Student makes 'world's first' fully functional 3D revolver on consumer printer

An American mechanical engineering student has designed the world’s first 3D-printed self-loading revolver. James R. Patrick's PM522 Washbear can fire up to eight bullets between reloads, and is printed using a consumer 3D-printer.

Other than three parts of the gun everything else is produced using sturdy ABS plastic, except three.

The components that are not printed are an elastic bands, a metal roofing nail that acts as a firing pin, and a non functioning slab of metal that goes in the handle so the gun can show up on metal detectors, which is generally required by law. See the student below....

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Authorities fear totally plastic guns made on a 3D printer would allow people in the US to skip background checks and avoid gun regulations.

Currently the US Government are in a legal battle with one gun maker as they attempt to stop his disseminating his plans for others to use.

Politicians are calling for legislation to be passed that would ban 3D printed firearms or any other fully-plastic weapon.

The Undetectable Firearms Modernisation Act would ban possession or manufacture of any gun that could slip through a standard metal detector unnoticed, including those that include a removable chunk of non-functional metal.