3D Printed Handguns

**Fuzzy** · Posted On: 8/24/2012 3:59pm

So this just popped up on my twitter feed:

Cody Wilson has a simple dream: To design the world’s first firearm that can be downloaded from the Internet and built from scratch using only a 3D printer–and then to share it with the world.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygree...print-at-home/

I'm not sure how I feel about this really, as a South African my feelings on gun control are quite ambivalent, and its not like its that difficult to make a home-made firearm anyway.

**JesusChrist** · Posted On: 8/24/2012 6:05pm

Legal and moral issues aside that is actually pretty ingenious. Especially the bit about self replicating printers!

**Fuzzy** · Posted On: 8/25/2012 5:18am

Originally Posted by JesusChrist

Legal and moral issues aside that is actually pretty ingenious. Especially the bit about self replicating printers!

Yeah, 3D Printing is really awesome tech. I saw a really cool documentary thing the other day where they 3D printed a fully functional adjustable wrench. The idea was that astronauts on a space station would have a 3D printer and could print off any tools they might need for any eventuality. Ground teams could also design new tools and upload the plans.

Exciting stuff!

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 8/25/2012 8:14am

A lot of trouble to make something designed to shoot 1 22lr.

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 8/25/2012 8:33am

No one has yet printed a gun, the most someone has printed is a lower receiver which they then used with proper metal made parts to assemble a rifle they claimed they put 200 rounds through.

Given the price of buying a machine is a round $1000, likely more of less the same amount to buy an automatic weapon on the street, and the know how probably being the biggest hurdle. It's probably not going to have any meaningful impact on gun crime.

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 8/26/2012 3:13pm

Originally Posted by judoka_uk

It's probably not going to have any meaningful impact on gun crime.

Probably not in our generation. But 75 years from now when this technology is comonplace and developed enough to produce the high stress components in firearms gun control will be about as effective as current copywrite enforcement.

That's why the real solution to gun crime is to adress the criminals, not the tools they used to commit the crime.

I could do as much evil with a screw driver or a mushroom from the front yard as I could with a gun. But I don't and I won't. Why is that?

Answer that question and you have the true solution to reducing gun crime. Even in a world with industrial replicators.

**Devil** · Posted On: 8/26/2012 3:55pm

Sorry, I don't get it. I watched the video and really don't understand their point.

So, they're going to develop software that will allow someone with a $1000 printer to create what is essentially a single shot .22 zip gun? I'll pass, thanks. If I wanted a zip gun I could make one out of scraps in my garage for free.

Plastics technology is a LONG way from being able to handle the chamber pressure, heat and stress on the bore from repeated us of a non-throw away firearm in a caliber suitable for defensive purposes. I'll never say never, but I'm not sure we'll ever get there. Even badass plastic is still plastic.

This is not the future of firearms or freedom.

**Mr. Machette** · Posted On: 8/26/2012 7:45pm

Originally Posted by Devil

Even badass plastic is still plastic.

This is not the future of firearms or freedom.

Give it a few decades. Ten years ago these machnes made simple shapes from resin. Now they an produce complex parts from sintered metal. It's only a matter of time before we'll be ordering 3D prototypes like we're asking for a stack of copies at Kinko's. They way rapid prototypers are propogating and developing it's also just a matter of time before they can produce high stress resistant pieces.

However, I have a feeling by the time they can make a decent gun barrel chemicaly propelled projectile weapons will be obsolete. Making the worlds first 3D printed bulnderbuss will be about as big of a deal as making a bow and arrow is now.

**mike321** · Posted On: 8/26/2012 8:16pm

CNC machines improved greatly between the 1940 s and today. I think this technology will eventually change the debate. I think the technology will get close to what is needed and then design changes to adapt to the material limits will do the rest. Also I still think oppressive governments will successfully control things. It's the governments that won't crack down in a totalitarian way where the genie will quickly escape the bottle. Maybe the future will be armor control instead of weapon control.

**Devil** · Posted On: 8/26/2012 8:17pm

Originally Posted by Mr. Machette

Give it a few decades. Ten years ago these machnes made simple shapes from resin. Now they an produce complex parts from sintered metal. It's only a matter of time before we'll be ordering 3D prototypes like we're asking for a stack of copies at Kinko's. They way rapid prototypers are propogating and developing it's also just a matter of time before they can produce high stress resistant pieces.

However, I have a feeling by the time they can make a decent gun barrel chemicaly propelled projectile weapons will be obsolete. Making the worlds first 3D printed bulnderbuss will be about as big of a deal as making a bow and arrow is now.

I don't know. Like I said, I won't say never. But honestly, in order for plastic to be a suitable material for a gun barrel it would have to be so far removed from what we know as plastic that it probably couldn't even be considered plastic anymore. Hell, even 1018 or 1020 cold rolled steel isn't a suitable gun metal.