Under U.S. federal law owning a ghost gun is allowed , assuming that no other impediments exist . The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives ( ATF ) officials characterize this as a loophole . The U.S. State Department has sued to take computer files to control 3D-printers off the internet under the grounds their publication constituted export of a munition under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations . With a legal case pending United States Supreme Court action , Defense Distributed removed the files , but the censored blueprints remain accessible via The Pirate Bay 's " Physibles " section . The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) reported in 2013 that it had seized hundreds of ghost guns , including a machine gun , and unregistered silencers . The FBI does not generally track the use of homemade firearms . ATF agents say that ghost guns are sold at a $ 1,000 premium due to being untraceable . According to the FBI , the popularity of ghost guns grew following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 , which sparked fears of new gun control measures
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Ghost gun