And It Starts…
The first illegally manufactured 3D has been confiscated by UK police during a gang raid. The guardian reports …
Component parts for what could be the UK’s first ever 3D printed gun have been seized by police in which they called a “really significant discovery”.
Police believe the parts represent the “next generation” of firearms, which can be created by gangsters in the privacy of their own homes and smuggled with ease because they can avoid X-ray detection.
The gun parts were discovered, along with a 3D printer, when officers from Greater Manchester police executed warrants in the Bagley area on Thursday.
Police found what is thought to be a 3D plastic magazine and trigger which could be fitted together to make a viable 3D gun.
Poorly made 3D printed guns are probably more dangerous to criminals than to anyone else.
Thanks to Conor for the tip.
UPDATE: It sounds like they have overreacted. Newer reports say that only a few trigger components were found along with a 3D printer. Maybe the media are getting warmed up. Just wait until a full gun is found!
I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!
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"Police believe the parts represent the “next generation” of firearms,
which can be created by gangsters in the privacy of their own homes..."
lol.... or... just regular people?
I live in the UK and this has been a massive mess up by the police that our anti shooting press lapped up. Going on the morning news the police had raided a criminal gun factory and found a 3D printed gun.
The chief constable made a live statement on TV, lots of patting themselves on the back and all that.
As the day went on the truth started to trickle out:
Criminal gun factory => in reality a model shop.
3D Printed gun => a plastic magazine and trigger (more on that later)
Possible explosives manufacture => this is a model shop that supplies black powder for model rockets
Air rifle customised to look like an assault weapon => in reality a completely standard Steyr H/FT target rifle. Shop owner is member of target shooting club.
Plastic magazine and trigger => well no they are actually printer parts.
To save face Police state they never said it was a full gun (liars going on earlier press release) and are investigating if the parts could be made into an illegal gun. Well here is the rub, neither a plastic magazine or trigger are controlled items in the UK. Anybody can own or make them, no licence is required! So even if this guy had been making exactly what they were saying he was breaking NO LAW! Cosmetically dressing up an air rifle to look like an Assault Rifle is again totally legal, the owner had not done that and the rifle was totally standard anyway, again NO LAW was broken! As long as he does not tamper with it to make it more then 12ft/lb (unless he holds a FAC and has a slot for it) he is not doing any wrong...which he didn't due to it being entirely standard!
Utter Farce, the press is only just starting to correct the mistakes and police lies they were funnelling onto the public.