A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3-D Printer

Hey what is he making these weapons out of? Does he have a printer that does metal? Or are these weapons made of some variety of plastic?

I am interested in making metal non-weapon-related parts, but I figured the at-home 3D printers could only do plastic. But if plastic is strong enough for a gun, maybe it's good enough for my purposes.

Now airports will have to scan everyone carry on luggage for battery power 3D printers!;)

Now airports will have to scan everyone carry on luggage for battery power 3D printers!;)

The headline is an outright lie. He made a lower receiver not the entire weapon. Yet no mention of that fact in the entire article.

So much for journalistic integrity.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:11770

^Here is a picture of the only component that was printed. A far cry from an actual working .22 pistol. Where do the bullets go John?

http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2012/07/26/the-worlds-first-3d-printed-gun-is-a-terrifying-thing/

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/133514-the-worlds-first-3d-printed-gun

The appropriate word to use in the article is "firearm" or "gun". Firearms and guns only become "weapons" in the hands of criminals. I'm not trying to troll, I just think the assumption that every firearm is going to be a weapon is foolish. Is every baseball bat a weapon? No, not when used for sporting purposes, but they certainly can be used as weapons and are used more often in violent crimes than firearms.

You can create metal parts with a "selective laser sintering", but these system are very large and very expensive, I am not aware of any system that is even close to the scale needed for "home use".

I suspect this guy is printing the stock and other non mechanical parts out of ABS and assembling them around off the shelf barrel and firing mechanism.

cholin, you are correct. I heard about someone doing this awhile back, and I'm pretty sure it's the same guy. He made a stripped lower receiver out of ABS plastic. The lower receiver on an AR-15 is definitely an important part, but it's a relatively "low stress" part. It's the "shell" that, when completed with the trigger mechanism, fire selector switch, safety lever, magazine release, magazine well, and both the grip and buffer tube attached (all of which come from the lower parts kit, and none of which can be made of plastic from a 3D printer), becomes a "complete" lower. This can then be mated to a REAL upper receiver (barrel, gas block, hand guards, chamber, breach, bolt, etc) to make a "functional" rifle. It's not a reliable firearm by any means though.

wylekyote, that is the most idiotic comment I've ever heard. Of course a gun is a weapon. It was designed with one purpose only, to kill. It doesn't matter if it's defense or attack, its purpose is to kill. Even for sport, it's still a weapon against animals.

A baseball bat was not designed to kill, it was designed for sport. That, when in the hands of someone with malicious intent or defending themselves can become a weapon, but a gun is always one.

@wylekyote "Firearms and guns only become "weapons" in the hands of criminals."

What about soldiers, and people defending their homes? They use guns to kill. Are they criminals too?

When I was in the military it was taboo to call them guns, rifles or fire arms. We called them weapons out of respect for their ability to kill. When you carry a loaded gun around with you all day, it is important to remember it is as something dangerous. If you start thinking of them simply as tools, you loose respect for their power and end up unintentionally putting holes in things (bad).

democedes,

Nice attempt at a troll. Didn't work. BTW, those other article you point to have real errors in them.

Wylekyote,

I give you the point about the use of the term "weapon." I'm a military thinker, so I tend to see all firearms as weapons.

Cholin,

Your correct. It's a common to consider the generic items as inconsequential to the full system.

WyleKyote (again),

The Thingverse design was from last year. He did a lot more work on this one and tapped into some other development efforts.

Thanks for the excellent feedback guys.

JR

Ok - first off, yeah, the topic headline is completely wrong and it was not "A working assault rifle made with a 3d printer" it was a functional plasctic PIECE of a rifle and nothing more. There are more than 100 pieces to an AR-15 type rifle and sometimes more.

Second, guns are NOT all weapons. Guns are not "just designed to kill" either. Have you ever heard of sport shooting before? MILLIONS of people participate in competition shooting that don't or never even used a gun to kill in their lives. Clay shooting and sharp shooting have been sports for DECADES.

Shotguns for sport shooting aren't even designed to kill. They are designed to shoot clay targets at distances using what is called a "Choke".

Flare guns are also "guns" and are not "weapons designed to kill" either. Nor 40mm and 38mm grenade launchers, they are designed for shooting flash-bang, smoke, LTL (Less than Lethal) rubber balls, gas canisters and illumination cartridges, yet there is the option for HE (High Explosive)grenades too which is what everybody thinks they are "Designed for"...

I'm a certifed, accredited firearms instructor. I will occasionally hunt, but my targets are primarily paper. Guns are not a problem in the hands of law-abiding citizens, and the more effective the rifles we can give our soldiers the better. I have multiple guns for concealed carrying (which I instruct, and support), and would not hesitate to use my guns if I felt like my life or the life of another is in imminent threat of death or serious injury. I do not consider using a firearm in defense, be it of yourself, your home, the life (or liberty) of another, or your country, to be anything to be ashamed of and it's unfortunate you took that out of my comment.

