FORT WORTH — A year after starting his own business, Michael Lynn has used his 3D printers to manufacture toys, spare parts, even replica Ferrari keys for one client.
“I don’t expect to be printing guns,” he said.
But 3D-printed firearms are the new worry.
“When it comes to what are the dangers of printing a gun out of your house, it’s the same dangers as buying a gun off Craigslist or down the street or at the store – except even more with 3D printing because the gun itself will be inferior and possibly blow up,” Lynn said.
A judge in Seattle temporarily stopped an Austin company called Defense Distributed from publishing gun blueprints online Wednesday morning. They’re intended for people to print guns and gun parts at home.
“It’s not feasible to print a 100 percent 3D printed gun,” Lynn explained, “because the plastic that is being printed that is used here is not strong enough to withstand a barrel or the explosion from a bullet.”
He said he recently turned down a request to print a bump stock for a client that wanted to make a semi-automatic rifle fire faster like the Las Vegas shooter had.
“You can’t buy and sell them. So, why are the majority of us even interested? We’re not,” said David Prince with Eagle Gun Range in Farmer’s Branch.
Prince pointed out that it is already legal for individuals to make a firearm at their home. A 3D printer might make the process a little simpler, he said, but Prince still doubts anyone is going to rush out and buy the equipment and do it themselves.
“You still can’t get through metal detectors. You still have to have ammo to fire it. That metal that’s in the ammo is going to be detected,” he added.
Michael Lynn figures its more likely 3D printers like him will make gun accessories like magazines and stocks rather than full firearms – but it will depend on what courts eventually decide.