A riflemaker in Canada has made and tested what he says is the world's first 3D-printed rifle. He follows gunsmith Cody Wilson who fired the first 3D-printed handgun earlier this year.
When the riflemaker, known as "Matthew," first fired the .22-caliber rifle, the gun cracked after the first shot. Now, the rifle, known as the "Grizzly," is back and better than ever, according to Matthew, who furnished the rifle with a thicker barrel.
Matthew managed to fire 14 shots before the plastic around the barrel cracked. When first testing the rifle, Matthew can be seen using a string to pull the trigger from a distance. Now, he seems confident enough to pull the trigger by hand.
To reload the gun, Matthew has to pull the barrel off and use a stick to dislodge the spent shell casing, then load another round and reassemble the rifle.
3D-printed guns have inspired increased debate on the availability of blueprints for such weapons. Cody Wilson, the creator of the "Liberator," posted the gun's blueprints online for anyone to access. Since then, 3D printers have made improvements and tweaks to those blueprints.
Defense Distributed, Wilson's nonprofit organization, claims to have the plans for the lower receiver of an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, the portion of the civilian rifle that’s classified as a weapon.
What do you think of the online availability of blueprints for 3D-printed weapons?