Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) Was just watching the news and a makerbot came on the screen in someone's garage. Didn't catch the full story, but just saw the end where they were showing printed magazines. and heard "Police have also recovered a number of printed magazines" That's a bit of a warning isn't it ? If you were going to print a gun to show your friends and be "cool" you might find your door being broken down in a dawn raid. (our gun laws are VERY different in the UK to the US) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258761#msg-258761 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:36:24 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670968#msg-670968 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670968#msg-670968
Common utility knives like Gerber and Leatherman which have locking blades are prohibited, which is annoying. But the old Swiss army knife is probably ok.

Also note, the law applies to any "bladed instrument", which can include butter knives, and keys which have been sharpened.]]> bobc General Sat, 04 Jun 2016 07:33:18 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670644#msg-670644 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670644#msg-670644
Mike]]> leadinglights General Fri, 03 Jun 2016 09:49:43 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670427#msg-670427 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670427#msg-670427 MechaBits General Thu, 02 Jun 2016 17:18:36 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670401#msg-670401 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670401#msg-670401 ElmoC General Thu, 02 Jun 2016 15:55:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670397#msg-670397 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670397#msg-670397 www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk]

The police quickly realised they had made a massive cock up, but of course they are not going to admit that.]]> bobc General Thu, 02 Jun 2016 15:47:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670298#msg-670298 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670298#msg-670298
Quote
leadinglights
Now entering the realm of mythology, the "Manchester 3D Printed Gun ". [appdevelopermagazine.com]
For those who know nothing about this thread, the gun was nothing but 3D printer parts which looked gun-ish to uneducated members of constabulary. Another 10 years it will be accepted as true history.

Mike

Curious as to where you got your information that the parts were only "gun-ish" looking? I don't doubt someone could make more of it that it was. Just look at the TSA here in the states. A picture of a gun can be confiscated as a weapon. 8-)

Also, that article you link to shows their ignorance on 3D printing when they talk about being able to 3D print plates for making money. Now maybe some of the higher end, high cost printers could, but not hobbies type printer they were talking about.]]> ElmoC General Thu, 02 Jun 2016 09:34:06 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670206#msg-670206 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,670206#msg-670206 appdevelopermagazine.com]
For those who know nothing about this thread, the gun was nothing but 3D printer parts which looked gun-ish to uneducated members of constabulary. Another 10 years it will be accepted as true history.

Mike]]> leadinglights General Thu, 02 Jun 2016 04:00:23 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,269924#msg-269924 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,269924#msg-269924 VDX General Wed, 20 Nov 2013 18:35:52 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,269888#msg-269888 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,269888#msg-269888
Using a 3D printer to make a gun is like using a paintbrush stuck into your nose to make a painting rather than holding the paintbrush in your hand. It may be considered an accomplishment by some but is pretty pointless.]]> lister6520 General Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:13:26 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,260015#msg-260015 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,260015#msg-260015 chris33 General Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:05:53 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259329#msg-259329 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259329#msg-259329
I think we will have to wait for some time before we hear any more. The papers seem to quite like the idea that a 3D priter factory had been found - the best chance of getting a more complete story is if they decide the police wewe incompetant -which may or may not be true, wjo knows

Mike]]> leadinglights General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 16:07:12 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259324#msg-259324 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259324#msg-259324 -------------------------------------------------------
> The fellow with the printer owned several air
> rifles and even belonged to the local air rifle
> club - I would wager that he's probably aware of
> firearms law as a result, even if just
> tangentially.
>
> Additionally, from what I'm reading, it is legal
> to make up to 100 grams of black powder in the UK
> for personal experimentation - people are really
> jumping on the 'gunpowder' angle, when it's
> sounding more and more to me like the fellow is a
> curious tinkerer/hacker/hobbyist of the very sort
> that is common on this forum, and hardly a
> criminal.

I think you are right, making small amounts of gunpowder is not illegal per se. Making "explosive devices" of any sort is highly controlled and likely illegal. I guess that with the new state of terror, amateur activity that would previously have been overlooked are now treated with the heavy hand of the law. He may have been targeted because of his association with the rifle club.

I suspect that PC plod has no more understanding of pyrotechnics than 3d printing, so I take the talk of "making gunpowder" with a pinch of salt.

