when has a law being unconstitutional ever stopped the democrats? Look at California. There is no way all the anti-gun laws they have there are constitutional. The same goes with NY, NJ, MD, IL and (insert democrat ran state here.) I’ve never built a ghost gun. I thought about it a little but for me it seems like more work than I want to put in to it seeing I already have the type of gun I would build. Let’s hope that the right prevails in November otherwise who know what kind of draconian laws they will try to shove down our throats.

Comments are closed.