Defense Distributed’s project to produce and sell machines that can create firearms receivers for individual hobbyists is now being realized. “Ghost Gunner” miniature CNC machines are, after several delays, finally shipping. From WeaponsMan:

Cody Wilson sent an update to Ghost Gunner buyers, along with this atmospheric video:

The Defense Distributed email says:

“Today [24 April] the first wave of orders has finally shipped for our pre-order campaign that began all the way back in October! It’s difficult to even count the obstacles we’ve faced since almost that very month, but by your patience and support we are today able to announce our product’s shipment and the release of its design files and operation software to the public. We thank you immensely.

Over 100 units are shipping/will have shipped since the end of last week. Our output is at such a pace that we estimate current backorders from the original campaign will all be fulfilled within six to ten weeks’ time. Our manufacturing processes were difficult to engineer and perfect since December because of our troubled part stream, but we now realize our capacity and are doubling our work force to increase throughput even more than in the past two weeks.”

They’ve also opened up orders for the first 200 of those on the wait list, as opposed to those who already paid and are in the queue (wait list members paid a small sum for a place on the list).

The biggest news, perhaps, is the release of the design files, software and manual.  These files are contained in a .zip that can be downloaded from here or here.

Cody Wilson has become something of a controversial figure for pushing home manufactured firearms (which are explicitly legal in the United States) through new methods such as 3D printing and CNC milling, but in reality Americans have been making their own guns at home for centuries. The greatest American firearms designers got their start making homemade guns: Johnson, Williams, Lee, and Browning are just four examples I can name off the top of my head who cut their teeth making firearms at home. In addition, the same machines that can be used to make firearms at home are also extremely useful for fabricating parts for non-gun products, such as rockets, carts, or aircraft.