First working 3D-printed firearm built

07-28-2012 • http://www.gizmag.com, By Jonathan Fincher

Here's another - somewhat controversial - example of just how ubiquitous this technology could become: a working gun built using an AR-15 rifle part made with a 3D printer.

The gun maker, going by the name "HaveBlue," constructed the AR-15's lower receiver - which holds many of the gun's main components, including the trigger assembly and magazine well - using a modified design from a gunsmithing website and an older model Stratasys 3D printer. Since the existing design he started with was intended to be made out of solid metal, HaveBlue altered it a bit by strengthening some of the lug holes and adding a trigger guard. He then printed the design with ABS plastic and used a conversion kit to assemble a .22 pistol.

Amidst protests from an AR-15 discussion board that the part would fail and seriously injure him, he successfully fired 200 rounds using the 3D printed lower receiver without any trouble. To test it further, a metal AR-15 upper receiver was attached and a few shots fired with a higher-caliber .223. So far, the part seems to be holding up well and hasn't shown any major signs of wear.

2 Comments in Response to First working 3D-printed firearm built

Comment by PureTrust

Entered on: 7/28/2012 8:09:06 PM

Can't wait to print the ammo, too.

Comment by McElchap

Entered on: 7/28/2012 3:40:41 PM

Uncle Sam ain't gonna like this development... which I imagine is the first of many more to come. Some criticize the plastic gun parts because the original design of the gun (virtually all guns) was for metal construction. But not everyone has the metal working tools and skills needed for gunsmithing. Simply being able to load a program into your computer and use a plastic 3-D printer to make parts is a great development. Especially as it may be a last resort in a desperate defense against tyranny. As this will not supply revenue to the gun industry, nor serial numbers to the BATF, I suppose the feds are going to have fits. Particularly as this concept of printing gun parts gets more fully developed with more models.

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