Working gun made with 3D printer

[Fletcher]

My fear is gangs getting a hold of this technology, imagine a building with several of these machines, and they manufacture say a few dozen firearms a week. Sell them for a decent price where there is probably no way to trace them, since I doubt they have serial numbers, and we are going to have a massive problem.

I'm afraid technology like this will get to the UK and the rest of Europe which I assume has strict gun control laws, save for Switzerland. Don't mess with those lovable lunatics.

If it leaks to the UK, I can see the police forces being incredibly stretched to the breaking point since they're already going through a massive forcewide downgrade thanks to lower funding and manpower problems. Not to mention we don't have an 'aggressive' approach to criminals unless they really are armed, then the gloves come off.

I digress.

I hope my government sees this development, and takes steps.

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Curios]

More guns pls, I'm fine on this.

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[stardust47]

My fear is gangs getting a hold of this technology, imagine a building with several of these machines, and they manufacture say a few dozen firearms a week. Sell them for a decent price where there is probably no way to trace them, since I doubt they have serial numbers, and we are going to have a massive problem.

I'm afraid technology like this will get to the UK and the rest of Europe which I assume has strict gun control laws, save for Switzerland. Don't mess with those lovable lunatics.

If it leaks to the UK, I can see the police forces being incredibly stretched to the breaking point since they're already going through a massive forcewide downgrade thanks to lower funding and manpower problems. Not to mention we don't have an 'aggressive' approach to criminals unless they really are armed, then the gloves come off.

I digress.

I hope my government sees this development, and takes steps.

We are thinking about the same government, right?

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[Username removed]

What's a "3D printer" ? how does it work? The only printer I know of is the one I use to print my homework.

[Fletcher]

Wikipedia and Google are your friends:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3d_printer

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Agmen of Eladesor]

I hope my government sees this development, and takes steps.

Whilst this does move somewhat into the political realm, and thus normally off limits - we are talking about the same government here that already says that if you're under 18, you can't go into a department store and buy a set of common kitchen flatware because it contains butter knives.

In the case of a fully printed gun, it can and will shoot ... some. The problem that comes about now is that repeated firing ends up making the thing too unstable, such that the barrel goes boom after a few shots.

Realize also that a simple zip gun doesn't need complicated 3D printers - all you need is a nail and some common plumbing fittings (like two pieces of closely sized pipe). You can make a single shot pistol or shotgun for under $10 in materials - and gangs ALREADY know how to make those. Heck, it's not like videos on how to make those aren't out there on YouTube now - they are. (And no, I'm not going to link to them - I do have some standards.)

Heck, the old British Sten gun was basically a glorified improvised firearm.

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Oh god... The end of days... Agmen agreed with me.

[Fletcher]

Hmm, point well made.

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Agmen of Eladesor]

Hmm, point well made.

Apropos of something sort of to do with this, weren't you at some point going to join the military? Back when I was in our military, we got taught not just how to use our own firearms, but also (because I was in the National Guard) we took classes on improvised munitions. Heck, I grew up out in the country, and making a simple AMFO device to clear stumps was something nearly everyone I went to school with knew how to do. Again, not difficult to deal with at all.

(I'm having a tough time keeping / avoiding that political line, simply because we've already shown in this country that strict gun control laws - if not enforced - don't work. One word - Chicago. You can make all the laws you want - if you don't actually enforce them, then they're not worth squat, other than turning your citizens into subjects. Which is why we fought two wars against you when we didn't want to be, and you may see another one before too long because we don't want to be subjects of our OWN government.)

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Oh god... The end of days... Agmen agreed with me.

[Fletcher]

Hmm, point well made.

Apropos of something sort of to do with this, weren't you at some point going to join the military?

I tried, when I didn't pass first time I redoubled my efforts and was making decent progress. Unfortunately I took a bad leg injury that damaged the bone and a nerve in the knee. It's very difficult to put weight on it when stressed, but workable. I am reconsidering trying again at some stage.

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Lonely Werewolf]

The biggest worry I see with this is not how someone (with the money for a 3D printer) can make these for himself with no-one being none the wiser but that these are undetectable with regular metal detectors and scanners. Which could pose some severe security risks. And yes there is the metal pin etc and the ammunition. But it isn't too difficult for obscure small metal devices to pass through such things and you won't get caught.