(image source: forbes) by dan kennedy you might soon be able to print off a handgunin your own home. an austin, texas man has officially constructed and successfully testedan almost all-plastic 3d-printed pistol. 25-year-old cody wilson spent eight monthscreating this one-of-a-kind device called the "the liberator." in december, wired magazine named him the14th most dangerous person in the world. wilson is still a student. in fact, he's studyinglaw at the university of texas. here's what the gun looks like. it's a totalof 16 parts, 15 of which were made inside
an $8,000 3d printer. but forbes reports it'snot entirely 3d printed. one of those sixteen parts is a nail used as the weapon's firingpin. its lack of metal, aside from the pin, meansone could theoretically sneak this gun through metal detectors in airports, courthouses,and elsewhere. and msnbc's brian sullivan says that could be a problem. "if you can print out a gun in your house,it is untraceable, it is undetectable, there is no serial number on it, slag it down, destroyit. good point." new york senator chuck schumer says he ispushing legislation to ban 3d-printable guns, calling the invention "stomach-churning."
"a terrorist, someone who is mentally ill,a spousal abuser, a felon can essentially open a factory in their garage. but the gun's creator counters that claim— saying the goal is to highlight how technology can render law and governments almost entirelyirrelevant. "i recognize that this tool might be usedto harm people. that's what it is: it's a gun. but i don't think that's a reason tonot do it or a reason to not put it out there." the gun is currently legal under u.s. lawbecause the metal nail firing pin can be picked up by metal detectors. and the bbc quotes a representative from theus bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and
inside 3d printing new york,
explosives, or atf, who says anyone can manufacturea firearm for their own use. wilson received a manufacturing and seller's license fromthe atf. wilson plans to upload the weapon's blueprintsto the internet for anyone to view and download. those could be available as early as monday.