Bear in mind that police in Ireland confiscated some poor parent's kid merely because they "looked wrong". Law enforcement requires common sense and so frequently it is woefully lacking.]]> bobc General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 15:57:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259319#msg-259319 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259319#msg-259319 -------------------------------------------------------
> the INTERESTING thing is that the charge is
> "making gunpowder"
>
> So.. was he making gunpowder and the police put
> 2&2 together and presumed he was trying to make a
> gun ?
>
> I think there's a bit more to the story than "daft
> police"
>
> I think he underestimated how serious an offence
> it is to own an illegal firearm, or to make one in
> the UK.

The fellow with the printer owned several air rifles and even belonged to the local air rifle club - I would wager that he's probably aware of firearms law as a result, even if just tangentially.

Additionally, from what I'm reading, it is legal to make up to 100 grams of black powder in the UK for personal experimentation - people are really jumping on the 'gunpowder' angle, when it's sounding more and more to me like the fellow is a curious tinkerer/hacker/hobbyist of the very sort that is common on this forum, and hardly a criminal.]]> Have Blue General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 15:33:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259237#msg-259237 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259237#msg-259237
And that guy was actually charged with printing ingots of U238 - not gunpowder.
They found a satchel with 100kg of highly refined u238 stashed in his grandma's basement.

In relation to suspect's girlfriend, he was recorded saying he wanted to "sweep her of her feet", which is a clear declaration of intent.]]> NoobMan General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 08:44:22 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259236#msg-259236 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259236#msg-259236
He probably talked on the internet about it? Before the internet, he couldnt have done that, they wouldnt know. And it hardly went wrong either, at least not in a way that warrants more action than is taken against it currently, maybe kids trying to make gunpowder actually produced some good chemists.]]> Jasper1984 General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 08:35:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259209#msg-259209 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259209#msg-259209 The owner has done an interview saying that's what they are.

The police are still sending them off for forensic analysis.

Now...

the INTERESTING thing is that the charge is
"making gunpowder"

So.. was he making gunpowder and the police put 2&2 together and presumed he was trying to make a gun ?

I think there's a bit more to the story than "daft police"

I think he underestimated how serious an offence it is to own an illegal firearm, or to make one in the UK.
Gone are the days when we used to mess about making explosives in chemistry lessons I think.]]> DaveS General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 06:47:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259180#msg-259180 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259180#msg-259180
Quote
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) now say they "cannot categorically say" whether they had recovered the component parts for a gun. A force spokesman said if the tests showed the parts could make a functioning weapon it would be the "first ever seizure of this kind in the UK".

Also, several times on BBC on TV a top cop was shown saying that They were suprised to find a 3D printer in much the same way as he might have said They were surprised to find a bazooks

Mike

p.s. :( Oh No! they are getting paranoid :(::o Oh no! I'm getting paranoid about them getting paranoid :D:X(:P) (Sorry, first time I have ever used smilies - I won't do it again)]]> leadinglights General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 05:26:42 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259141#msg-259141 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259141#msg-259141 -------------------------------------------------------
> Classic Monty Python Policing ...
>
> [youtu.be]


pocketmoon
]]> vegasloki General Sat, 26 Oct 2013 01:55:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259121#msg-259121 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259121#msg-259121 Jasper1984 General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 23:25:30 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259016#msg-259016 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259016#msg-259016 -------------------------------------------------------
> HaveBlue,
>
> Perhaps you have a different
> recollection of it given that you were in the
> middle of it.

Well, given that a Congressman started having press conferences with a blown-up photo that I had taken (http://blogs-images.forbes.com/andygreenberg/files/2013/01/Screen-Shot-2013-01-18-at-8.29.59-AM.png), it seemed to me like there was plenty hysteria caused by just making a few blog posts. There really wasn't any coverage before July of last year anyhow - I had done my AR rifle testing just before the Aurora shooting, and news outlets seized upon the connection as the "same gun used used in the movie theater massacre". From where I sat, the media was happy to sensationalize something that really wasn't a huge thing because it combined the word "gun" with exciting technology into a sure-fire (forgive the pun) news headline. Cody has been media-savvy enough to capitalize on that and expand coverage/awareness into a full-blown frenzy - he's also done a lot of work championing bitcoin, but that doesn't involve guns, so news has hardly mentioned it. But which of those two things, 3d printed guns or cryptocurrency, will impact us far more in the future?

