Trump Takes Aim at 3D Printed Guns.

[Elderberry]

Instead of 3D printing gun parts, I would 3D print gun part "Patterns" out of PLA. I would use those patterns to "Lost PLA" cast the parts out of aluminum or bronze.

[Wingnut]

I thought they had program files for fully-auto switchable AR-15 Lowers?  That's hardly a challenge at all, no exploding cartridge to deal with.

https://www.wired.com/story/a-landmark-legal-shift-opens-pandoras-box-for-diy-guns/

[240B]

The issue is more about the propellant than it is about the gun. You wouldn't want to use any regular .22 or .38 cartridge in these weapons. It would never get through an x-ray or metal/explosives detector. Compressed air with a large super hard plastic pellet would be the best way to go. These are going to be close quarter/point blank weapons, so range is not an issue. Nobody will be sniping with a 3D weapon.

So the real question is, Can you 3D print a cartridge which can hold enough pressure to make the gun viable?

[ABX]

The issue is more about the propellant than it is about the gun. You wouldn't want to use any regular .22 or .38 cartridge in these weapons. It would never get through an x-ray or metal/explosives detector. Compressed air with a large super hard plastic pellet would be the best way to go. These are going to be close quarter/point blank weapons, so range is not an issue. Nobody will be sniping with a 3D weapon.

So the real question is, Can you 3D print a cartridge which can hold enough pressure to make the gun viable?

Yes. If dealing with highly compressed air, there are some non metallic options that work well. https://www.ebay.com/itm/232836586109

[roamer_1]

The problem with even considering this is, to ensure that all guns aren't 'ghost' would open the door to some sort of national registration.

What can they do? All they CAN do is stop the means of production. Stop 3D printing...

The data files are 'ghost' by nature, as music and video industries already opine...

[ABX]

What can they do? All they CAN do is stop the means of production. Stop 3D printing...

The data files are 'ghost' by nature, as music and video industries already opine...

We are talking about the government here. Don't expect it to be done right. They'll do something completely wrong and useless instead that will make things worse and not actually address what they say is the problem.

[Elderberry]

Nobody will be sniping with a 3D weapon.

Test Fire: 3D Printed AR 15 Lower Receiver 300 AAC Blackout Suppressed (Vanguard)

! No longer available

[mrclose]

A DIY manual of mine from when I was in the service.
(Courtesy of the US government)

I have a readable version of the manual in my G-Drive account.

(There are even pictures in the book for those that couldn't read) 

0.1 Purpose and Scope

In Unconventional Warfare operations it may be impossible or unwise to use conventional military munitions as tools in the conduct of certain missions.

It may be necessary instead to fabricate the required munitions from locally available or unassuming materials.

The purpose of this manual is to increase the potential of Special Forces and guerrilla troops by describing in detail the manufacture of munitions from seemingly innocuous locally available materials.

Manufactured, precision devices almost always will be more effective, more reliable, and easier to use than improvised ones, but shelf items will just not be available for certain operations for security or logistical reasons.

Therefore the operator will have to rely on materials he can buy in a drug or paint store, find in a junk pile, or scrounge from military stocks.

Also, many of the ingredients and materials used in fabricating homemade items are so commonplace or innocuous they can be carried without arousing suspicion.

The completed item itself often is more easily concealed or camouflaged. In addition, the field expedient item can be tailored for the intended target, thereby providing an advantage over the standard item in flexibility and versatility.

The manual contains simple explanations and illustrations to permit construction of the items by personnel not normally familiar with making and handling munitions.

These items were conceived in-house or, obtained from other publications or personnel engaged in munitions or special warfare work.

This manual includes methods for fabricating explosives, detonators, propellants, shaped charges, small arms, mortars, incendiaries, delays, switches, and similar items from indigenous materials.

