"Why the printed gun is a stupid idea" Topic

link

"It's a massive security risk …"

I call bull.

Let's review the options for a terrorist armed with a 3D printed plastic pistol.

1) The Assassination.

So you're going to kill somebody important with your Liberator, a big and bulky device that isn't very accurate. Most attempts were made with regular guns, it being plastic makes it harder to spot using metal detectors, but it's so bulky it might be noticed by security and being inaccurate, it's probably best used at point blank or closer range, which is knife range and you still get one single shot before security stops your face into the pavement.

So yes there is a small increase in risk for any politician or rock star, given that the vast majority of us aren't, we're pretty safe.

2) Hijacking

Post 9/11 any sensible passenger would assume that anybody is either trying to destroy the plane or crash it into some important place. Any passenger with half a brain should probably be able to figure out that 100+ passengers vs a terrorist with a single shot pistol with a long reloading time and poor reliability has an extremely high likelihood of ending with a dead or severely curb-stomped terrorist.

3) Criminals

Criminals aren't very smart, they often don't plan ahead, chances are they'd rather check with Shady Joe to get a regular gun under the table than to go buy a 3D printer and go through all the motions to get a really crappy ersatz gun. Many places would have them outgunned. I think most cops would rather face a .22 3D printed gun than a 9mm Glock. I'm all for criminals arming themselves with such poor quality 3D printed weapons, as it keeps them away from really dangerous weapons.

4) Accidents and terminal stupidity

I predict that ten years from now the biggest group of people who fell victim to the 3D printed weapon will be the people who thought it would be a fun idea and either accidentally shot somebody, or those who decided that they had too many fingers, eyesight is overrated and having a face is an unnecessary luxury. So lots of idiots will end up in hospital or in the cemetery because they thought that a 3D printed gun would make them cool.

And let me add this, to the guy who had the idea to make this gun, you sir, deserve to be taken down by Samuel Jackson after a long and very humiliating monologue very accurately describing your complete and utter stupidity. Because inevitably laws will be voted "in an attempt to stop the spread of the 3D printed gun menace" Those laws will not stop 3D printed guns, but they will ruin our enjoyment and the freedom we currently enjoy on the internet. So thanks for nothing you self proclaimed cretin-anarchist, you're just ruining it for everybody so you can have your little ego-trip and your 15 minutes, hope it comes around to spite you.

I would like to point out that since the number of violent crimes that are done with firearms is roughly half the number of accidental shootings that happen with firearms, your point number 4 is pretty meaningless.

Actually it really proves my point that the most-accident prone will be eager adopters of the Liberator.

By that logic, then all gun owners are the most-accident prone.

Agreed.

1 – I bet one can get a non-printed non-metal gun somewhere to do nasty stuff. Or a real gun. Don't way more rock stars die of drug overdoses? And politicians of old age?

2 – see one.

3, 4 – for the time being they're the territory of hobbyists seeing how far they can take the manufacturing process. Accidents may happen. Own fault. Them bad people will just get that real gun.

Think about the advances in manufacturing all this will bring though. Baby steps toward universal replicators!

your more likely to die from a speeding car then being shot with any type of gun any day of the year in the US.

And let me add this, to the guy who had the idea to make this gun, you sir, deserve to be taken down by Samuel Jackson after a long and very humiliating monologue very accurately describing your complete and utter stupidity. Because inevitably laws will be voted "in an attempt to stop the spread of the 3D printed gun menace" Those laws will not stop 3D printed guns, but they will ruin our enjoyment and the freedom we currently enjoy on the internet. So thanks for nothing you self proclaimed cretin-anarchist, you're just ruining it for everybody so you can have your little ego-trip and your 15 minutes, hope it comes around to spite you.

Because grandstanding politicians will pass concede are ineffective laws that will only impair the law-abiding, it's this guy's fault?

I think it's hilarious how everybody is so butthurt about this.

A 3-D printer costs several thousand dollars … a very nice semi-auto pistol costs several hundred.

The 3D printer he used cost $8,000. USD That will buy a lot of very good guns. His gun is crappy and single shot. The ammo will still show up on security screening and bullets look like bullets. There are about 600 fatal firearms accidents in the US every year. Given the poor quality of this gun, that number should go up a few.

The only advantage to this 3D printed gun is the lack of paper trail and serial numbers, but I suspect the printers are so rare I doubt it will be a real problem.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
SGT Says police blog

"I would like to point out that since the number of violent crimes that are done with firearms is roughly half the number of accidental shootings that happen with firearms, your point number 4 is pretty meaningless."

@Eclectic Wave,
Could you let me know your source for this information?

Anybody notice that the trigger in the final picture has been broken off? Now that's a real reliable piece of work there. Didn't even last a single day.

Hailing from the UK I have no personal experience of firearms other than my air rifle so I bow to the more experienced here.

However I would say that when firearms were first developed I expect many people thought they had no future since bows and crossbows were at that point faster and more effective.

Some one always says the latest thing will be of no value:

This "telephone" has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.

link

Not sure how true they all are but they are fun. Western Union certainly rejected the telephone at first.

The point being, a printed gun may be of no value now, but now it's out there (and it was inevitable some one would try it), others will make it their mission to make it succeed as a viable item.

The point being, a printed gun may be of no value now, but now it's out there (and it was inevitable some one would try it), others will make it their mission to make it succeed as a viable item.

Yep.
Of course, it might well (probably) continue to fail, just like the vast majority of ideas that people try.
-Kle.

The printers will become cheaper over time. Sure they are $8,000 USD now but at one point so was a computer.

Designing them will be something people do in their free time and for fun. The plans can't be suppressed.

I don't think the real impact is in the US where guns are cheap and readily available.

The impact will be in countries like Japan and the UK with strict gun laws. In the land of the unarmed the one shot man is still king.

I mention only by way of curiosity that The Liberator is the exact opposite of an "assault rilfe": Short barrel inaccurate, lowest possible magazine capacity, slow reload (can't just swap magazines), white instead of black, toy-like instead of scary-looking. I haven't heard a muzzle-velocity number, but I bet it's at the low end.

I think it was only meant as a proof of concept.