Eh, there may have been a point I was attempting to make, but I find my train of thought drifting into the realm of philosphy, which I am ill-equipped to deal with. In short, the police should leave the sensationalizing to the media and just do their jobs in an objective manner instead of jumping at shadows.

[/opinion]

PS - aduy, that made me LOL hard. Well done.]]> Have Blue General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:56:13 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259003#msg-259003 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,259003#msg-259003
bahahaha!
]]> aduy General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:28:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258977#msg-258977 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258977#msg-258977
If I search for 3D printed guns before 7/1/2012 I get a couple of hits referring to your accomplishment (which it is!) and then there are results for 3D printed nerf guns and adding hot glue guns to 3D printers, etc. The media was aware of it to be sure, but I don't think there was a hysteria. Perhaps you have a different recollection of it given that you were in the middle of it.


After 7/1/2012, it's all Cody Wilson, all the time. I wonder how it got to be that way? I wonder how many interviews Wilson turned down? Zero would be my guess. He's just a provocateur with an agenda that sought out the media spotlight to put his accomplishments in everyones face. A real media whore.

Meanwhile, this guy pays the price.

I'm not anti-gun, I'm anti-stupid.]]> akhlut General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:34:17 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258969#msg-258969 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258969#msg-258969 www.thingiverse.com], the "magazine" is this: [www.thingiverse.com], both upgrades for the machine in the picture. Farcical!]]> nophead General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:27:08 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258966#msg-258966 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258966#msg-258966 aduy General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:10:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258965#msg-258965 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258965#msg-258965 -------------------------------------------------------
> It was his idea to push it in everyone's face,
> wasn't it?

Perhaps, but the media was already in full "OMG 3D PRINTED GUNS WILL DESTROY HUMANITY" mode as a result of my printed AR-15 lower. Cody has been more than happy to feed the sensationalist news, certainly, but the hype has been self-perpetuating by the media itself, and now police agencies all over the world have fully bought into the hysteria. The drugs and counterfeit goods seized took a back seat to proclamations of a "3D printed gun factory". Meanwhile, far better improvised firearms are being churned out all over the world to hardly any fanfare: [improguns.blogspot.com]]]> Have Blue General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:04:57 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258955#msg-258955 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258955#msg-258955
billyzelsnack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know right. Cuz if Cody Wilson would not of 3D
> printed a gun then a 3D printed gun would never
> exist.

[tracesofreality.com]
[www.guns.com]
[thelead.blogs.cnn.com]
[disrupt3d.com]
[news.cnet.com]
[www.forbes.com]
[digitaltexan.net]
[www.newyorker.com]
[www.theguardian.com]
[www.freerepublic.com]

I can go on.]]> akhlut General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:35:19 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258942#msg-258942 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258942#msg-258942 billyzelsnack General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:08:23 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258933#msg-258933 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258933#msg-258933
Thanks for pushing the 3D-printed gun in everyone's face.

Thanks for making every 3D printer a 'potential weapons factory'.

Thanks for helping to 'criminalize' 3D printing.

As per usual, Mr. Wilson don't have to bear the costs of his hubris - this shop owner does.]]> akhlut General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:44:20 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258925#msg-258925 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258925#msg-258925
It has long been very easy to make home made guns out of metal and I would say even today it is much easier to make a working gun with conventional tools out of metal than it is with a 3D printer. 3D printers do not in my opinion make it any easier to make a gun, it is more of a novelty than anyhting else.

Anyone who wanted to make guns illegally would just get hold of some basic tools, an old lathe and possibly a smallmilling machine and make guns cheaper, more easily and better perormingthan one could ever make with a 3D printer.]]> lister6520 General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:28:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258894#msg-258894 Re: Printed Gun and Police Raid (UK) https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,258761,258894#msg-258894
Almost unbelievable, but sadly typical of our corrupt and incompetent police force. No wonder confidence in the police has been plummeting.]]> bobc General Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:17:13 -0400