3D printed guns?

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1066
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3D printed guns?

#1 Post by 1066 »

It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... d-gun.html
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#2 Post by meles meles »

We think there are two main issues to be considered here, legal and technical.

Legal.
He's in the wrong. The law clearly states what is required to posses a gun legally and, even if we disagree with the finer points of law and make arguments about the Bill of Rights, current interpretation is what we have to go by. Building a gun in your shed is probably going to get you locked up.

Technical
Not a good idea. In this case he used a plastic printer. Longevity isn't going to be great, even if it doesn't blow his digits off on the first firing. If you want a better option, that is possibly cheaper and safer, look at the Liberator and similar options. In the future, people may have access to metal 3D printers and the argument is that they will produce stronger, more reliable firearms. Maybe. Our minions work with this tekkernoloji in their day job and it isn't as straightforwards as it seems. Certainly the equipment is more expensive, currently circa £250,000 per unit, and a PhD in metallurgy is pretty much essential to get the best from it. If you have both, a far more lucrative living can be had from manufacturing parts for the aerospace industry than from printing dodgy firearms. If you want good, high quality, reliable, safe, low cost firearms then look at the Sten guns the IRA turned out in the 1980s using little more than home engineering kit. They were streets ahead of WW2 production.

Ultimately the issue is moral. Either you are good or you aren't.
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#3 Post by breacher »

meles meles wrote:We think there are two main issues to be considered here, legal and technical.

Legal.
He's in the wrong. The law clearly states what is required to posses a gun legally and, even if we disagree with the finer points of law and make arguments about the Bill of Rights, current interpretation is what we have to go by. Building a gun in your shed is probably going to get you locked up.

Technical
Not a good idea. In this case he used a plastic printer. Longevity isn't going to be great, even if it doesn't blow his digits off on the first firing. If you want a better option, that is possibly cheaper and safer, look at the Liberator and similar options. In the future, people may have access to metal 3D printers and the argument is that they will produce stronger, more reliable firearms. Maybe. Our minions work with this tekkernoloji in their day job and it isn't as straightforwards as it seems. Certainly the equipment is more expensive, currently circa £250,000 per unit, and a PhD in metallurgy is pretty much essential to get the best from it. If you have both, a far more lucrative living can be had from manufacturing parts for the aerospace industry than from printing dodgy firearms. If you want good, high quality, reliable, safe, low cost firearms then look at the Sten guns the IRA turned out in the 1980s using little more than home engineering kit. They were streets ahead of WW2 production.

Ultimately the issue is moral. Either you are good or you aren't.
I handled a sten made by Loyalists ( the other side ) at a Special Branch briefing. Cheap monkey metal 9mm tube wrapped in steel washers for strength - slid inside box iron. Lasted thousands of rounds on full auto in testing !
http://www.phoenixtactical.co.uk

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Re: 3D printed guns?

#4 Post by 1066 »

The problem is - when is a gun not a gun? The 3D printing sites are awash with "guns" that can be downloaded free. Some of these are very well designed although never meant to be fired, just props for play acting etc. Looking at the picture in the news article it looks to me very much as if that is all it is - made with no intention of and incapable of ever being fired. I think this is a can of worms.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2985594
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3004363


Yes, very easy to make a working firearm with very basic tools. Home 3d printing has a long way to go yet before you can turn one out overnight but the technology is evolving fast and costs are dropping quickly.
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#5 Post by safetyfirst »

There is no picture of the actual weapon in that article is there?

Working guns can be made with a simple trip to b&q plumbing department and some home power tools.

3D printing is a great way to make fun parts though, provided they are not exposed to too much force. ABS is good for gun parts as we know but the problem is delamination of the layers.
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#6 Post by 1066 »

safetyfirst wrote:There is no picture of the actual weapon in that article is there?

Working guns can be made with a simple trip to b&q plumbing department and some home power tools.

3D printing is a great way to make fun parts though, provided they are not exposed to too much force. ABS is good for gun parts as we know but the problem is delamination of the layers.


Ahh yes, should have seen they used a file photo although they did mention they were made of resin which is a more sophisticated system that gets round the delamination problem.
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#7 Post by safetyfirst »

Yes but the materials aren’t as robust.
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Re: 3D printed guns?

#8 Post by glevum »

At the other end of the scale Solid Concepts 3D printed a 45ACP M1911. It has fired over 5000 rounds. The printer was extremely expensive

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_Concepts_1911_DMLS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIFk8m5eiHI
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