In my experience there is less to guns than you might think. Inmates have been making so-called 'zip' guns since they were first imprisoned, POWs have had similar sorts of experience. The truth seems to be that its possible to make something that can injure and kill another human being using a manufactured cartridge and some easy to come by materials.
That has been true forever of course, now however 3D printers have mind share so its kind of link-baity to use folks fear of guns to induce fear of 3d printers. My chemistry teacher pointed out that a stochastic mixture of hydrogen and oxygen was a high explosive (it burns super sonically), technically you can drop a battery into a sealed jar of water with an igniter and turn it into a bomb. (after the electrolysis has time to work).
All that proves is that knowledge of weapons is sufficient to build weapons.
There was a hilarious example when the Mill Valley sheriffs had their gun buyback weekend at the same time one of the major sporting goods store was clearing out their gun inventory. People were allegedly buying guns for $125 and turning them in for $200.
Almost every buyback program is gamed to some extent.
Of the more veteran gun collectors in my list of acquaintances, the most popular use for buybacks is to get paid for the destruction of a junk (old, non-working) firearm that they would otherwise have to pay to have destroyed.
Among my friends that are cops, of the functional and/or desirable guns they receive, they suspect that they are likely using the buyback programs to get the government to destroy weapons they've used in crimes.
Beyond just those bits of gaming, a very popular strategy among both gun collectors and gang members, is to set up a buyback program on the way to the real buyback program and offer slightly better prices, and/or cash (as often, bought-back guns are redeemed for gift certificates, or vouchers).
I believe you meant "stoichiometric," not "stochastic." Otherwise, we could be in a bit of trouble on any given day :-)
In any case, you're correct. It's easy enough to do that I remember doing when I was about 11-12 years or so. Didn't get the mixture right and instead of an explosion (I triggered it with a string "fuze" from behind the couch), I only got a loud POP, but it was still an explosion from electrolyzed hydrogen made by a 12 year-old.
As an aside, it's recalling stuff like this that makes me wonder what my 13 year old son is doing that I don't know about...
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In my experience there is less to guns than you might think. Inmates have been making so-called 'zip' guns since they were first imprisoned, POWs have had similar sorts of experience. The truth seems to be that its possible to make something that can injure and kill another human being using a manufactured cartridge and some easy to come by materials.
That has been true forever of course, now however 3D printers have mind share so its kind of link-baity to use folks fear of guns to induce fear of 3d printers. My chemistry teacher pointed out that a stochastic mixture of hydrogen and oxygen was a high explosive (it burns super sonically), technically you can drop a battery into a sealed jar of water with an igniter and turn it into a bomb. (after the electrolysis has time to work).
All that proves is that knowledge of weapons is sufficient to build weapons.
I was reminded of this NY Times article describing how someone cleverly gamed a gun buyback program by making and returning homemade $5 zip guns: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/the-very-brief-...
There was a hilarious example when the Mill Valley sheriffs had their gun buyback weekend at the same time one of the major sporting goods store was clearing out their gun inventory. People were allegedly buying guns for $125 and turning them in for $200.
Almost every buyback program is gamed to some extent.
Of the more veteran gun collectors in my list of acquaintances, the most popular use for buybacks is to get paid for the destruction of a junk (old, non-working) firearm that they would otherwise have to pay to have destroyed.
Among my friends that are cops, of the functional and/or desirable guns they receive, they suspect that they are likely using the buyback programs to get the government to destroy weapons they've used in crimes.
Beyond just those bits of gaming, a very popular strategy among both gun collectors and gang members, is to set up a buyback program on the way to the real buyback program and offer slightly better prices, and/or cash (as often, bought-back guns are redeemed for gift certificates, or vouchers).
I believe you meant "stoichiometric," not "stochastic." Otherwise, we could be in a bit of trouble on any given day :-)
In any case, you're correct. It's easy enough to do that I remember doing when I was about 11-12 years or so. Didn't get the mixture right and instead of an explosion (I triggered it with a string "fuze" from behind the couch), I only got a loud POP, but it was still an explosion from electrolyzed hydrogen made by a 12 year-old.
As an aside, it's recalling stuff like this that makes me wonder what my 13 year old son is doing that I don't know about...