Certainly, firearms are powerful things to be respected. My point was that the article was worded poorly. Why not refer to these as firearms/guns/rifles/handguns instead of weapons/assault rifles? Of my 3 AR-15's, none have ever assaulted anything that I'm aware of (although they've put a lot of holes through my outdoor targets).

I do admit to killing a skunk with my Glock 30. In that situation, I legally used a firearm as a weapon (rural, private property, shooting in a very safe direction, and skunks are considered "varmint" which can be legally killed year round). I put it back in my (concealed) holster and it was, again, a gun. I consider hunting a "sport", at least for those who don't sit in heated blinds by a feeder.

A gun is a tool, albeit a dangerous one that deserves respect. One of its' rarest duties, outside of war, is to be used as a weapon.

John Robb-
I appreciate you addressing my comment and giving a reasonable explanation for the use of the term.

I'm a bit sensitive about guns constantly being portrayed as weapons by the media, especially after the incredibly senseless, tragic event in Aurora. Concealed carry of a firearm is technically illegal at any "mass assembly", yet even given that, if someone in that theater had been carrying and shot that SOB they would have been hailed as a hero (I'm not saying that anyone should break the law, or that the person would avoid charges for doing so). They have the potential for accomplishing "good", when legally and justifiably used by law abiding citizens, and laws that make it harder for the majority of us who abide by the law to purchase firearms do absolutely nothing to keep them out of the hands of criminals. It's kind of in their nature to break the law. . .

On a different note, the recent advances in the use of laser sintering to create new, much more precisely engineered springs that outperform what can currently be manufactured is a pretty exciting prospect that will surely be merged with 3D plastic printing to make more complex, robust mechanical devices that require no assembly. Hopefully these technologies continue to become cheaper, better, and more available until cheap commercial scale production is feasible.

@wylekyote

Just asking the question. Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate your sentiment, but as a product of my military training I will always see rifles as weapons (particularly those related to the AR-15).

@John Robb

Provide us with a credible source that indicates every component of that pistol/rifle is printed on a 3D printer and I will issue a heartfelt apology. Otherwise, I see this article as nothing short of irresponsible journalism.

@democedes

If every piece were printed by a 3D printer, it would be incredibly effective at nothing but hurting the shooter. . .there's no way a plastic barrel/chamber could withstand that much pressure.

(can't edit, so this is the rest of my last comment. . .)

So yeah, I agree that we won't be seeing anything to justify the title (which is misleading, at best).

WTF!!! am i the only sane person left in this sad sad world who is shocked about this stupid article suggesting that everyone being able to make weapons at home is a good thing???? what is this world coming to?????????

Well, its been possible to make weapons at home for a while. All the way from a sharp pointy stick to chemical explosives.

As with any paradigm technology, to put it very crudely, the good comes with the bad.

If 3D printing ever gets to the level of sophistication that you can print most if not all of a firearm, I would be very happy. Not because we can print firearms, but because we could print a hell of a lot of other really functional stuff.

Knowing industry or government, the designs for these will be regulated pretty heavily. And i know, that wont stop someone really determined, but it never has (look at mass murder shootings or home made bombs), but the point will be to make it as hard as possible so that the average consumer wont ever think or bother to do so.

Generally a nice article on progression of 3D printing, even if its only a low function part of a firearm.

Solarflare,

I didn't say it was a good thing, I said it's going to be a fact.

Democedes,

The conventional approach to measuring success is the ability of the machine to produce the unique portions of the item being manufactured and not relatively generic components.

@Solarflare,

For your consideration:
- mass murder of civilians only happens in Gun Free Zones
- if you can't keep drugs away from 12 year old's in any city in America, don't try to convince me you'll keep guns away from criminals and lunatics.
- Since Major powers have been armed to the teeth with Nuclear weapons, their have been no major wars. Disarming is a dangerous thing to do as it invites anyone with tanks and guns to pull another Hitler.
- There are very large numbers of people in the world who aren't the least bit interested in world peace.
- along with putting condoms on cucumbers in 1st grade we should be teaching basic gun safety with mock up guns, so fewer children will die from gun 'accidents'.

Points 1 and 2 most significant please.

You can print Heart vavles with 3D printers. At least you can if you have the right materials. Doctors have already done this. If you cant print metal thats ok, you can print the casting mold for it. 3D printing can effectively create a lot of useful things. Truth is that no one is going to try to create a lot of things in their homes because they really cant create a manfucatured piece that will fit on their, vacuum cleaner, their remote control, their computer, their car, etc... at least not until NOW! 3D printing is going to lead to people creating the blue prints for every day "plastic" manufactured parts. Why would I go and send off, or replace, a piece of something that I have bought, when I can go online, download the blue print and print the piece I need myself? From casting molds, to various plastic parts, 3D printing just killed a lot of manufacturers BS replacement parts business. I am sort of happy about that. I think its bogus when manufacturers purposeley build crap that will wear out just so you will pay to have it replaced. Well not any more!!!

Go DIY 3D printers. The blackmarket for replacement parts is about to go BOOM!! Make your money people! :)

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

I am going to have to get one of those 3D printers. I am really impressed by what a person can make from this article. It seems rather cool!

