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To: marktwain

“3-D printing” is just a fancy way of making plastic objects using computer-controlled methods.

For making parts of guns, it might be possible to make the plastic parts this way. However, parts such as the chamber and barrel better be out of metal — and those parts can be made in a small, traditional machine shop. A lathe and a milling machine would do all that is necessary except perhaps the rifling, but the latter was accomplished long ago with simple hand tools.

A cross-bow is rather easy to make with ordinary hand tools.

In summary, all the talk of 3-D printing does not really add much to the story of guns. That might change if someone made a 3-D printer for metal objects, but then you are near to a computer-operated milling machine.


8 posted on 12/28/2012 11:48:40 AM PST by docbnj
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To: docbnj
Yes, guns are not difficult to make without 3-D printing. The Afghanis make AK-47s in crude workshops, and one guy in the US made one from a shovel. The only issue is making the lower receiver (which is 'the firearm' per BATF) because the other parts are perfectly legal.

The only thing that stops more Americans from building guns is the law -- those capable are mostly law-abiding and those who are criminal mostly aren't capable, or interested as things are now.

11 posted on 12/28/2012 12:20:23 PM PST by expat2
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