AR-15 part made with 3D printer (in white resin)
Need a gun and don't want to actually buy one? Care to skirt the law without stealing the object of your fetish?Well wish no more! Now you can just print it with a 3D printer! Apparently someone has made a working gun using a 3D printer. They've even made working parts for an AR-15 assault rifle. Online plans are apparently available, of course. Gun fetishists will make sure they arm the world this way, and damn the consequences.
3D printers aren't common for home use, but it won't be long, and they are certainly available for those who wish them. Get one, and then you gun loons will be able to make and own all sorts of ego boosters for just the cost of the resin.
From a New Scientist article:
HaveBlue", a member of the AR15.com gun enthusiast forum, which is named after a common semi-automatic rifle, claims to have carried out the first successful test-firing of a 3D-printed gun.
HaveBlue did not print an entire gun but only a part called the lower receiver, which serves as a frame for the other components of the gun. This component is the only gun part regulated for sale under US law and as such must carry a serial number - unless it's made by a private individual for their personal use, so HaveBlue is not breaking any laws.
Making gun parts used to be impossible for most people, of course, but computer files for AR-15 components have been available online for some time. HaveBlue claims to have combined a 3D-printed receiver made from hard plastic with parts from an ordinary pistol and successfully fired more than 200 rounds. "To the best of my knowledge, this is the world's first 3D printed firearm to actually be tested, but I have a hard time believing that it really is the first," HaveBlue said.
HaveBlue also attempted to build a working rifle using the printed receiver, but encountered difficulties when passing ammunition through it. These issues remained after swapping out the printed receiver for an aluminum version, though, suggesting the problem lies with a non-3D printed part of the gun.
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