Whether you call it a firearm or gun, its a weapon! It was never meant for anything other than to injure or kill. You can call it a Crimson Rose if you want, but its still a weapon.

Thanks for all the info, guys. I figured that if an all-plastic gun was possible, someone would have already created a non-3D-printer one by now. It is nice to know that my view of the universe does not need to be changed to include a gun that has no metal components.

John Robb,

There is something wrong with your measuring stick when you say they have gone a mile, but they have only traveled an inch.

"A Working Assault Rifle Made With a 3-D Printer"

A lower receiver is not a working assault rifle. Not by a long shot. You know this. HaveBlue did not print a working assault rifle. He printed a lower receiver. It is not possible to print a working assault rifle. But you want people to think he did simply to get their attention. You may call it a trick of the trade, I call it fraud.

HBillyRufus, there are such things as "ceramic" guns. They are made and some have no metal parts. The trick is finding materials that can handle the heat and pressure from such fast moving projectiles. That makes cermaics a good choice. Again, ceramics can be "cast". So, simply download the blueprint for the casting mold and you have the ability to create the gun. I probably shouldnt have put that out there but its true. They go through metal detectors undetected as well. : /

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

As for "weapon", almost anything can be turned into something that kills. A can of spraypaint can be turned into a bomb. A car can be aimed at a person. You could fill a balloon with gas and release in a room of people if you so desired. A weapon is anything that is used with the intention of doing harm to others. It could be used for self defense, it could be used for offense. Guns are designed to shoot high velocity projectiles at targets. They are efficient at doing this. Every person with a gun is not using it as a weapon, though its design was intended for this purpose. Bow and arrow was also intended for this purpose. The term weapon should be used to describe any object that is being used with the intention of doing harm.

"Drop your weapon!" means drop the object you have in your hand that you intend to use to do harm with. Either in self-defens or otherwise.

Weapons are tools and are needed. Your own fists can be used as weapons. Your mind can be a weapon that inflicts psychological harm.

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

@D13

I'm assuming you got your information on ceramic guns from Die Hard 2? Because they don't exist. You are right that ceramic is very, very hard (high compressive strength), but it's lacking in tensile strength when compared with steel (there's a very similar comparison to be made between steel and concrete, and that is why they are so often paired together in post tension systems). Tensile strength is what comes into play when a round is fired and the enormous amount of pressure pushes outward on the barrel (trying to make it stretch to contain the gases, putting it under tension). Ceramics are brittle. Properly treated steel is not.

And just to play devil's advocate, the lower receiver is technically the only part on an AR-15 that has a serial number and is registered as a "firearm" (it is also the only part which cannot be shipped directly to your door, as it must be transferred by someone with a Federal Firearms License). You fill out the same paperwork for a stripped lower as you do for an entire AR-15 (or other firearms for that matter). You can purchase "80%" lowers that are completely unmarked, do not require registration (at least until they're completed. . .) and lack a small amount of machining (which can be done with either a mill or a drill press pretty easily) in order to function. The individual is responsible for engraving unique, identifying markers to the lower receiver. Depending on the intended use of the lower, these markings may not be necessary.

Dont tell the media that you can own a metal machine shop at home and people have been making guns for years :P

Will it be legal for a website to offer 3D models for download if they could allow you to break the law? Print full WMDs with just a click, or if you're in Alabama, sex toys. Who would be prosecuted, the person who distributed the file or the person printing it?

To the point. Thanks wyle.

"the lower receiver is technically the only part on an AR-15 that has a serial number and is registered as a "firearm" (it is also the only part which cannot be shipped directly to your door, as it must be transferred by someone with a Federal Firearms License). You fill out the same paperwork for a stripped lower as you do for an entire AR-15 (or other firearms for that matter). You can purchase "80%" lowers that are completely unmarked, do not require registration (at least until they're completed. . .) and lack a small amount of machining (which can be done with either a mill or a drill press pretty easily) in order to function. The individual is responsible for engraving unique, identifying markers to the lower receiver. Depending on the intended use of the lower, these markings may not be necessary."

@D13 If there is such thing as an all ceramic gun (that won't simply blow up in your hand) it is news to me. In fact, such a thing would be very big news since it would make just about every security check point out there ineffective. Please show your source.

@wylekyote There was also a ceramic gun in the movie "In the Line of Fire".

But I think the myth of the ceramic gun comes from the story of David Byron (not the singer) who has repeatedly attempted to make them for the US military. The DoD has invested some money in Byron, but he has yet to produce anything that works.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/10/05/what-happened-the-the-mythical-undetectable-plastic-gun/

Have Blue [dot org] and HaveBlue www.haveblue.com/
Have been closed either by the Owner or the F.B.I.

Wttp,
Your icon reminds me of robotic guts. I like it!;)

@democedes

Interesting. I was not aware that the DoD was researching the use of ceramics in firearms, but I can't say that it surprises me.

