3D Printing Anarchists... Slightly ahead of ripping off GW.

[Nabterayl]

Dragging us back to the topic....

I think that within the US, this isn't such a great shake. Better guns are available (seemingly) quite freely, and the culture there is well adapted to that.

But, consider us here in the UK. We have as much of a nutter problem as any western country. But not the guns. Majority of firearms offences here involve non-functional replicas. This however could change all that. We're not 'gun mature' here. They aren't part of our culture. Vast majority of Brits don't feel the need for a gun, mostly because we're exceptionally unlikely to encounter one. But now? Definite cause for concern.

I think that's an interesting point. I'm curious: what is your ammunition availability? You can't 3D print bullets yet, or propellant. Let's say I'm British and I have a 3D printer. I can assemble the actual gun with my 3D printer and a few metal pieces. Maybe I can assemble the casings with my 3D printer too. Let's say I also know how to hand load a cartridge. How easy is it to acquire the primer, propellant, and bullet for even a single loaded cartridge? After all, this weapon was assembled and fired in the US, where it is pretty easy to acquire those things.

And all caused by a single tosser who felt he knows best....

Well, I wouldn't say that it's really "caused" by one guy. He may be the first who has done it, but the promise of 3D printing from the beginning has been a brand new way to manufacture things, not a specific class of things such as "things that will not cause societal disruption." Somebody was bound to do this, if only as an engineering challenge. Heck, I'd be pretty shocked if actual firearm manufacturers were not 3D printing their product within the next hundred years.

[Mr Mystery]

MM - non-functional replica is a bit oxymoronic - replicas or de-acs converted or restored to full functionality would be more accurate - and I wasn't aware that formed the lion's share of firearms offences, although I concede it is prevalent.

Apparently it's true. Can't 100% vouch for it, but as it came from the BBC News (possibly Panorama) and wasn't used to peddle a particular view pint, I can't think of a reason for it to be an inventive interpretation of statistics, shall we say.


As for Nab, I call the guy a tosser not because of his little invention, but his frankly feckless attitude. He has no clue about the impact this could have.

Ammunition availability? Not a clue to be honest. Propellant is easy enough, as it can be home made fairly easily. Gun/black powder is a fairly easy formula as its components can be found pretty readily. It may not be terribly efficient I'll grant you, but it may not have to be overall. However, and speculative speculation is speculative, I'd be willing to wager ammo is easier to come by than a shooter. We do have guns, and gun clubs. They have to shoot something!

[Nabterayl]

As for Nab, I call the guy a tosser not because of his little invention, but his frankly feckless attitude. He has no clue about the impact this could have.

I'm not arguing with the tosser appellation But I don't really think he "caused" anything in any meaningful sense.

[Mr Mystery]

Perhaps, perhaps not.

But I can still see this causing restriction of availability on 3D Printers. Anyone with half a Brian knows its too late to stop the design profliferating. The printers? Not so much!

[DeadPanda]

Who's Brian ? And what's he got to do with this ?

[Wildeybeast]

I'm Brian and so is my wife.

[DeadPanda]

You've been a very naughty boy.

[Psychosplodge]

Go away!

[Mr Mystery]

I only call them my brians to confuse the zombie masses. So far, not a single zombie attack, let alone outbreak. So you can't tell me it's not working!

[Wolfshade]

I only call them my brians to confuse the zombie masses. So far, not a single zombie attack, let alone outbreak. So you can't tell me it's not working!

Would you like to buy my rock? It keeps tigers away.