Table of Contents

      Section 0 — Introduction

        0.1 Purpose and Scope
        0.2 Safety and Reliability
        0.3 User Comments

    Section 1 — Explosives and Propellants (includinigniters)
        1.1 Plastic Explosive Filler
        1.2 Potassium Nitrate
        1.3 Improvised Black Powder
        1.4 Nitric Acid
        1.5 Initiator for Dust Explosions
        1.6 Fertilizer Explosive
        1.7 Carbon Tet – Explosive
        1.8 Fertilizer AN-Al Explosive
        1.9 “Red or White Powder” Propellant
        1.10 Nitric Acid/Nitrobenzene (“Hellhoffite”) Explosive
        1.11 Optimized Process for Cellulose/Acid Explosives
        1.12 Methyl Nitrate Dynamite
        1.13 Urea Nitrate Explosive
        1.14 Preparation of Copper Sulfate (Pentahydrate)
        1.15 Reclamation of RDX from C4
        1.16 TACC (Tetramminecopper (II) Chlorate)
        1.17 HMTD
        1.18 Potassium or Sodium Nitrite and Litharge (Lead Monoxide)
        1.19 DDNP
        1.20 Preparation of Lead Picrate
        1.21 Preparation of Picric Acid from Aspirin
        1.22 Double Salts
        1.23 Sodium Chlorate
        1.24 Mercury Fulminate
        1.25 Sodium Chlorate and Sugar or Aluminum Explosive

    Section 2 — Mines and Grenades

        2.1 Pipe Hand Grenade
        2.2 Nail Grenade
        2.3 Wine Bottle Cone Charge
        2.4 Grenade-Tin Can Land Mine
        2.5 Mortar Scrap Mine
        2.6 Coke Bottle Shaped Charge
        2.7 Cylindrical Cavity Shaped Charge
        2.8 Not Available
        2.9 Funnel Shaped Charge
        2.10 Linear Shaped Charge

    Section 3 — Small Arms Weapons and Ammunition

        3.1 Pipe Pistol for 9 mm Ammunition
        3.2 Shotgun (12 gauge)
        3.3 Shotshell Dispersion Control
        3.4 Carbine (7.62 mm Standard Rifle Ammunition)
        3.5 Reusable Primer
        3.6 Pipe Pistol for .45 Caliber Ammunition
        3.7 Match Gun
        3.8 Rifle Cartridge
        3.9 Pipe Pistol for .38 Caliber Ammunition
        3.10 Pipe Pistol for .22 Caliber Ammunition — Long or Short Cartridge
        3.11 Low Signature System

    Section 4 — Mortars and Rockets

        4.1 Recoilless Launcher
        4.2 Shotgun Grenade Launcher
        4.3 Grenade Launcher (57 mm Cardboard Container)
        4.4 Fire Bottle Launcher
        4.5 Grenade Launchers
        4.6 60 mm Mortar Projectile Launcher

    Section 5 — Incendiary Devices

        5.1 Chemical Fire Bottle
        5.2 Igniter from Book Matches
        5.3 Mechanically Initiated Fire Bottle
        5.4 Gelled Flame Fuels

            5.4.1 Lye Systems
            5.4.2 Lye-Alcohol Systems
            5.4.3 Soap-Alcohol System
            5.4.4 Egg White Systems
            5.4.5 Latex Systems
            5.4.6 Wax Systems
            5.4.7 Animal Blood Systems

        5.5 Acid Delay Incendiary
        5.6 Improvised White Flare
        5.7 Improvised Iron Oxide
        5.8 Improvised Yellow Flare
        5.9 Improvised White Smoke Munition
        5.10 Improvised Black Smoke Munition

    Section 6 — Fuses, Detonators & Delay Mechanisms

        6.1 Electric Bulb Initiator
        6.2 Fuse Igniter from Book Matches
        6.3 Delay Igniter from Cigarette
        6.4 Watch Delay Timer
        6.5 No-Flash Fuse Igniter
        6.6 Dried Seed Timer
        6.7 Fuse Cords

            6.7.1 Fast Burning Fuse
            6.7.2 Slow Burning Fuse

        6.8 Clothespin Time Delay Switch
        6.9 Time Delay Grenade
        6.10 Can-Liquid Time Delay
        6.11 Short Term Time Delay for Grenade
        6.12 Long Term Time Delay for Grenade
        6.13 Detonator

