3D Printed Guns

[Washington Resistance Army]

Just don't let this fall into the wrong hands.

Not to mention the technical chinks in the armor that need to be addressed (reliability being one) before 3D Printed Guns becomes the norm.

They'll newer be the norm.

3D printing is expensive, slow and generally a bad way to build things compared to other methods. It's just that some of those other methods are so expensive to start with that they only make sense if you are building large numbers of items. So the big players in the firearms industry won't ever be producing 3d printed guns to sell because they are already producing in bulk or intend to produce in bulk and can save more money by using those other methods.

The only place where 3D printing is going to be big is prototyping and various small scale limited production things like your average back yard fool that prints him self an unsafe AK clone that blows up in his arms.

3D printing absolutely is not expensive by any means.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I get that, but a man can dream.

Also, tens of thousands are killed on the road every year, wonder what the death toll would e if you added another dimension.

The test of adulthood is forsaking your dreams, your hopes and your ideals and accepting the world as it is.

Fuck you, I'm going to Pretendland

[Purpelia]

The test of adulthood is forsaking your dreams, your hopes and your ideals and accepting the world as it is.

Screw adulthood then. If everyone was like that we’d still be living as cavemen.

Dreams, ideas, they are what advance us.

They exist to give you something to lose and than feel bad about.

[Internationalist Bastard]

They'll newer be the norm.

3D printing is expensive, slow and generally a bad way to build things compared to other methods. It's just that some of those other methods are so expensive to start with that they only make sense if you are building large numbers of items. So the big players in the firearms industry won't ever be producing 3d printed guns to sell because they are already producing in bulk or intend to produce in bulk and can save more money by using those other methods.

The only place where 3D printing is going to be big is prototyping and various small scale limited production things like your average back yard fool that prints him self an unsafe AK clone that blows up in his arms.

3D printing absolutely is not expensive by any means.

I feel like you'd know, how much would it cost to 3d print a decent handgun, including the price of a good printer?

[Sovaal]

Screw adulthood then. If everyone was like that we’d still be living as cavemen.

Dreams, ideas, they are what advance us.

They exist to give you something to lose and than feel bad about.

Can’t lose what you do t have, only something to strive for. Anyway, off topic.


At what stage is the printing of more ‘substantial’ materials at presently?

[Palmyrion]

I guess it's nice to start worrying about how to print a working reliable gun before discussing control? Or am I putting the shoe before the sock?

[Purpelia]

3D printing absolutely is not expensive by any means.

It is not absolutely expensive. It is comparatively expensive.

Techniques like casting, injection molding and others cost more to set up but once you do the per unit cost of a single product is very, very much cheaper than the per unit cost of the same item printed in 3D. The reason why you don't see people using those more often privately is simply that you don't notice this until you are literally making millions of something because that's the point where the savings per unit start overtaking the initial investment.

That is why you won't ever get factories full of 3D printers making MP-5's at H&K but you will see one making replacement parts at your local gunsmith.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I guess it's nice to start worrying about how to print a working reliable gun before discussing control? Or am I putting the shoe before the sock?

People already make guns with these things

[Washington Resistance Army]

3D printing absolutely is not expensive by any means.

I feel like you'd know, how much would it cost to 3d print a decent handgun, including the price of a good printer?

Hmm, the materials for the gun itself aren't that much. If you wanted to make something like the Songbird out of Nylon filament each roll is $30 or so and the metal barrel liner for the .357 version shouldn't be more than $20 or $30 from what I've seen. I imagine a Reprap would be large enough to do it and those can be had for $200 or $300, maybe less if you wanna build it yourself, so not a whole lot all things considered.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I feel like you'd know, how much would it cost to 3d print a decent handgun, including the price of a good printer?

Hmm, the materials for the gun itself aren't that much. If you wanted to make something like the Songbird out of Nylon filament each roll is $30 or so and the metal barrel liner for the .357 version shouldn't be more than $20 or $30 from what I've seen. I imagine a Reprap would be large enough to do it and those can be had for $200 or $300, maybe less if you wanna build it yourself, so not a whole lot all things considered.

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

[Purpelia]

Hmm, the materials for the gun itself aren't that much. If you wanted to make something like the Songbird out of Nylon filament each roll is $30 or so and the metal barrel liner for the .357 version shouldn't be more than $20 or $30 from what I've seen. I imagine a Reprap would be large enough to do it and those can be had for $200 or $300, maybe less if you wanna build it yourself, so not a whole lot all things considered.

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

If you just want a single shot weapon you can do that much cheaper. You just need a nail, a metal pipe, some scrap metal and a welder. And you can actually make a very effective single shot shotgun this way. Or even a mortar if you are more ballistically inclined.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Hmm, the materials for the gun itself aren't that much. If you wanted to make something like the Songbird out of Nylon filament each roll is $30 or so and the metal barrel liner for the .357 version shouldn't be more than $20 or $30 from what I've seen. I imagine a Reprap would be large enough to do it and those can be had for $200 or $300, maybe less if you wanna build it yourself, so not a whole lot all things considered.

