DOJ Reaches Settlement On Publication of Files About 3D Printed Firearms

[Hobbes]

Hobbes, that is in no way feasible for anyone's garage. Not even close.

Even if it were, they are stoking fear in the uneducated masses for political gain. I'm right now listening to a pretty conservative and pretty pro-gun guy on the radio from the DFW area and he's even ignorant on this and he's "not comfortable" with having "untraceable" guns in the populous. He has a gun range owner on that's pointed out (correctly) that you've ALWAYS been able to build your own gun. It's perfectly legal and always has been. Just don't plan on selling, gifting it, crossing state lines or getting caught with it if you are a felon.

Again it's about politics, pure and simple.

It will be a few years before pure metal printing in garage is available.

Meanwhile

Metal 3D Printing Materials for the Home
Even if you can’t 3D print metal objects at home, you can still resort to plastic filament with added metal powders. ColorFabb, ProtoPasta or TreeD Filaments offer interesting composite metal-PLA filaments. These are filaments that contain a significant percentage of metal powders but provide enough plastic to be printed at low temperature (200 to 300 degree Celsius) with just about any 3D printer. At the same time, they contain enough metal to have the look, feel and weight of a metallic object. The iron-based filaments even form rust in certain conditions.

In composition, metal 3D printer filament is typically 50 percent metal powder. Meanwhile, Dutch 3D printer filament company Formfutura claims they have ramped up the ratio to 85 percent metal powder and 15 percent PLA. These metal 3D printer filaments are called MetalFil Ancient Bronze and MetalFil Classic Copper. You can even print them at “moderate” temperatures of 190 to 200 degree Celsius.

https://all3dp.com/1/3d-metal-3d-printer-metal-3d-printing/


Edit: If you 3d print a metal or metal infused firearm the whole "invisible gun that can't be detected" argument becomes moot doesn't it?

 

[Shadowrider]

Go ahead and print out yourself an AR barrel with a 5.56 chamber. Slap it in an AR and run a mag of M193 or M855 through it. Then get back to us after you get out of the hospital.

 

[ignerntbend]

Shadow, you do get that he understands he can't do that by, say, next Sunday? The technology is emerging is what he's saying. We're on the cusp of it. It's not crazy science fiction.
Think of it that way.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

Ignore all the hype. Next week there will be a new issue for folks to rant about and 3D printing will be forgotten. Heard anything about bump-stocks lately....

 

[Shadowrider]

Shadow, you do get that he understands he can't do that by, say, next Sunday? The technology is emerging is what he's saying. We're on the cusp of it. It's not crazy science fiction.
Think of it that way.

OMG! OMG! OMG! Them ghost guns gonna get us! Everyone hide!

 

[ignerntbend]

Where'd you come up with that?

OMG! OMG! OMG! Them ghost guns gonna get us! Everyone hide!

 

[Shadowrider]

Where'd you come up with that?

Same place you get your stuff. Right outta me arse!

 

[ignerntbend]

That wasn't me. I've never even met you.

 

[Shadowrider]

Ha!

 

[Hobbes]

If you have a 2A right to own a firearm it can't be possible that you don't have a 1A right to print a firearm.
Does not compute.

And besides, even if they could prohibit the release and sharing of these CAD files anyone could still disassemble a firearm, scan and print a duplicate.

But man, what could have John Browning have done with a 3d printer to prototype with.