The ability to make a firearm at home is nothing new. P.A. Luty’s submachine gun plans were created so that anyone could build a firearm in their garage with some fairly basic tools, after all. Luty created his plans with the intention of making it clear that gun control was never going to work, that someone was going to find a way around those laws.

However, let’s be honest, Luty’s design isn’t something everyone is going to be able to make work. If I remember correctly, there’s a bit of welding involved and that’s something far too few know how to do.

Enter 3D printing. That’s a gamechanger since it eliminates the need for welding and, instead, it’s more like a model kit that you just assemble. It should effectively end any belief that gun control can actually work.

But that won’t stop a state like Connecticut from trying it anyway.

Connecticut is mounting a legal challenge to new federal plans that would allow the release of 3D printed gun blueprints online.

The so-called “ghost guns” are created using a 3D printer, are virtually untraceable and considered to be disruptive technology.

“This would be a national priority, especially when it comes to the internet which knows no border, but in their default, we’re standing up,” said Gov. Ned Lamont.

Lamont and Attorney General William Tong noted that Connecticut would be among 20 states seeking to undermine the Trump administration’s efforts to permit the plans from being shared.

Unfortunately for all 20 states, that ship has long set sail.

Defense Distributed had their files up on the internet for some time and a whole lot of people downloaded them. Then they went up on a mirror site and still more downloaded it. Today, they’re flying back and forth on the internet and are in the hands of just about anyone who wanted them. While keeping them off the internet might make it a slight bit more difficult for people who want these files, it’s not impossible. Someone has them and is willing to share them.

Honestly, gun control is dead. The sooner anti-gunners like Lamont recognize this, the sooner they can refocus their efforts on addressing the real problems. There are potential solutions to violent crime that have nothing to do with gun control, solutions that have been shown to work. It’s well past time that these governors and attorneys general stopped trying to inhibit the rights of law-abiding citizens and start trying to address the problems at the roots.

No, violence will never go away. It’s been with us ever since Caine slew Able in a fit of jealousy and it’s not likely to stop anytime soon. Yet gun control isn’t an answer. It never worked the way it was intended and only hurt the law-abiding citizens.

It’s time to accept that and look at alternatives to curb violence. Focus there and not on our God-given right to keep and bear arms and you’ll likely see a far better return on your investment.