A friend asked me the other week if I could print him a replica of a vintage revolver.
Mind you that he had quite a few pics, some of which had great details but of course no 3D model of a matching kind.
So ventured onto the usual places for printed guns and fund something close that could be turned into match with a lot of additional work.
Contacted the creator to check if he might have the revolver in question in his collection and if not ho I could best add the custom engravings to his creation together with the required other mods.
To my surprise he asked if I am in the USA and if not to first check if I am actually allowed to print a replica gun.
Turns out here in AU we can’t, at least not if it should be of authentic looks.
With the imposed limitations I could either print it as solid and non functional model or in colours making clear it is fake gun 
Never mind it is only supposed to look good but not to function in any way, so not even the insides of the barrel are utterly important LOL
But that got me wondering…
What are the laws and regulations in your region?
Don’t mean in terms of printing functioning handguns, just plastic fakes of originals with moving parts but as said: NOT USABLE.
Where I live I’m free to print plastic toy that looks like the real thing without any problem.
I want to say around here (US), at least in my state, I recall a regulation that stated if it’s a fake gun, it must have a red nozzle cap… Been years since I’ve seen it though.
Mounting it to a board with plaque or such can circumvent annoyances of regulations.
Metal casting molds can be made from plastic parts.
Real guns are so accessible in the US, why have a fake one when you can have the real thing. The cops here are tend to shoot 1st question later, red tip or not matters little.
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I thought it was orange.
I also recall cops shooting kids with obvious water blasters and later claiming it was a gun.
The safest replica gun is locked in a case as the authorities never presume something that looks like a gun including a phone, a glasses case or nothing at all will get you shot and likely killed with extreme prejudice and no consequences.
I am in the toy industry in Manhattan, NY and toy guns cannot even be SOLD here.
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Well, thanks for the feedback (so far) !
Seems I have missed a lot of the development over the years.
When all this started with a flimsy and barely functioning toy gun to fire .22 rounds there were no restrictions and no concerns about printed guns.
Obviously better printers and more engineering materials available mean more is possible.
But seeing how restrictive this sector is these days makes me wonder.
Seems clear that there is reasons for these restrictions and in some cases more than severe legal punishments.
So I started to look into what is already available - not just in places like Defcad.
If you have the money to spare and know how to navigate what is called the dark web you have no real issues finding metal powder printers.
Now> Why would anyone bother to offer these machines on the dark web ???
Easy answer would be export restriction to certain countries or an added need for ‘privacy’.
Correct answer would be the fineprint and available ‘addons’ - like calibrated and tested files to manufacture most handguns and even rifles considered to be well working and reliable.
All for a price of course…
Funny enough it seems no one is actually buying these all in one packages and what places like Defcad once offered is now a combination of printed parts and parts you can not just make yourself - like barrel liners and reliable triggers.
So why put so much restrictions on imitations, even if they are mounted in fixed and secured frames otherwise only require for real guns ?
How do YOU react os a low paid fastfood or shop employee if someone points a gun at you ?
Do you really care about whether it is genuine, real or even able to fire a round?
Of course not as you probably have never seen a gun up close and under such stressful conditions.
Means it is only logical that most countries these days just put a complete ban on printed replicas ?!??
I thought so until I found a website for people loving to make their own, custom ammo…
Did you know that you get what you need to fire a smaller calibre through a rifle or even handgun if it is of a sufficiently larger calibre?
Not just simple barrel liners but also liners with a matching chamber included.
And on top of that now even of a sabot meant to make the impossible possible.
Long used for shotguns and large calibre cannons but now available for the dedicated purpose of making printed barrels work
Like a teflon sabot of just over 6mm in diameter to fit a .22 round and matching printed barrel.
Good (claimed to be) for about 5 to 8 round until the printed barrel fails, more rounds if the barrel is allowed to cool off and cleaned between shots.
Intimidation and faking it is one thing, real possibilities and options another.
For how cheap are China or Russia offering rifles and handguns so that these modern manufacturing methods are unavailable…
On the other hand we already have ceramic handguns scanners won’t react to and matching ammo.
Don’t know but the more I try to make sense out of regulations, laws and what’s available/possible the more confusing it seems to get LOL
Anyone for the Asian or middle Eastern regions able to chip in on their local regulations and laws in regard to printed guns and rifles?