HAGERSTOWN, Md. — A Hagerstown gunsmith and laser engraver says his business has grown hectic as Maryland's new "Ghost Gun" law went into effect on June 1.
"A lot of people are trying to comply with the new rules," said Doug Novic of DC Laser in Hagerstown. "If you're in the state of Maryland, you must have your gun marked."
Novic says he has engraved 150 to 200 home-built guns brought to him by owners and collectors since the law was passed by Maryland's General Assembly in March.
The law, which went into effect Wednesday, prohibits the sale of so-called "ghost guns," and requires existing guns to be marked and registered with state police. Owners have until March 1, 2023, to comply, according to the law.
Ghost guns are either entirely home-built using tools like 3-D printers or are assembled from kits that are sold online. They do not have serial numbers and are not registered, rendering them virtually untraceable according to law enforcement authorities.
Until the law went into effect in Maryland, critics there complained that anyone with a credit card and a shipping address could buy one including kids, domestic abusers, mentally ill people and felons aiming to evade gun restrictions.
Law enforcement authorities report ghost gun seizures are skyrocketing as criminals increasingly turn to them as an easy way to get a firearm.
Because they have not been tracked, there is no reliable estimate of how many ghost guns are in Maryland, according to legislators who supported the new law.
Second Amendment activists predict there are so many guns, and so few qualified to do the engraving, that it will be virtually impossible for owners to comply with the marking requirement by next year's March deadline.
"I seriously doubt that everyone who wants to comply, will be able to comply," said Paul Brockman of the Maryland Patriot Picket.
Brockman predicted the law will have no effect on reducing crime because criminals will not register the guns in their possession, and will be able to continue getting homebuilt kits which remain widely available in other states.
According to Maryland State Police, any federally licensed firearms dealer may do the state-required engraving.
MSP is asking homemade gun owners to create a number that includes the owner's ZIP Code and initial with additional digits unique to each gun they mark.
The following businesses are offering gun engraving, according to a list provided by Maryland State Police:
DC Laser
- 14428 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21742
- 240-620-5380
- www.dclsr.com
Lock Stock & Barrel, LLC
- 6510 Keysville Rd. Keymar, MD 21757
- 443-974-6634
- lockstockbarrelllc@gmail.com
Duffy's Gun Room
- 15433 Falls Rd., Sparks, MD 21152
- 410-771-4398
- duffysengraving@gmail.com
Hanover Armory
- 1327 Ashton Rd, Ste 5, Hanover, MD 21076
- 410-553-4845
- sales@hanoverarmory.com
Loper Machine, LLC
- 2105 Emmorton Park Rd #104, Edgewood, MD 21040
- 410-937-9556
- info@lopermachine.com
Bollinger Gunsmithing & Sales LLC
- 19 W. Baltimore St. Taneytown, MD 21787
- 410-756-5454
- www.bollingersguns.com
Devil Dog Laser Engraving, LLC
- 45274 Keyport Ct., California, MD 20619
- 250-298-2696
- devildoglaserengraving@yahoo.com
The Gun Shop
- 1614 Eastern Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21221
- 410-686-7333
- lawman1669@live.com
Browne Works, Inc.
- 1036 B and L Club Rd, Pasadena, MD 21122
- 443-702-6208
- info@browneworks.com
Cromwell's Firearms, LLC
- 21591 Harrison St. Great Mills, MD 20634
- 240-298-7239
- cromwellsfirearms@yahoo.com
Whiskey Barrel Firearms, LLC
- 7810 Traeleigh Ln. Oaks Rd, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
- 301-219-9912
- business.volpe@gmail.com
Old Washington Armory(Bad Wolf Industries)
- 3055 Old Washington Rd., Ste 2 Waldorf, Md 20601
- 240-496-7320
- sales@oldwashingtonarmory.com
A new ruling from the Biden Administration could change how 'ghost guns' are bought. But, it already has strong opposition.