World's first 3D printed rifle successfully fires 14 shots Aug 5th 2013, 14:58
3D printing is one of those emerging technologies that is simultaneously awe-inspiring, but also rather concerning. When you can make anything, some people are going to use it to make weapons.
One amateur gunsmith in Canada has rigged up a fully 3D printed rifle that can fire as many as 14 rounds before suffering damage. He is going only by Matthew, for obvious reasons, and he's posted the test firings on YouTube.
The rifle is made from ABS plastic and has been dubbed the Grizzly 2.0. The original Grizzly didn't work out so well. It fires 22-caliber rounds, so it's far from a weapon of war. The rounds are placed in the barrel one at a time and fired with a manual cocking hammer. After the bullet has been fired, the barrel pulls off so the shell casing can be removed. It might not be very fast, but it's more durable than past 3D printed guns.
The Grizzly 2.0 is definitely 3D printed, but it's still out of the reach of the hobbyist plastic gunsmith. Matthews day job involves making tools for the construction industry. Through that job, he has access to a Stratasys Dimension 1200ES industrial 3D printer, which is what he used to print the gun parts. These 3D printers start at about $ 35,000, and the other models are much more spendy.
Improvement in this version of the Grizzly include a larger barrel with grooves to spin the bullet, and a larger lower receiver, which holds the firing mechanism. Matthew says he will post the plans for the Grizzly online later this summer.
Whether we like it or not, this is happening.
Now read: 3D printed gun gets test fired, but is far from safe
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