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

It does only fire a single shot but it lasts for quite a while in both .22 and .357, I'm pretty sure the only non printed parts for the design are the firing pin (which the guy who made it used a nail for) and the barrel liner for the .357.

You could make a good AR (and maybe AK, haven't checked around for one though) receiver for pretty much the same as well.

[Internationalist Bastard]

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

If you just want a single shot weapon you can do that much cheaper. You just need a nail, a metal pipe, some scrap metal and a welder. And you can actually make a very effective single shot shotgun this way. Or even a mortar if you are more ballistically inclined.

Yeah, but I've heard these are more durable

[Palmyrion]

I guess it's nice to start worrying about how to print a working reliable gun before discussing control? Or am I putting the shoe before the sock?

People already make guns with these things

Yeah, but how many rounds can they fire before failing? Are they even accurate? Can they withstand abuse like an AUG or a Glock can?

[Washington Resistance Army]

People already make guns with these things

Yeah, but how many rounds can they fire before failing? Are they even accurate? Can they withstand abuse like an AUG or a Glock can?

Some designs are capable of firing hundreds or even a few thousand at this point.

[Internationalist Bastard]

People already make guns with these things

Yeah, but how many rounds can they fire before failing? Are they even accurate? Can they withstand abuse like an AUG or a Glock can?

I mean, like a glock? No, I'm convinced you could leave a glock lying around a nuclear wasteland for 500 years and still shoot the thing straight.

[Sovaal]

People already make guns with these things

Yeah, but how many rounds can they fire before failing? Are they even accurate? Can they withstand abuse like an AUG or a Glock can?

Most aren’t not meant for for more then a couple of rounds. Of course, when we can get to shovel AK or higher quality things’ll change.

[Palmyrion]

Yeah, but how many rounds can they fire before failing? Are they even accurate? Can they withstand abuse like an AUG or a Glock can?

Some designs are capable of firing hundreds or even a few thousand at this point.

I'll be worried once we get 3D printed guns that have little to no quality difference compared to guns produced using contemporary methods.

Even then, gun control in this case will consist of limiting the distribution of blueprints (since a 3D printer used to print, say, spare parts for home fixtures can also be used to print guns), but I guess that won't bide well with gun nuts.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Some designs are capable of firing hundreds or even a few thousand at this point.

I'll be worried once we get 3D printed guns that have little to no quality difference compared to guns produced using contemporary methods.

Even then, gun control in this case will consist of limiting the distribution of blueprints (since a 3D printer used to print, say, spare parts for home fixtures can also be used to print guns), but I guess that won't bide well with gun nuts.

The problem is you can't really limit the distribution. Unless you start heavily limiting and monitoring the internet like China it'll always be out there.

[Sovaal]

Some designs are capable of firing hundreds or even a few thousand at this point.

I'll be worried once we get 3D printed guns that have little to no quality difference compared to guns produced using contemporary methods.

Even then, gun control in this case will consist of limiting the distribution of blueprints (since a 3D printer used to print, say, spare parts for home fixtures can also be used to print guns), but I guess that won't bide well with gun nuts.

Problem with that is the information is already out there. Knowledge on the mechanics of firearms isn’t illegal as well.

And as a ‘gun nut’ it is a bit grating imho.

[Pax Nerdvana]

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

If you just want a single shot weapon you can do that much cheaper. You just need a nail, a metal pipe, some scrap metal and a welder. And you can actually make a very effective single shot shotgun this way. Or even a mortar if you are more ballistically inclined.

That's basically what the Viet Cong would do early in the Vietnam War.

[Uxupox]

So a singleshot handgun right?
For we'll say 60 bucks, plus a 300 dollar printer. You could do that on a McDonalds salary

If you just want a single shot weapon you can do that much cheaper. You just need a nail, a metal pipe, some scrap metal and a welder. And you can actually make a very effective single shot shotgun this way. Or even a mortar if you are more ballistically inclined.

Not recommended. I've seen my fair shares of them explode.

[The Forsworn Knights]

Letting the general populace freely print firearms without any kind of checks is a terrible idea for a variety of reasons, but let me address the arguments in the OP
-Yeah, your plastic 3D printed spud gun will beat assault rifles, tanks, and drones used by a gigantic army of trained soldiers.
-No it doesnt.
-If you want a gun for self defense then go to the store and buy a gun with proper manufacturing standards instead of some plastic shit off a blueprint you found online.
-America has the most heavily armed civilian population on earth and we still have lots of gun violence, so you are wrong there too.

[Hurdergaryp]

If you just want a single shot weapon you can do that much cheaper. You just need a nail, a metal pipe, some scrap metal and a welder. And you can actually make a very effective single shot shotgun this way. Or even a mortar if you are more ballistically inclined.

Not recommended. I've seen my fair shares of them explode.

So what you're saying is that we're going to need more Darwin Awards.

[Petrasylvania]

Not recommended. I've seen my fair shares of them explode.

So what you're saying is that we're going to need more Darwin Awards.

They can print the trophies.