Well guys, this happened … comments?
The usual set of arguments apply here:
- A gun can be machined on a $10k CNC mill as well
- 3D printing is not the only way of acquiring a gun illegally
Sure. But there will be public and media reaction and fear mongering. Average citizens doesn’t think like that …
Well, I suppose you could add a snippet to your article as well. We can use as much non-negative PR as possible so that this story does not turn into a witch-hunt.
I already did 
But it was just a matter of time. Someone said that if something can be made, it will be made. That company probably wanted PR attention and “credit” for doing it first.
They are licensed to sell gun parts, so this is no real reason for alarm… this doesn’t mean people won’t freak out like at the raiding in the UK because of benign printer parts
idiot fuel.
So what? Any of the major 3d metal printers could have done this years ago. And non-3d machines have been doing it for centuries. In volume.
The fact that there is now a properly functional 3D printed gun out there doesn’t bother me at all. What downright worries me, though, is how mainstream junk media outlets, like Fox in the US or BILD in Germany, might (and will) make a huge story out of this, just for the sake of having a story. Even with the previous defense distributed plastic gun, the fear of printed guns had even reached our dear politicians, and it’s them who are the least informed yet will make decisions that could greatly affect how we can legally use our printers.
Now, the question is, how can we get the message across that the fact that this gun exists does not make all 3D printer users criminals who spend their time crafting weapons for mass murder?
3D printed weapons has, as a concept, reached Europol. Politicians in the EU are right now trying to figure out how to stop criminals from mass producing 3D printed weapons.
Like I said, it fuels people who are easily fearmongered. “Mass-producing” and “3d printed” can never be in a well informed sentence. It takes hours and hours to print things. You can infact ‘mass produce’ weapons on a set of shop tools though. The problem is all those people didn’t make it into politics , so the politicians have a huge pool of support to draw on. It really is a full time job to educate people too.
@The_Verge has just put up its article by @Chris_Welch : http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/7/5077718/worlds-first-3d-printed-metal-gun-fires-over-50-rounds
Thankfully, @Scott_McGowan of @Solid_Concepts_Inc does seem to care to make clear that this isn’t something you create on your typical hobby printer, even if it might be just be for promoting a selling point.
Note the string on the trigger. Smart. I wouldn’t handhold it either.
It is a beautiful print job, no doubt about that.