3D Gun Blew Up in the Face of Feds (Video) -- Security Today

3D Gun Blew Up in the Face of Feds (Video)

By Ginger Hill
Nov 15, 2013

Remember good ‘ol Texan Cody Wilson and the whole 3D gun debacle we discussed back in May? Well, it’s making the news again, only this time it blew up right in the face of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Taking the online, 3D gun (aka The Liberator) blueprints that were available for free download and a 3D printer, ATF produced their own version of the Liberator.

“We downloaded files; we created firearms from those files; and we tested those firearms,” said Earl Griffith, chief of ATF firearms technology branch.

Discovering that the 3D gun wasn’t as powerful as other guns, ATF determined that it could, in fact, penetrate several inches of soft flesh and a human skull. Even though the Liberator can only fire one shot before needing to be reloaded, that’s all a determined “bad guy” needs to wreak havoc.

“The bottom line is, the penetration results demonstrated that the Liberator is a lethal weapon,” explained Griffith. “The .380 bullets fired from the Liberator penetrate sufficiently to reach vital organs and perforate the skull.”

It appears that in the hands of the wrong individual, even plastic guns can kill, and the ATF feels that we will see other 3D gun models in the future.

A huge concern is that the Liberator can defeat metal detection, enabling it to be carried into places and areas that weapons are banned. Yet, the design of the Liberator is perfectly legal under the Undetectable Firearms Act because it has a block of metal. According to this act, as long as a weapon consists of a certain amount of metal and that metal is detectable, it is legal. However, the metal plays no role in the Liberator’s ability to function and can be easily removed.

What to Know about ATF’s Testing

This 3D gun was made from a 3D printer and free, online blueprints.
ATF used acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic material and some plastic made by Visijet.
The Visijet version exploded during the test.
This 3D gun can get past metal detectors.
This 3D gun can penetrate soft flesh and the human skull.

Conclusion: This 3D gun qualifies as a deadly weapon.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now
- Active Shooter
Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now
- Cybersecurity
Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now
- Access Control
- Artificial Intelligence
Report: Cyber Attackers Continue to Turn to AI-Based Tools to Avoid Detection

Comcast Business recently released its 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, a comprehensive analysis of 34.6 billion cybersecurity events detected between June 1,2024 and May 31, 2025. Now in its third year, the report offers business leaders a unique perspective into the evolving threat landscape and provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their defenses and align cybersecurity with business risk. Read Now
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity

Security Today eNews

Sign up today for essential industry news and product information that can help you stay afloat in the fast-paced world of security.

Email Address*Country*

Please type the letters/numbers you see above.

Webinars

Whitepapers

New Products

A8V MIND

Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.
Automatic Systems V07

Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.
Unified VMS

AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities