On Demand 3D Printing and CNC’ing might one day change how we buy firearm parts. Instead of finding a retailer with a product in stock, we would buy the part from an intermediate company which would print or machine the part on demand, then ship it to us. The creator of the part would get a percentage of the profit after the materials and labor expenses. Much like buying an app from the Apple App Store.

A Spanish reader emailed me to show us a battery compartment replacement part he made for the Magpul PDR airsoft carbine which allows a bigger battery to be squeezed into the grip. The part can be ordered from Shapeways.com, a 3D printing marketplace. Shapeways will print the part on demand and ship it anywhere in the world.