2mo ago

3D-printed guns, like the one Luigi Mangione allegedly used, are a growing threat

techxplore.com 3D-printed guns, like the one Luigi Mangione allegedly used, are a growing threat

Police investigating the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, have announced that the suspected assailant had used a 3D-printed gun. Several high-profile crimes in recent years have involved this kind of homemade, or partially homemade, weapon.

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So we should care about these... why? Seriously, a shitty gun is not hard to come by in this country and serial numbers on guns do fuck all because theres no system in place to track them. Why do these really shitty guns suddenly matter?
- My best guess is the materials. Last I looked into them they were entirely 3D printed except for a roofing nail to act as the firing pin. The drastic reduction in metal makes them easier to sneak passed metal detectors. Other than that, you seem right on the nose.
  
  I've come across some 3d printed gun content over the last couple weeks (who knows why) and while mostly plastic designs like the liberator exist, most of the development in that area seems to use a lot of metal parts. Generally they're using metal barrels and actions with 3d printed stocks and frames.
  
  (who knows why)
  The algorithm is foreshadowing /s
  This is accurate I'd add there's a distinction to be made between designs that use parts intended as firearms parts (e.g. Glock 19 barrel) and those that use only off the shelf repurposed hardware parts (e.g. ordinary pipe that has been given rifling via electro-chemical machining).
  
  That was like the very first 3d printed gun. The ones that you can make now are pretty wild. This doc is 3 years old now, and well, advancements have been made.
  https://youtu.be/C4dBuPJ9p7A?si=nHcfxqou4EC_cSvl
  
  That was an interesting video, thanks
  
  What are you even talking about?
  
  Read it again, but slower.
  3D printed ghost guns are easier to get past metal detectors.
  
  But what is a passed metal detector, and how does a plastic pipe gun get one?🤔
  
  It's not the reading speed that's an issue...
  Last I looked into them they were entirely 3D printed except for a roofing nail to act as the firing pin. The drastic reduction in metal makes them easier to sneak passed metal detectors.
  When did you last "look into them" where plastic barrels were a thing?
  Like, there's a bunch more that's wrong with your statement, I have no interest in trying to help you understand.
  I just want to know where you heard such ridiculous busllshit.
  
  About 2016: https://all3dp.com/songbird-new-3d-printed-gun/
  
  I'm sorry, but they're right (and also a dick) - the songbird uses metal barrel liners for it's swappable barrel unit block thingies (I have no idea what the technical term for those is. Bullet pods? idk.). The pure nylon ones used .22 cartridges (this was the pre-liner phase of the design) and had a 50/50 chance of just exploding in your hand. Afaik the designer never even released the files for them due to how unsafe they were.
  What most 3D printed guns are these days is little more than a really fancy custom grip for an existing model of firearm. Glock uppers are super commonly used and are just fitted on top of the nylon components - these components are also glass-fiber reinforced nylon (or other high strength plastic) on the production handguns, meaning there's no change in the metal-detectability of the gun. (edit: this is the type of 3D printed gun that Luigi used)
  The fear of something like the songbird being used to circumvent a metal detector is a worthy concern, but please keep in mind that you can build an equivalent weapon with ducktape and a metal bodied ballpoint pen, or damn near anything else. If you're curious, look up 'zip guns' for many examples of humanity's ingenuity with finding ways to kill each other.
  
  Fucking hell.
  There's video of him allegedly shooting the CEO you think that's what he was rocking?
  Honestly, I don't care, this or anything in the future would be a waste of time, have a nice life.
- Because 3D printed guns are extremely effective at skirting current firearms regulations. There are designs out there that are mostly 3D-printed but use a few metal components that are easily made otherwise or modified, like a pipe that's reprocessed into a usable barrel. They can be made completely untraceably by anyone with a few commonly available tools. Hence the name "ghost guns". If your area has something like an assault weapons ban or a license requirement, ghost guns make them irrelevant.
  The only way to effectively regulate them would be to target 3D printers themselves, and that's far from a perfect solution. Making everyone with a 3D printer become a licensed gunsmith would be insane. Just as bad would be mandatory content scans for file sharing sites similar to what's available for CSAM. New York has resorted to just arresting anyone they find out has a homemade firearm.

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