Here it Comes, A Real Metal 3D Gun

[porwolf]

World's First 3D Printed Metal Gun - YouTube

[Rick V]

The gun control people are going to freak out

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A truly motivated person with access to a metal shop can do this today - as well as make full auto weapons, grenades, you name it. This just means that a person doesn't have to be as skilled but they still need very expensive equipment so it's not like these are going to be flooding the streets or anything. Cost of manufacture is still not insignificant.

[afterburn 549]

Poowolf, now you want to out law 3D print ?
Or out law people?
Search our homes for milling equipment?
Whats your point?

[red-beard]

I looked at the metal "printing" process. If they used the same technique, I wouldn't want to hand fire that thing.

[onewhippedpuppy]

We use some varieties of 3D printing for rapid prototyping. Generally speaking the finished product won't stand up to serious abouse, at least not yet. The technology is rapidly evolving, but it's not there today. I'm with James, I don't want to be around when that thing fires.

Also worth noting, you can buy a lot of guns for the price of a 3D printer, even a consumer level one which is less capable than what I have access to at work. The sky isn't falling just yet.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I suspect the Solid Concepts gun is printed using a laser, so it's 100% metal.

When does the printed gun version of Orange County Choppers start?

[targa911S]

or make your own Porsche parts...?

[afterburn 549]

Any way, its a great machine, "One Off Parts" !

[widgeon13]

So much for gun control, guess we have to outlaw computers now.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Pretty sure the criminals will stick with paying $50 in a back alley.

[HardDrive]

The effect is going to be huge. And its not just guns. The lawyers are going to battling over the intellectual property rights issues for decades.

The technology is going to advance at a mind blowing rate.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by harddrive

the technology is advancing at a mind blowing rate.

fify!

[Brando]

DLMS is not cheap by any means.

It will be half a decade before this technology will become affordable - just like the plastic 3d printers.

Even then there is cost and supply of materials.

[911_Dude]

Way too much trouble. Ill just buy one made of real steel at the store, or on line, or from the classifieds, or from one of several guys at the range, or from a friend that knows a guy (if I needed another one).

[afterburn 549]

Originally Posted by 911_Dude

Way too much trouble. Ill just buy one made of real steel at the store, or on line, or from the classifieds, or from one of several guys at the range, or from a friend that knows a guy (if I needed another one).

No insult intended, but the point is a freeking anything could be made , no trouble at all!

[Jeff Higgins]

I can't get too deep into this without disclosing proprietary information, so I'll just say this process does not produce a product with anywhere near the mechanical properties (tensile strength, etc.) required for use in firearms. Some parts for firearms, yes, but not the pressure containing parts such as barrels, cylinders, revolver frames, rifle actions, and that sort of thing.

This new panic is brought to us by the same mindless twits that know nothing about firearms (other than that they are hopelessly afraid of them) that brought us the "plastic gun" that was "undetectable by metal detectors" scare when the Glock first appeared.

Not saying we won't get there someday, but that day is not here yet. So, at least for now, these hand-wringing ninnies can take one twist back out of their panties and go back to fretting over everything else that frightens them in this big, scary world.

[red-beard]

Jeff,

It seems to me that the process would be "better" if all that was produced was a wax item, and then using a casting process. You could produce a much better alloy. At least for a receiver. I agree that a barrel would be far better if it was machined from steel.

The real issue, these "hand wringing ninnies" don't understand what can be done with simple machining methods. Look at John Moses Browning was able to make in the middle 1800's!

Now look at the "crappy" tooling you can purchase from Harbor Freight or Northern Tools. With some skill, you can make a lot of stuff with that!

[David]

I went to Solid Concepts in Austin a few months ago and met those guys. I'm sure the gun is as good as one machined from billet but you could likely make a gun on a CNC mill faster than 3-D printing and for less money. 3-D metal printing is also limited to about a 7" cube working area.

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by targa911S

or make your own Porsche parts...?

F1 one is already prototyping parts at the factory, testing them and emailing a file to the race engineers so that the new parts can be made at the track,