This is an update to Defense Distributed's ongoing progress with 3D printed weapons.
The eyes of the world are on the innovation of 3D printing. Naturally, whenever a new technology is created that offers open source DIY opportunities to the average individual, it is going to make governments and their protected corporate interests very nervous.
Such is the case with 3D weapons manufacturing. Defense Distributed has been offering sets of computer files for free through their DEFCAD online library. Their progress has been documented on their own site by a series of video updates the company has posted.
Now, after 8 months of discussing the possibility of a fully printable 3D handgun with all parts made of a composite plastic, except for the firing pin, Defense Distributed is set to release the new CAD files to the Web following a successful test fire on Saturday which can be seen in the latest video below.
Defense Distributed founder, Cody Wilson, recently granted Forbes a behind-the-scenes look at how his new creation -- The Liberator -- will function:
All sixteen pieces of the Liberator prototype were printed in ABS plastic with a Dimension SST printer from 3D printing company Stratasys, with the exception of a single nail that’s used as a firing pin. The gun is designed to fire standard handgun rounds, using interchangeable barrels for different calibers of ammunition. (Source)Naturally, politicians such as Steve Israel are responding to Cody Wilson's self-described "crypto-anarchist" political motivations by introducing legislation to criminalize this technology. But this is precisely the tension that Wilson would like to introduce:
This is an exercise in political theater, to demonstrate that technology is empowering individuals by stripping governments of the ability to enforce restrictions. Yes, you can make guns in a host of ways, including the similarly advanced technology of CNC machines. But 3D printing is a hot and increasingly accessible technology that has been specifically called out by the president. To use it to so easily defeat restrictions (or outright prohibitions) is to demonstrate the limits of the coercive power of the state. (Source)Wilson has once again drawn Israel's attention according to the latest update from Forbes:
Congressman Steve Israel issued a press release Friday responding to this story: “Security checkpoints, background checks, and gun regulations will do little good if criminals can print plastic firearms at home and bring those firearms through metal detectors with no one the wiser,” his statement reads. “When I started talking about the issue of plastic firearms months ago, I was told the idea of a plastic gun is science-fiction. Now that this technology is proven, we need to act now to extend the ban [on] plastic firearms.”However, Israel's comments don't address the fact that despite Wilson's anarchist leanings, he has complied every step of the way, including the issue of metal detectors by adhering to current requirements. Again, from Forbes.
The group added a six ounce chunk of steel into the body to make it detectable by metal detectors in order to comply with the Undetectable Firearms Act. In March, the group also obtained a federal firearms license, making it a legal gun manufacturer.So far, "the system" doesn't have much of an answer for Defense Distributed's inventions and the increasing demand for their latest blueprints.
Wilson's full battery of tests before officially releasing The Liberator seems to be going according to plan. BBC reporter Rebecca Morelle was on site in Austin, Texas this past Saturday. Her report can be found in the video below ... stay tuned, we'll post the latest videos from Defense Distributed as they become available.
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Previous updates:
A new documentary features Defense Distributed and its founder, Cody Wilson. It is an interesting look at the technology itself, as well as the philosophy behind making 3D-printed weapons available to as many people as possible even in the wake of the gun demonization, executive orders, and political turmoil which followed the mass shootings of 2012. Our chronicle of the controversy surrounding Defense Distributed, as well as their victories, follow the documentary. From the video creators:
This is a story about the rapid evolution of a technology that has forced the American legal system to play catch up. Cody Wilson, a 24-year-old University of Texas Law student, is an advocate for the open source production of firearms using 3D printing technology. This makes him a highly controversial figure on both sides of the gun control issue. MOTHERBOARD sat down with Cody in Austin, Texas to talk about the Constitution, the legal system, and to watch him make and test-fire a 3D-printed gun.
