ghost gun

noun

plural ghost guns

: a gun that lacks a serial number by which it can be identified and that is typically assembled by the user (as from purchased or homemade components)

Ghost guns, cobbled together with various parts often purchased separately, are popular among hobbyists and firearms enthusiasts.—

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The issue centers on so-called ghost guns, which consist of untraceable parts that can be ordered online and then, with a little finishing work, assembled into a working firearm.—

Los Angeles Times

Even so, they haven't been outlawed; buying or selling a ghost gun is illegal, but making one remains kosher under US gun control laws.—

Andy Greenberg

Examples of ghost gun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But District Attorney Michael Allen said most of the weapons used in the nightclub attack were fabricated from untraceable ghost gun components that do not require a background check to procure. —

Christina Coulter, Fox News, 18 June 2024 The case was born from a long-running, multiagency ghost gun probe involving Bragg’s office, the NYPD, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. —

Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 11 June 2024 Gun safety advocates want to see lawmakers do more, including adopting ghost gun restrictions. —

Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 YouTube called out for videos on how to build ghost guns YouTube called out for videos on how to build ghost guns 02:41 YouTube is updating its policy on firearm videos to keep potentially dangerous content from reaching underage users. —

CBS News, 7 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for ghost gun

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ghost gun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.