[Gandalf_The_Gray]

It will be necessary to ramp up the current 3-D printers before a “printable” gun is produced. The “proof of concept” plastic prototype failed after six rounds. That may suffice if the goal is to use it to get a real gun as was done during WWII with the $2 throw away single shot, smooth bore .45ACP pistol. However, a printable real gun is going to require a printer that can sinter metal powder into a solid metal part.

That level of technology already exists but is not available at the price of the "hobby" printers due to the costs associated with the higher power lasers. Professional grade printers also have the ability to print larger parts because they have a larger scanable volume.

Regards,
GtG

PS The government answer to the printable gun will be to remove ammunition from the civilian market. Casting lead bullets is no problem. Making cartridge cases without a deep draw press, not so easy. Making smokeless powder and primers (or even percussion caps), big problem. Go back to flintlocks, I don't think so...BLOAT

[null and void]

I’m working on it...

[Dr.Zoidberg]

PS The government answer to the printable gun will be to remove ammunition from the civilian market. Casting lead bullets is no problem. Making cartridge cases without a deep draw press, not so easy. Making smokeless powder and primers (or even percussion caps), big problem. Go back to flintlocks, I don't think so...BLOAT

Ammunition and propellent are a dangerous bottleneck in open source arms, as a new direction of thought, I suggest looking to the gas propelled paint marker (or paintball) guns and the modern air rifles used for taking big game for inspiration.

http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/

If one is serious about creating an arm that resists being rendered useless simply through stopping ammo production, then a compressed gas powered projectile weapon is a reasonable direction to consider. The potential for a true everyman's arm might lie here.

[Kevmo]

PS The government answer to the printable gun will be to remove ammunition from the civilian market.
***Ammo might be one of the best investments in the next decade. It would basically be a bet on the continued downward cycle of civilization. However, other countries would step in and produce ammunition, wouldn’t they? If the guvmint creates a whole new black market out of something that was once a right in our country, then global tyranny, the antichrist & Armageddon are just around the corner.