An unwanted side effect of the 3D printing revolution? http://ow.ly/gVcxq
That’s actually the first “good” article i saw about this
Wow, no joke. Great article.
I’m pretty sure everyone here could build a gun with one trip to Home Depot (and it would be less work than calibrating a 3d printer 
@Jason_Gullickson I agree. Calibrating my prusa was much easier than getting a printed AR15 that could actually work, albeit with .22.
So much easier to go and buy a machined lower.
but what happens when the ability to print a gun is as easy as pressing a button, and anyone can do it.
In America @duncan_maina we call that “Wal-Mart”
Seriously though, I don’t think we need specialized laws for 3d printers regarding the creation of illegal things, or the creation of legal things used illegally. If the concern is that a 3d printer can be used to create say a banned hi-capacity magazine, the magazine is already banned, regardless and the law already provides a means to prosecute. There’s no reason to treat a high-capacity magazine created by a 3d printer any differently than the same thing created using a CNC mill, or hand tools or legos.
I feel like the media’s current obsession with 3d printed weapons is just an excuse to mash two trending keywords into the body of one article, it’s just an SEO trick.
I get your point there is a system present to punish those who break the law regardless of what medium they use to break it. The issue that concerns me with 3d printers being able to print guns, is the ease with which the guns are made available. we have to pause and have an honest discussion, are we ready to accept a reality in which getting access to a military grade weapon is as easy as downloading an illegal music file. I find it unbelievably irresponsible to ignore that issue.
@duncan_maina You won’t ever be able to 3D print a gun that would be anywhere close to military grade. They use special hardened steels for things like the barrel. You’re getting caught up in all the hype and crap that people with no knowledge of the subject are throwing out there to fear-monger people.
Please read this: http://theconversation.edu.au/a-violent-debate-could-guns-be-made-at-home-by-3d-printers-11406
And understand that not even the highest end 3D printers will ever be able to 3D print a gun, and that the tools required to MILL a gun would come much cheaper than those printers ever will.
It’s not irresponsible to ignore the “issue” because there is no issue…just fear mongering.
Banning 3d printers for being able to “print guns” (and I second the people in here who say that that will never be a feasible solution since milling will be easier in that case) is as logical as banning electronics kits since you could build a railgun with one of those (and I did. at the age of 7. under supervision from my parents. and I didn’t killed anyone.)
Sometimes I just can’t stop shaking my head at this world…
plans for the railgun?
woot. Found one on Thingiverse btw
I don’t know that I would ever say “never” about printing anything (or doing anything at all), but suffice to say when we do have printers capable of printing military-grade firearms (perhaps using nanobots or genetically programmed microorganisms), they will also be capable of printing much more amazing things that we have today, as well as things much more frightening than ancient weapons of war.
The bottom line is that stupid people will do stupid things, especially if they are bored. 3D printing is a cure for both 