    Section 7 — Miscellaneous

        7.1 Clothespin Switch
        7.2 Mousetrap Switch
        7.3 Flexible Plate Switch
        7.4 Metal Ball Switch
        7.5 Altimeter Switch
        7.6 Pull-Loop Switch
        7.7 Knife Switch
        7.8 Improvised Scale
        7.9 Rope Grenade Launching Technique
        7.10 Bicycle Generator Power Source
        7.11 Automobile Generator Power Source
        7.12 Improvised Battery (Short Lasting)
        7.13 Improvised Battery (2 Hour Duration)
        7.14 Armor Materials

    Appendix 1 — Primary High Explosives

        A1.1 Mercury Fulminate
        A1.2 Lead Styphnate
        A1.3 Lead Azide
        A1.4 DDNP

    Appendix 2 — Secondary High Explosives

        A2.1 TNT
        A2.2 Nitrostarch
        A2.3 Tetryl
        A2.4 RDX
        A2.5 Nitroglycerin
        A2.6 Commercial Dynamite
        A2.7 Military Dynamite
        A2.8 Amatol
        A2.9 PETN
        A2.10 Blasting Gelatin
        A2.11 Composition B
        A2.12 Composition C4
        A2.13 Ammonium Nitrate

    Colophon

          C.1.0 Version 1.0 (1969)
           

[/quote]

[Right_in_Virginia]

Are these guns detectable by airport x-ray machines and metal detectors?

[Elderberry]

Beautiful fully printable and lost pla wax castable 22cal pengun 3D print model

[Cyber Liberty]

A DIY manual of mine from when I was in the service.
(Courtesy of the US government)

I have a readable version of the manual in my G-Drive account.

(There are even pictures in the book for those that couldn't read) 

That's a pretty nice companion to the Anarchist's Cookbook.  Care to email that so some friends?  (Hint-hint.)

[sneakypete]

And technology is only going to improve at a rapid pace. It is no longer just cheap plastics.  Of course, for a long time, one could make these with a C&C machine. Now, you can even get carbon fiber 3D printers* (and you wouldn't believe how cheap they are). This technology is still very young. Any government interference will be as useless (and harmful) at this point as any other form of prohibition the government will try.

The problem with even considering this is, to ensure that all guns aren't 'ghost' would open the door to some sort of national registration.

I would also be concerned that if he is partnering with the NRA, they would propose something that would protect manufacturers over civilians, and would love to ban any sort of home built weapon or parts of them- forcing people to buy products from manufacturers. 


* http://3d.markforged.com/carbon-fiber-3d-printer.html?mfa=bing&adg=NA-LF-Carbon-Fiber&kw=carbon-fiber-3d-printer&msclkid=fe8cb0494f3c101549abeb29cb79cd67

@AbaraXas

That cat is out of the bag now,and there is no getting it back in there again.

Once a technology is proven and in the public domain,there is  no stopping it. One idea leads to another that leads to another,and there is no stopping anything once people know it is possible.

[sneakypete]

...hmm... are 3D printable plastic guns considered a mean of self defense? If not, then it would NOT fall under the 2A with right to bear arms.  If they are considered a means of self defense then this opens up a can of worms as far as any type of restriction.

@libertybele

WRONG! The 2nd Amendment is about national defense,against our own government if necessary,and self-defense is just a fortunate by-product.

Which is WHY military grade weapons are PRECISELY the ones protected by the Second Amendment. It has nothing to do with hunting,gun collecting,skeet or trap shooting,or anything else,either.

It exists because the Founding Fathers DEMANDED citizens have access to military grade weapons in case they had to start bearing arms to take their own government back from a dictatorship set on taking away their rights.

<P>
BTW,although the idea is to allow every citizen to have access to military grade weapons such as those carried by the individual soldier in a regular army,this does NOT include crew-served weapons like cannons or tanks. Crew-served weapons were to be held by local towns to be issued to specially trained crews,and were kept in the town armory.