Thermal expansion in firearms, particularly rifles used to shoot long distances (800+ yards), causes the point of impact of the bullet to shift enough that it must be compensated for. Any sniper or sharpshooter knows that the first round fired (when the gun is cold) is going to hit a different place than the subsequent rounds even when aiming at the exact same spot (although the first shot typically heats the metal sufficiently that additional rounds, and the heat associated with firing them, don't alter the PoI substantially).

Ceramics, because of their thermal characteristics, would not experience anywhere near the amount of thermal expansion/deformation that happens with a typical steel barrel. Ceramics are also great at absorbing and dissipating heat, which can become an issue with some firearms. However, a known "issue" with ceramics is their propensity to fail due to small imperfections (microscopic cracks) in their surface that provide a "chink in their armor", if you will. The ability of a material with cracks (even steel has cracks if you have the equipment to look closely enough) to withstand forces and resist breaking is called "fracture toughness". Ceramics have a fracture toughness value of UP TO 5. Aluminum is typically 25 or so. Steel, depending on the alloy, is in the ballpark of 50. Current ceramics, are simply not up to the stresses experienced by a barrel (unless the ceramic's strength is, for instance, supplemented by the strength of some supporting metal).

I guess now is the time to mention that I'm an engineer (day job. . .firearms training is an evening and weekend job for me now) and that I'm not just blowing smoke when I speak about these materials or the stresses involved.

democedes,
Wouldn't it be cool to have a electro mechanical pulse rail gun rifle! Ooops, my darks side is showing...

So your saying that no materials but metals have the strength to be a gun? Is that right? I know you did a google search and looked for "ceramic gun" and saw all the "its a spoof" crap but, you saying that you cant make a ceramic gun? A carbon fiber gun? An alluminum gun? A plastic gun?

Please say that again so I can reply with all the different strength materials that you can make a gun out of. Including specific gravity. the M4 Carbon Version, The Russian KGB "Troika" all plastic 3 barrel gun. Or the guns that David Byron made for the DOD that were apparently made from a machined zirconia (a type of ceramic) over-wrapped with resin-coated carbon fibers. Not to mention other materials with a much lighter gravity than your usual metals barrels.

Cubic zirconia has a specific gravity of about 5.7, steel is 7.85-ish. Aluminum’s gravity is 2.7. That’s half of zirconia. Winchester made a shotgun with an aluminum barrel, just to prove much lighter gravity materials were used. American Derringer still makes a gun with an aluminum barrel.

Then if you wanted to make a really light barrel, that could fire more powerful cartridges, use a beryllium alloy. Beryllium’s specific gravity is 1.85.

Not to mention, the only proof you really need, besides physics is that according to BATF regulations and federal law, firearms composed entirely of a material that can defeat standard airport metal detectors and x-ray machines are already illegal to manufacture, transfer or possess. Additionally, firearms must be of a shape and size conducive to detection, per a detection standard blank known as the Security Exemplar. It’s USC 922(p)(1).

If it werent possible, then why would such a thing exist?

The only intelligence you have on this subject is your arrogance. Please put the safety on your mouth and don't point it in my direction fool.

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

@Wttp

The ATF is more likely involved, as they are responsible for controlling the manufacture, transportation, and/or purchase of firearms. The FBI is usually a source for background checks (in addition to the state's background check that is required in some places), as their criminal database is national, but beyond this they have little to do with "day to day" ATF work. I believe they typically only become "actively" involved in investigations with the ATF when firearms start crossing state lines, or when other serious crimes are involved.

Seriously, once the 'electro mechanical pulse rail gun rifle' is perfected, the home user can manufactor his own weapon with the 3D printer and shoot projectiles and the bullets will not be traced. Its just a matter of time....

So many experts. Just acknowledge that you could be wrong please? Dont "shoot" someone down just because the information they propose isnt in your limited database. I wouldnt give a person in this discussion the right to carry a firearm. You all "shoot" your mouthes off without taking proper "aim". Your "fire" away at people who propose the possibilities and rammifications of the relevant technology in the article. You miss your "mark" when you get sidetracked onto "who knows more about guns" discussions. Physics is physics. Thank god none of you have the know how to create one of these guns. Im sort of pissed at myself for needing to prove you wrong so, Ill walk away from this discussion. Have a nice day! :)

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

..... helpful hint D13, somepeople argue, because they like to pull the string and watch a yo yo spin up. Do not let them make you into a yo yo, sir. I appreciate your comments.

Robot, both electronic pulse firing and the Rail gun are real. The discharge on the smaller version is quite large but was done with some not so big batteries. There are small versions of the rail gun that fire square metal projectiles and then there is the navy size version that can hit a target 100+ miles away.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2010/12/10/navy-railgun-shoots-bullets-electromagnet/

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

Thank you Robot. I am no expert either, of course. I just simply like to show that it is amazing, in this modern day, what is possible isnt it? I dare say that almost anything can happen.

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

D13,
So now you are confirming it is technically possible to make a home weapon electro mechanical rail gun rifle, without the need to buy amo. Once this gets mainstream invented a few years from now....
The drug overlords of south america are going to love this and the rest of us are not!

