Made and tested by Solid Concepts. And how right is it that it’s a 1911?
Now watch the ATF and the antis have a purple cow. Watch them try to undo reality, try to uninvent technology. And fail. Oh, how gloriously they will fail.
Made and tested by Solid Concepts. And how right is it that it’s a 1911?
Now watch the ATF and the antis have a purple cow. Watch them try to undo reality, try to uninvent technology. And fail. Oh, how gloriously they will fail.
YES – Now that’s how technology should be used.
And YESSS to the gun!
*shrugs* So, someone managed to use a machine that costs “more than a college tuition” (and the guy went to a private school) to make a gun.
A gun that was designed by experts that knew the limitations of the material (DefCad used a low-pressure caliber for the Liberator and even these people used .45ACP, which is has the lowest pressure of the three standard self defence rounds).
I am tempted to write an article showing that I made a gun using nothing more than a lathe, a mill and a heat treating oven, all bought for less than what DefCad’s plastic printer costs!
Reenactors get asked whether their campfire is real and ordinary citizens wonder how things get built from materials. The end is nigh!
Tierlieb — So you expect Athena to spring full-grown and armed from the head of Zeus?
No expensive development is allowed? No baby steps? Wow. You want what isn’t and never will be.
Do you know how expensive and impractical early computers were? Do you recall that the first cellphones were as unportable as boulders? Do you remember what the first electronic calculators cost?
BTW, I think it’s great that some people have elaborate workshop setups and have the skills to build and do amazing things. But that’s not for everybody. Neither is 3D gun printing — right now. But the future … oh my!
Claire, from the beginning I have marveled at the gun owners who bad mouth 3D printing. Like you pointed out above these nitwits want a fully developed product to spring forth immediately from a fledgling technology and they want it to be virtually free of cost. Where do they get these ridiculous ideas? Teirlieb, I too can (and have) made firearms from scratch on a lathe and mill. So what? Does the idea that someone lacking our skills could eventually do it with a table top box and a bucketful metal powder offend you? Get over it. Technology marches on whether we like it or not. I’ll bet you had a fit Glocks hit the market as well.
Not just guns-but parts for antique/odd cars-a boon for those who restore antiques of any type. Pout in metal powder, give the dimensions, and wait for it to be printed.
It’s a hell of a development. A guy like the recently passed John Noveske had a knack for making extremely accurate short rifle barrels which were much loved by the Special Operations Community. He was not the kind of guy who write it all down or make prints. He’s just build you the barrel. But with something like this one can recreate his designs. The future is going to be interesting for the gun grabbers.
I love new guns from the “major manufacturers”, used guns, guns lost by LEOs and found by the good guys, 3D printed guns in plastic and metal, zip guns made from little mini maglights, black powder guns, machine guns, laser/phaser guns, electron guns, etc. The more guns out of control of the goons who call themselves government, the happier about it I am. I don’t care where those guns came from, just get them into “the right hands” (anyone who isn’t a thug).
I will never complain because someone made a gun in some way I don’t “approve”.
I would love to have a 3D printer like that. I don’t have half a million sitting around- I haven’t even been able to get my car fixed enough that it’s drivable for almost 2 years now, and that would take 1/250 or so of that amount. Someday, when my genius is appreciated and brings great financial reward…. 😉
Well, it sure is an example of smart marketing. Talk about some free PR for this company!
Like Kent I like all kinds of guns. We don’t know how guns in the future will be made, but I will still bet on computer-aided machine tools. Sort of like sculpting, cutting away metal to discover the gun within, rather than adding tiny bits to build it up.
The other wonderful effect is psychological. Gun banners have to be saying to themselves, “There’s no way to win any more.” Not a bad result, heh.
[just get them into “the right hands” (anyone who isn’t a thug).]
You mean none for government employees? I can get behind that. 😉
However that old notion, that guns must carefully be parsed out so that only the “right” people get them (“right” defined by whom?) almost inevitably requires a state to implement it. I don’t buy it any more. I want technology to get to the point where guns can be cranked out at high volumes, for pennies a copy or for nothing. There should be mountains of guns here and there out in the street, ready for anyone to take. Only then will I be happy. Only then will we get back to the notion of dealing with “mala in se” crimes, not “mala prohibita”.
Careful, “they” still control the ammo, so to speak. Ammunitions have always been a weak point of any gun systems. So until we get some kind of ammo replicator that can also create the chemicals needed to propel the bullets, we need to tread carefully.
Still, this is a great development, now they just need to bring the prices down and let people in general buy them.
OT: Speaking of guns, did anything ever come of L’s search?
Yes, Paul, what I mean is NO GUNS for anyone while working a “government” job. At least until there are no “government” jobs. Freelance thugs I can handle myself- their numbers are not endless. And I didn’t mention anything about “getting them out of the wrong hands”- I think that’s approaching it backwards.
Since ammo is the weak link, energy guns will eventually need to be created where the only thing needed to “reload” them is a charge.
And, this brings something else to mind…. Claire- what ever happened to the custom painted raffle rifle?
“So until we get some kind of ammo replicator that can also create the chemicals needed to propel the bullets, we need to tread carefully.”
I’ve read about research into printing pharmaceuticals at some point in the future. If that turns out to be possible printing ammo should be a snap.
Sure the equipment is expensive, but think how many (say) auto repair shops could use something like that. No more ordering parts, just print one up. This may revolutionize small appliance repair, making it possible (and economical enough) to repair rather than replace washers and the like. This technology is going to enter the mainstream pretty rapidly because it’s so dang useful.
I’m continually amused to see Progressives – who assure me that they’re every so much smarter than you or me – standing athwart the path of History, yelling “STOP!”.
Ironic irony is ironic.
Jim B and kent: Coil guns show some promise in that area The ammo could be made from ordinary steel.
Hopefully this technology will bring the cost of a decent, newly-made 1911 down to earth again. A new Colt or Kimber costs upwards of $1k and good used ones aren’t much cheaper.
My dear tech savvy eldest showed the U-tube video of this gun to the whole family over Sunday dinner. He is so impressed by this technology. My father-in-law a retired chemist was amazed this technology even existed. My son informed us that these guns are limited in the number shots they can get off safely. But still pretty amazing stuff.