Introducing the Fully Functional 3D Printed Gun
- By Ginger Hill
- May 08, 2013
Rewind about 6 months…December 20, 2012 to be exact. While most of us were busy celebrating the holidays, Joe Johns, a reporter with CNN Money, was busy informing about 3D printers soon having the ability to make guns.
Six months ago it seemed impossible, but now, Cody Wilson, the 25-year-old founder of Defense Distributed is supposedly making it a reality this week. The blueprints for the world’s first 3-D-printed, fully-operational handgun, called the Liberator, will be available to anyone with an Internet connection.
“Now anyone, a terrorist, someone who is mentally ill, a spousal abuser or a felon, can essentially open a gun factory in their garage,” said New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
Not only that, but think about security checkpoints everywhere, especially at airports. Plastic firearms printed with a 3-D printer would go right through a metal detector with no alerts indicated. Think of the disastrous havoc that could enable.
According to New York Rep. Steve Israel, “When I started talking about the issue of plastic firearms months ago, I was told the idea of a plastic gun is science-fiction.” However, this sure doesn’t seem to be the case now as the “Wiki Weapon project,” described as a nonprofit effort to create freely available plans for 3-D printable guns, is underway.
And, as of yesterday, May 7, 2013, after doing a little research on the Internet, the plans were actually available for download for free. In 723 words, someone…anyone can now create a fully-functional, 3D-printed gun.
(Photo courtesy of Forbes.)
(Sources: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/3d-printable-gun-153109290.html and http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-102/pdf/STATUTE-102-Pg3816.pdf)
About the Author
Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.