@wylekyote,

While it is clear that you are intelligent, informed, and articulate, your stance on the term "weapon" is utterly dogmatic. All firearms are designed with ONE purpose, to inflict lethal harm on another person or animal. The variation is in how rapidly, how remotely, and how powerfully they accomplish this task. They have no secondary purpose.

A baseball bat's primary purpose it to smack a ball. It can be used as a weapon in the hands of someone seeking to inflict damage - not even necessarily a criminal. However, no matter whose hands are holding a gun, it can ONLY be used as a weapon.

I'm not making a judgement on "gun control" here - but deciding not to refer to an instrument designed for lethal harm is arbitrary and political, not accurate.

suddenmischief... The Gun Lighter. :)

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

@D13

I'll point my "foolish" mouth wherever I please, thank you. And right now it's pointed your direction.

No, a google search was not necessary. Many guns are made, at least partially, from plastic or other non-metallic parts. Glock frames are polymer based, and they're known for being incredibly durable and reliable. The high stress parts - let me spell that out for you a little more clearly - the parts experiencing the largest amounts of force during normal operation (this would be the parts of the gun that contain the explosion of the gunpowder and resulting highly pressurized gases) are all made of. . .you guess it, a METAL!

I'm saying that, at this point in time and for the foreseeable future, you can't make a safe, COMPLETE, functional firearm without the use of metal for some critical components.

Aluminum barrels are all good and well, but aluminum is not ductile like steel. The reason the "fracture toughness" I mentioned earlier is so much higher for steel than aluminum and (especially) ceramic is because the surface cracks in steel experience ductile fractures. Instead of just fracturing all the way through the "weak spot" made by a tiny surface crack, the crack simply undergoes small amounts of plastic deformation (plastic deformation = deformation beyond the point that a material will naturally return to its previous shape) and the crack pulls apart ever so slightly. This will continue to happen for a very, very long time before the point of failure (and it would become very obvious there was a problem long before that).

Ceramic, by itself, is brittle. It has no ductility whatsoever. Try to bend a piece of ceramic. It will not bend. It will resist the forces acting on it all the way up to the point of complete failure. In other words, it's great all the way up to the point when it shatters into numerous pieces. If you push on steel hard enough, the most it's going to do is bend a little bit. Hmm, which material would I rather use to encase an explosive cartridge. . .

Aluminum is slightly ductile, but when sufficient force is applied to reach the point of plastic deformation it is much more likely to simply fracture. It is considered brittle for a metal.

Cubic zirconia? Give me a break. . .first off, it's only similar to ceramics in that it has a crystalline structure. Yes, a crystalline structure is typically pretty strong. But again, no ductility.

Steel is highly ductile. It handles both elastic and plastic deformations well. It is also very strong. Although its strength to weight ratio isn't great compared to some other materials, it's still the most commonly used metal for barrels.

There's this tendency in engineering to focus on designing things that can safely withstand the forces they will be subjected to. If the functionality of the design can be maintained, things like lighter materials or strategic removal of "excess" material to cut down on weight will be considered. Otherwise, we leave the designs alone.

Engineering an extremely (at least relatively) lightweight barrel isn't a terribly difficult task. Engineering a functional, reliable, and safe extremely lightweight barrel is a completely different story. If the DoD has been throwing money at the idea of a non-metal firearm for years without any results worth mentioning, don't you think there's like. . .a reason?

@wylekyote

Remington used to make a rifle with a composite barrel. The barrel was carbon fiber with a stainless steel inner lining. Presumably it dissipates heat quite quickly. Not sure why they they don't make them anymore.

http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?magid=19&tocid=239

@Robot
I would be a little concerned putting such a strong magnetic field close to my face. I'm afraid it would rip out my fillings out when I fired.

democedes
First, robots teeth are just cosmetic and welded in. Second, my makers teeth are cermamic and doing just fine.

And we all know a gun is for fun as it it is played with in our hands, woo-hoo,lol. And a weapon is used to kill.

If the shooter is worried about loosing fillings at the seen of the crime, he may use a remote controlled robotic tripod to point the weapon.

Yawwwn. Ball scratch... Yawwwwwwwwnnnn!

A ceramic or plastic gun that fires even one bullet has served its purpose. No one said anything about continued use, use for battle fields, reliability, safety or any of the other many words you slung together to make your point anymore wrong. Guns can be made of all sorts of materials, including fiber glass, ceramics, aluminum, carbon fiber, polymers etc. I made a gun from a bic pen one time. It had a plastic bullet and I shot my friend in the side of the neck with it. He was pissed but it was awesome!!

Go find someone to listen to you, you ole koot! Your still just a blow hard in here. Good day sir!

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

Yup, one shot, one kill. SPLAT!

Your bic pen "gun" must certainly have been quite the weapon, indeed. My hat is off to you, for both accomplishing the manufacture of a bic "gun" and also for being able to locate your balls.

I can use a block of wood, a nail, and a hammer to fire a bullet (once), but it would be much less likely to injure me if I just used the hammer instead.