[240B]

Test Fire: 3D Printed AR 15 Lower Receiver 300 AAC Blackout Suppressed (Vanguard)

I was referring to a completely undetectable plastic weapon used for quick assassination or close coercion. If it is smuggled in broken down in disguised pieces, nobody will know what it is. This is the advantage over a 3D printed knife for example which would be easily recognizable.

[mrclose]

[sneakypete]

Banning plans is a meaningless gesture. 3d printers will never be banned and guns aren't that complicated and will be very easily designed.

@skeeter

I made a 22LR "zip gun" when I was about 8 years old. Single shot and not the most sophisticated handgun you ever saw,but it worked.

[skeeter]

@skeeter

I made a 22LR "zip gun" when I was about 8 years old. Single shot and not the most sophisticated handgun you ever saw,but it worked.

My son and I made our own ARs - at least we did the milling on the lowers. The most complicated component is the extractor IMO.

[Cyber Liberty]

I was referring to a completely undetectable plastic weapon used for quick assassination or close coercion. If it is smuggled in broken down in disguised pieces, nobody will know what it is. This is the advantage over a 3D printed knife for example which would be easily recognizable.

How about a printed "CIA Letter Opener?"

[libertybele]

@libertybele

WRONG! The 2nd Amendment is about national defense,against our own government if necessary,and self-defense is just a fortunate by-product.

Which is WHY military grade weapons are PRECISELY the ones protected by the Second Amendment. It has nothing to do with hunting,gun collecting,skeet or trap shooting,or anything else,either.

It exists because the Founding Fathers DEMANDED citizens have access to military grade weapons in case they had to start bearing arms to take their own government back from a dictatorship set on taking away their rights.

<P>
BTW,although the idea is to allow every citizen to have access to military grade weapons such as those carried by the individual soldier in a regular army,this does NOT include crew-served weapons like cannons or tanks. Crew-served weapons were to be held by local towns to be issued to specially trained crews,and were kept in the town armory.

Actually by self-defense, I was implying the "right to bear arms". 

[To-Whose-Benefit?]

@AbaraXas

That cat is out of the bag now,and there is no getting it back in there again.

Once a technology is proven and in the public domain,there is  no stopping it. One idea leads to another that leads to another,and there is no stopping anything once people know it is possible.

Wish I was 18 again, so I'd live to see the day when advances like this and more to come Finally sweep All of this disgusting, tyrannical, unconstitutional gun control at every level off the table and into the trash.

[roamer_1]

That cat is out of the bag now,and there is no getting it back in there again.

Once a technology is proven and in the public domain,there is  no stopping it. One idea leads to another that leads to another,and there is no stopping anything once people know it is possible.

@sneakypete

Oh, I'll take it further than just home printed pistols... This is going to be every bit as destructive to manufacturing as the internet was to movies and music... Just think of all the crappy Chinese plastic junk you'll be able to print at home...

Need a new tackle box? surf the web till you find the open source data file you want, pick your color, and print it up... for pennies. It boggles the mind.

[Bigun]

I think I learned how to make a very good 12ga shotgun from common materials when I was under 12.

[Cyber Liberty]

@sneakypete

Oh, I'll take it further than just home printed pistols... This is going to be every bit as destructive to manufacturing as the internet was to movies and music... Just think of all the crappy Chinese plastic junk you'll be able to print at home...

Need a new tackle box? surf the web till you find the open source data file you want, pick your color, and print it up... for pennies. It boggles the mind.

Unless Hewlett Packard is making the printers.  Then, the plastic compound will be more expensive than the printers, and you won't be able to get the color you want.

[Elderberry]

@sneakypete

Oh, I'll take it further than just home printed pistols... This is going to be every bit as destructive to manufacturing as the internet was to movies and music... Just think of all the crappy Chinese plastic junk you'll be able to print at home...

Need a new tackle box? surf the web till you find the open source data file you want, pick your color, and print it up... for pennies. It boggles the mind.

Not many objects will be printed for pennies when the cost of filaments run around $19.00/kg.

[roamer_1]

Not many objects will be printed for pennies when the cost of filaments run around $19.00/kg.

Volume and competition will lower the price. Remember, this is new tech.