3D Printing of Guns at Home Making Gun Grabbers Nervous

http://thenewamerican.com/tech/computers/item/14393-3d-printing-of-guns-at-home-making-gun-grabbers-nervous ^ | Feb 1, 2013 | Bob Adelmann

[longtermmemmory]

if a 3d printer prints a pen, will the left freak out about the 1st amendment being used?

[sergeantdave]

“I can assure you that, should you replicate a gun in one of these new “printers” and attempted to load and fire it, you would require a trip to the hospital or morgue. “

You’re being too simplistic and not following the 3D printer technology. Lower receivers and magazines can be seen operating on YouTube. If you don’t want to believe it, get left behind in the dust.

There are millions of freelancers perfecting 3D technology.

[NVDave]

I’ve got more machines than that, formal schooling in gunsmithing and engineering, and I’m quite optimistic on 3D printing’s future in gun parts.

People used to pooh-pooh MIM parks. Most all major companies use MIM in the lockwork today.

People used to pooh-pooh composites. I was one who did. The Glock changed my mind. I’ve seen, handled and fired Cav Arms lowers (complete with buttstock) that are durable as a rock. The lower of an AR obviously can be made with composites. There’s at least three companies I know of making polymer lower receivers *today* - right now.

The rate of change in the additive machining technologies out there is astounding. It took us from about 1960 to the 1990’s to achieve easily deployable 5-axis CNC machining. That’s 30+ years.

We’ve gone from mere dreaming to actual usable parts coming out of additive machines (especially in medical devices, where the market can pay for the amortized cost of the “real” machines - none of which are being used in guns yet) in about 15 years, and the technology works and works well. As I keep up on machining stuff, I’m astounded at the rate of change in both CNC machining and additive machining. EIther way anyone wants to look at it, the ability to manufacture what’s required to make a firearm in quantity is coming down - rapidly.

[JRandomFreeper]

I've got more machines than I admitted to. ;)

However.. after about 1973? I quit trying to keep up with every technology change in every field. It's impossible. The rate of change outstripped my ability to absorb it.

And I was also very interested in human reproductive biology... It happens to young men.

But I did learn to never say never. I can't keep up with the technology in every case, but do skip over the high points as trends emerge.

My personal opinion (which is worth what you paid for it) is that 3-D manufacturing, whether additive, subractive, or some combination, is going to change the world before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

/johnny

[NVDave]

I completely agree with you.

The additive machining technology is a revolution coming down the road, straight at US manufacturing. It is a way for smart companies to lower costs substantially by reducing wasted material - which, thanks to that idiot Bernanke and his merry devaluation elves in the big banks, is becoming more expensive in worthless US dollars all the time.

The secondary effect of additive machining is that it will increase the number of used CNC machines on the market in about 10 years. Already, you can go buy some various makes of “real” CNC mills for relatively little money, if you’re willing to do some work on them yourself (eg, Fadal’s VMC’s) and you don’t need the latest and greatest technology.

The real nut of the issue is that no one “needs” a EDM machine (or even a broach) to make an AR lower out of a slab of aluminum. Just split the problem in half - section the receiver down the long axis, then put it together with cap screws, alignment pins and high-tech glue. Whammo, you have a AR lower without anything more than a 3-axis machine - and truth be told, you could probably crank them out on a retrofitted Bridgie with 2.5 axis control.