Materials science is not yet at the point where a viable firearm (we'll consider it "viable" if the threat to the target is greater than the threat to the shooter, just because I pity your fledgling argument. You resort to attempting to insult me more than you provide any valid replies) can be produced without the use of metal parts. The day WILL come when this feat is able to be accomplished, but I wouldn't hold my breath until that technology comes along. Although you clearly think that whatever I say is wrong, so you may WANT to hold your breath...

wylekyote,
If your neighbor sneaks in your house, lifts up your 3D printer and squashes your head (SPLAT) into several pieces, while you sleep, at this point your 3D printer has just become a weapon, simply by human intent, right.

wylekyote, I did make my point. I made it in detail. I provided examples. I provided a law that makes it illegal to apparently do the impossible, according to you. You are no expert and you are not right. You have no reason to continue to argue except to save face. You think you are right and thats ok. I can live with indifference. I know what I know and you know what you know. Now buzz off please. Im bored. Im sure everyone else is too. You fight stupid battles and that says enough about you. Please make a point next time. Mine is that people can use a 3D printer to make all kinds of things, including a gun. You didnt have one. You just tried to show how little you know about guns and making guns. Thanks. See you around I'm sure.

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

I have a degree in engineering from a leading private university. I have a significant amount of experience doing failure analyses on a wide variety of parts made from a wide variety of materials. Materials science, and the use of "unconventional" materials to improve upon the design of existing elements, are things I deal with on a daily basis.

I've already mentioned that I'm a state certified firearms instructor. You'd be hard pressed to find a modern firearm that I don't have the knowledge, skill, and equipment to repair.

I'm tired of trying to get it through your head that you're wrong. Few things in this world piss me off more than a fool unaware or unaccepting of his own ignorance. I sincerely hope that you learn to spend less time talking and more time listening. At the very least, it helps prevent one from making a constant fool of himself.

If you're so sure I'm the fool, post links showing evidence I am wrong. Otherwise, shut up and listen more often.

Well, I hope he has his type 07 FFL. Having gone through that process once, it is a beezy.

Manufacturing of a lower receiver (which is the part the ATF actually considers a "firearm") without a serial number is also a federal offense.

He'll also have to register every gun he makes with the feds.

Lot more than printers are involved in making firearms boys, and the ATF is pretty jumpy nowadays.

@flashoverride I would hazard a guess that he does not have a FFL, and that his local ATF agent was knocking on his door this morning.

@flashoverride

He is not required by federal law to have any type of FFL or to mark the lower in any way (although the ATF recommends it) as long as they are for his personal use only and the lowers aren't used in the construction of an NFA/Title II firearm, such as a short barreled rifle, a fully automatic gun, anything that is suppressed, destructive devices, etc. If he intended to use it on a firearm that falls under the jurisdiction of the NFA, he would be legally required to mark the lower receiver in some identifiable way. Many people simply put their first and last name above a number (which would have to be different on each firearm the person attempts to register). You can simply make up a number out of thin air if you want. As long as the markings are unique (which is almost always the case when you use name and a number) the ATF is satisfied.

That being said, even if you don't plan to use the firearm for an NFA item, engraving your name on the firearm will save you a lot of headache in the event that a law enforcement officer ever looks at it. Unmarked guns aren't things that the police, ATF, game warden, FBI, or any other law enforcement officers EVER like to see, so you would be answering a lot of questions before they ever took off the handcuffs.

I forgot to specify that, for firearms requiring registration, the unique markings on the firearm have to be documented by and registered with the ATF,

Nice. Im impressed. I dropped out of Highschool in the 11th grade, never got a GED, and now I work in my 3rd Fortune company doing things much harder than simple engineering.

You didnt prove me wrong you just proved that your a blow-hard who likes to toss out his weak resume to show some type of superiority. I didnt think you were really stupid until you tried show how intelligent you were. However, you continue to go through life thinking how smart you are. You smell like a dipsh*t. Tell me where you work and Ill write, and sell, your company a program to replace you. Whatever it is you do. I'm sure they are as sick of you as I am.

Take care, smart guy. I know you dont work on anything truly interesting in material science because no company would give a hothead, know it all, like you a security clearance. If they did, you wouldnt have it for long. You wouldnt make it past the interview process. Anyways, I'm done. Have a good one!

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

Interesting use of 3D printing.

I'd say the person who created this needs to pay the tax on the firearm before they transport it or sell it. Creating even a poor copy of the real investment cast item is still controlled by the BATF and subject to tax and proper licenses.

I'm sure the ability to create some device in ones home or garage that could be lethal has been around for maybe 100 years. This is just a new twist. The internet if full of ways to both help and hurt. Making a law against a gun is about as effective as making a law against murder. Laws seem to stop honest people.

@D13

I think you missed the part about talking less and listening more often.

You're a troll and a fool if you fail to substantiate your claims with any kind of evidence and continue replying with nothing more than attempts to insult me.

