Sure
it’s a bit of a pricey publicity gimmick, but it’s a cool one—and a
wild example of fast-moving technological progress. What am I
speaking of? Why, surely you’ve heard that Solid Concepts, the
company that developed a
3D-printed, metal, semiautomatic pistol just months after
Defense Distributed unveiled the
first working 3D-printed firearm of any sort, will be selling a
limited number of guns made the
politician-scaring way.
The Solid Concepts announcement is almost literally a blast from
the past, since the guns it’s making and selling through the
high-tech process are Model 1911s, developed by John Browning a
century ago. It’s a good design and, importantly, now in the public
domain, which is why it’s produced by many companies through
traditional means, as well as, now, by 3D printing.
From
Solid Concepts:
Solid Concepts will release a limited run of 1911 3D Printed
metal guns for purchase; we will only manufacture 100 of these
limited edition 3D Printed metal guns. The limited run 1911 3D
Printed metal guns will be built and serialized with the option of
unique customization using our Additive Metal Manufacturing
technology. Each 3D Printed gun will be manufactured with Inconel
625 and Stainless Steel components. Post machining and hand
polishing will complete the manufacturing process and each
assembled pistol will undergo 100 rounds of test firing. We are
offering buyers the chance to tour our Texas facility and watch
their gun being printed with the added benefit of joining our lead
additive manufacturing engineers on the range for the first test
firing of the buyers’ limited 1911 gun.
The company says the first pistol manufactured through this
process has fired nearly 2,000 rounds so far, so you can expect
yours to last. That’s a good thing, because a 3D-printed Model 1911
will set you back $11,900. That’s just a tad—a big tad—more than
you’ll pay for similar pistols made the traditional way.
But think of the cool factor.
Of course, it’ll be even cooler to make your own guns at
home.
from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2013/12/19/3d-printed-semiautomatic-pistols-now-for
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