3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots

A group of 3-D printing gunsmiths have taken another step toward making a gun you can download off the internet. This weekend, the desktop weaponeers took a partially printed rifle out to test how long its plastic parts survived spewing bullets. The result? Six rounds until it snapped apart.

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Well, it had to happen sooner rather than later.

Not "loving" guns I think this is a nightmare waiting to happen.

Kids will be "printing" these suckers off and popping down to the local shop to purchase their rounds! Hey, it only takes one in the head to make your point.

What next? 3D printer licences.....um, no.

Kids will be "printing" these suckers off and popping down to the local shop to purchase their rounds!

18+ to buy ammo and at that point they can just buy a gun. I suppose one could argue that criminals could print guns, but considering how easy it already is to pick one up there would be no real point.

reply to post by Domo1


True, forgot about that. BUT still, easy to burn (plastic) and no serial numbers. No evidence.

As a 3D artist. I have to say this is really cool. Tech is coming along. Should have fired remotely tho.

reply to post by Domo1


I agree with your statement completely. It wouldn't change much. It does concern me a bit though... How fun would it be though to just print out a bunch of random stuff lol.

It would cost even more money to buy a 3d printer than an actual gun. And you still need to be over 18 to buy rounds anyway, like the poster above me said.

reply to post by Domo1


Explain to me how do they "print" these materials?

I watched the video and I'm sitting here in puzzled like what the heck?

I mean can anyone do this?

reply to post by CaptainBeno


I suppose. You're still going to need all the internal pieces made out of metal, and the barrel. It's pretty easy to make an improvised shotgun from plumbing parts but I don't see people getting murdered by them often.

Would you propose making it illegal to own a 3D printer? It's already illegal for kids to have guns, criminals to have guns, to commit murder with a gun... I don't think more laws are the answer.

I do worry that thinking along these lines is going to put heavy regulation on 3D printers, which I think is very unfortunate. Imagine being able to print out that washer or plastic clip you broke in the middle of a project.

Not knocking ya, just offering another perspective.

reply to post by sylent6




It's a little cray cray. Pretty much if you've got the money for the printer and the right set of plans, yeah anyone could do it.

Cheap downloadable weapons, just what this world needs!

After watching this video..I am totally amazed by this!

Unfortunately, this will fall in the wrong hands and guns will be on the street and cheap for anyone to buy.

Someone will duplicate this technology, it will get out of control, people will get hurt, criminal organizations will jump on this and government will take it over. The good and the bad from this.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

reply to post by Domo1


No, I understand your thoughts.

But, don't you think that this is one thing the world does not need? Sure I get 3D printing but what I'm saying is.................bah, no I can't even be bothered.

I just think printing a bloody gun is bad.

It really gives me the Sh*s to think that anyone can do this.

And sure I get your point about bullets, but anyone can get bullets regardless of age. Really, they can.

Just over guns, that's all.

As the poster above said, "it's the last thing the world needs"

Whinge over.

BEing someone who owns a $500 3D printer, don't worry or panic. The type of printer you will need to make guns is going to cost you minimum of $9000 and a huge amount of time and skill. Its not just one click, and then print. Its taken me months to print out even the most simplest of things. I don't see anyone rushing to spend 5k on a 3d printer to make a plastic gun that fires 6 shots and then snaps in half when you could buy 20 real guns for that price. Don't let the 3d printer paranoia get to you.

What 3d printers are nice for Is making replacement parts for all this made in China bs that you buy from the store and breaks in a week. Nice!

I can only see good coming from this; people will have an easier means of defending themselves without having to go through all the bureaucratic red tape of buying a gun.

Fact: Societies with mandatory gun ownership laws have drastically lower crime rates.

reply to post by WP4YT


Tell that to the drug cartels and terrorist.

Believe me, time and money isn't an issue to criminal organizations.

reply to post by SilentKoala


It won't be for long when every law enforcement agencies and big bro will be tapping in on this.

Originally posted by WP4YT
BEing someone who owns a $500 3D printer, don't worry or panic. The type of printer you will need to make guns is going to cost you minimum of $9000 and a huge amount of time and skill. Its not just one click, and then print. Its taken me months to print out even the most simplest of things. I don't see anyone rushing to spend 5k on a 3d printer to make a plastic gun that fires 6 shots and then snaps in half when you could buy 20 real guns for that price. Don't let the 3d printer paranoia get to you.

What 3d printers are nice for Is making replacement parts for all this made in China bs that you buy from the store and breaks in a week. Nice!

edit on 4-12-2012 by WP4YT because: (no reason given)

You're talking about this year though, think how much more accessible they've become in the past year or so alone, it's going to continue that way.

Originally posted by sylent6
reply to post by WP4YT

 

Tell that to the drug cartels and terrorist.

Believe me, time and money isn't an issue to criminal organizations.

still not viable. These printers work by melting plastic and squeezing the heated plastic through a print head. The ABS and PLA type plastics that work with 3D printing have a low melting point to accomodate this. Now try to put gun powder in this plastic and ignite it which burns at hundreds of degrees. I see danger for the would be user!

Originally posted by SpearMint

Originally posted by WP4YT
BEing someone who owns a $500 3D printer, don't worry or panic. The type of printer you will need to make guns is going to cost you minimum of $9000 and a huge amount of time and skill. Its not just one click, and then print. Its taken me months to print out even the most simplest of things. I don't see anyone rushing to spend 5k on a 3d printer to make a plastic gun that fires 6 shots and then snaps in half when you could buy 20 real guns for that price. Don't let the 3d printer paranoia get to you.

What 3d printers are nice for Is making replacement parts for all this made in China bs that you buy from the store and breaks in a week. Nice!

edit on 4-12-2012 by WP4YT because: (no reason given)

You're talking about this year though, think how much more accessible they've become in the past year or so alone, it's going to continue that way.

why not just make it from a mold, which is cheaper, easier, higher quality, and how we've been making things out of plastic for decades? If it was a danger, they would already have been making guns out of plastic for years......

3d printing is just a different way of making things that have already been possible to make for years.

reply to post by WP4YT


I can see a one shot, one kill with this. Lets just say an disposable pistol for those little hitmen running around out there.

This is something to keep and eye on.