The single attempt at providing "evidence" I've found in your posts is:

"Not to mention, the only proof you really need, besides physics is that according to BATF regulations and federal law, firearms composed entirely of a material that can defeat standard airport metal detectors and x-ray machines are already illegal to manufacture, transfer or possess. Additionally, firearms must be of a shape and size conducive to detection, per a detection standard blank known as the Security Exemplar. It’s USC 922(p)(1).

If it werent possible, then why would such a thing exist?"

International law (specifically, the Moon Treaty) makes it illegal to build a military base on the moon.

Proof of a law banning something isn't proof of that thing's existence.

Go ahead and reply with some more "insults". I'll talk to you again when I see some proof, so. . .I won't be talking to you again.

"...Go ahead and reply with some more "insults"..."

I do not like anyone running for President! Can we have a do over, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ;)

@Robot

In reply to your question about whether I would consider "my" 3D printer (I sure wish I had one! Not for anything related to guns, though) a weapon, and under those circumstances I would absolutely consider it a weapon. I would not hesitate to defend myself by whatever means necessary until the threat of death or serious injury is neutralized. Any use of force beyond that point is not only illegal, but immoral (at least the way I was raised).

A "deadly weapon" is (generally) legally defined as "any instrument, device, or thing capable of inflicting death, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried, or used as a weapon."

And lol at "I do not like anyone running for President! Can we have a do over, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ;)"

this is just awesome, but if i have a 3d printer. i would not waste my money for weapon design printing, i rather use for some useful stuff.

anyways, weapon 3d printing isnt impossible since it is ow possible to use high quality mixtures of plastic that can stand heat beyond melting point of a metal, just like the plastic design of an automobile

hey wyle, your still an idiot. you still cant read either. if youre an engineer then im a keebler elf. if you have guns then the world is not a safer place. if work on making guns safer? still not sure what that BS was you tossed out but if it was that, then please let me know what it is you work on. i will try to avoid those things at all costs. PLASTIC GUNS ARE REALITY! Moon base treaty huh? good one. how big is that cavern
in your a** you pull this stuff from? you compare a federal law banning weapons made from non-detectable materials to a moonbase treaty?! guess bumblebees and unicorns will be your next analogy?

enough said. thank you. now the last poster again stated that plastic can be used to make a gun... arent you going to leave him an essay on your immense gun knowledge, experience with guns and your resume on engineering? im shocked. careful posters, wyle is an expert!!

lets give it up for wyle everyone! smartest guy ive never met! CLAP CLAP CLAP! kudos!

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

I think the more important part of this article is that he created a functional lower receiver, the ONLY piece of the gun that requires a back ground check. You can buy a AR15 lower receiver that is 80% complete without a FFL dealer getting involved, but then you have to machine out the trigger assembly area and drill a few holes to mount all the parts. The 80% lowers are mil-spec aluminum, come with a jig to ensure the machining is to spec and costs ALOT less than a 3D printer. It's illegal to manufacture a "weapon" without stamping it with a serial number and reporting it to your respective state, by the way.

The making of "Assualt Rifles" at home would not in any way be a new thing once the home version of these printers becomes readily available to everyone. It's already possible, and in some states perfectly legal depending on the model. All you need is the reciever flat, which you shape with a neumatic press. The rest can be made with easily attainable materials and tools, and (once again may depend on the laws of your state) the "assualt rifle" doesn't even have to be registered as long as you make it for yourself and don't sell it.

They just come out semi automatic, with out the option for Full auto.

@Kyote Your a compleat moron if you dont belive NON metalic firearms are real! I have seen people with zero education fabricate very amazing prjectiles with little more then what you find in a garbage can, and theses projectiles are peircing some of the worlds best armor. If you dont blieve me go find a dude that was in afganistan or Iraq, ask him about it. I bet your "private university" (Ameri-corp) is proud to have an Alum like you. Good job using google to set you point in stone. IF you know what your talking about, tell me what this is below

% &
'
(
2
2 ! 600h ! 3600s / h
= 4 !10"14
m
2
/ s
Less Money On War more Money on Science

This is irresponsible reporting. A working assault rifle was not made with a 3-D printer. While I understand from the author's comments below that the one critical part of a gun was made and that the other parts can be acquired without a permit, it is simply misleading the way the article is written. I trust what I read in the printed news. This is a good example of why blogs are not proper news reporting. I blame the author, and the editorial staff if there even is any.

@bunpy
YOU are the type of person who should never own a firearm.
You are saying that if I put a gun in your hand you can think of nothing to do with it that kill something?
Think, just THINK a bit.
The first thing anyone should do with a gun is target practice.
And you know what? Target practice can take you all the way to the Olympics.
So it is people like you, who have nothing on their minds but the spilling of blood and murder, YOU make a gun a weapon.

Four words, gentlemen and ladies, if you have read me before

See! I told you!!!!!!

@conway 7321

I can't tell exactly based on the notation (or lack thereof) of the equation you posted, but it's obviously calculating diffusion.

@John Robb

Here is an example of journalistic integrity. The author added a correction as soon as she discovered her article was misleading: "I regret the error of insinuating a fully operational gun could be wholly produced from home."

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/functioning-3d-printed-assault-rifle/?src=Outbrain

@conway7321

When you try to copy an equation out of a .pdf file into a plain text app, you end up with a mess. This is equation you were trying to paste (translated to plain text):

(0.4x10^-3 m)^2 / (2 x 600 h x 3600 s/h) = 4 x 10^-14 m^2/s

and here is your version again:

% &
'
(
2
2 ! 600h ! 3600s / h
= 4 !10"14
m
2
/ s

And you call @wylekyote a moron? Your equation was incomplete, looking nothing like the source you copied it from, and yet you still posted in your comment. Genius.

Kudos to @wylekyote for actually taking the time to try to interpret that mess. And he is correct by the way, that is indeed a diffusion calculation.

Question 6)D)

http://dmseg5.cwru.edu/classes/emse201/oldexam/test/ts1201f05.pdf

"So it is people like you, who have nothing on their minds but the spilling of blood and murder..." - @killerT

Am I the only one seeing the irony here?

It is not possible to print the metal barrel.

Well the federal government prints "legal tender" notes that they want everyone to think is real "lawful money". I say printing a gun is more honorable: The printed gun is at least worth the value of the plastic. [The federal reserve website says federal reserve notes {....aka dollar bill...a buck...etc.] has NO value.

Wonder how the gun control crowds keep up? Must stop the gun making proliferations at home, must smash all 3-D printers, outlaw all plastic materials.

How about print some bullets?

The purpose of a pistol is to stop a fight.

Mr D13: Your first comment regarding ceramic guns was posted at 11:03AM on 07/27/12. You said:

"HBillyRufus, there are such things as "ceramic" guns. They are made and some have no metal parts. The trick is finding materials that can handle the heat and pressure from such fast moving projectiles. That makes cermaics a good choice. Again, ceramics can be "cast". So, simply download the blueprint for the casting mold and you have the ability to create the gun. I probably shouldnt have put that out there but its true. They go through metal detectors undetected as well. : /"

You assert in the first two sentences that ceramic guns exist, are made, and have no metal parts. While responding to other comments politely made refuting your assertions, you move the goal posts, change the terms of your original assertions, and attempt to belittle those who have tried reasonable means to persuade you may be mistaken.

I ask you sir, to provide the manufacturer's name and model number of any such ceramic gun.

The world wonders where such an item, containing no metal parts, can be purchased.

An answer that you heard it on the grapevine, or saw it in your dreams or in the movies doesn't count.

Is it to be confidently imagined that existing 3D printers will be able to produce larger versions of themselves?

@D13... You're joking, right? The best empirical evidence is that "they had one in the MOVIE 'In The Line Of Fire'"? Seriously? And I suppose teleportation is real because they had pods in 'The Fly'. I'm not a structural-, materials-, or even custodial-engineer. I AM a gun guy with a huge passion for the new and ridiculous. Unless you can document an existing a WORKING ceramic gun, there AIN'T one. I sure haven't come across one. There's other stuff out there that theoretically would work, but doesn't.

For example - aluminum barrels. Too soft to enforce spin on the bullet as it passes through. Aluminum barrels have a STEEL SLEEVE inside.

Carbon fiber barrels. Same thing. Own one in .22lr.

Titanium barrel and frame. TOO HARD? Same thing. Barrel is sleeved. Springs, screws, etc are steel. Own one in .357mag.

Plastic. Same thing. Glocks need to be metal for all major bearing surfaces, springs, etc. Own 2 in .45 and .40. You could ALMOST print out a whole lower receiver for a Glock (minus the metal bits that ARE REQUIRED FOR FUNCTION).

The "ceramic gun" was a bullsh!t move on the part of a national newspaper back when Glock was first invented and tried to come to market here. At no time have the Glocks been manufactured of NON-METAL/CERAMIC parts that could defeat a metal detector. Their metal parts are coated with a DIAMOND-HARD coating that protects them from the elements. Thats it.

As for citing laws saying "there's your proof!". Um... no. In this case, the absence of evidence IS the evidence of absence. Simply show a citation of a working standard-bullet-firing firearm that is constructed with NO METAL PARTS WHATSOEVER. I think that was the general point of this discussion. Show proof. You show something that is NOT a fake and is NOT a railgun or other somesuch. Otherwise, like the farmer's daughter said to the outhouse,"You're full of sh.."

@wylekyote - nice arguement. Sometimes, though, you can't BEAT simple truth into people.

just to make a clear statement to everyone that is saying "firearms are always a weapon and are designed only with the intent of killing." that is one of the most rediculous statements ever.

First thing there are many rifles designed and built for nothing more then shooting in competition, also there is plenty of pistols and shotguns that are designed with that same idea in mind.

Second thing if what you think is true the club (baseball bat) was designed for fighting and killing and is a weapon and nothing more.

Also a bat is still considered a weapon. lol (wooden club) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapo

Also (i know its a movie) Inglorious B**tards had a scene where a man would only kill Nazis with a baseball bat.