May 10, 2013

The Wiki-Weapons project by Defense Distributed, which has been striving toward creating a fully functional 3-D-printed gun, has succeeded in the first tests of a firearm created using only a 3-D printer, TheBlaze reports

Although much of the project up until now has been showing off plastic printed components for rifles and magazines, the gun tested last week was a .380 handgun, which Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson told TheBlaze in a phone interview Monday was always the goal to develop.

The Texas-based group’s project is to make 3-D printable designs for firearms available to anyone with a 3-D printer.

The group’s purpose, according to its website is

“To defend the civil liberty of popular access to arms as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and affirmed by the United States Supreme Court, through facilitating global access to, and the collaborative production of, information and knowledge related to the 3-D printing of arms; and to publish and distribute, at no cost to the public, such information and knowledge in promotion of the public interest.”

Wilson said that while they were waiting for their federal firearms license request to go through, something which was granted to them in March, they worked on printing the gun parts they legally could in the mean time. For weeks, the parts of the handgun were tested individually, but on May 1 it all came together for its first shot.

As a safety precaution, it was test fired remotely at first.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) immediately called the 3-D gun concept “stomach churning.” The Liberator may look like a toy, but “this gun can fire regular bullets,” Schumer said, calling for legislation outlawing the technology’s weapons potential.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment section.

 

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HiViz Shooting Systems announced it will move to Wyoming as the company fulfills its promise to leave Colorado due to recent changes in Colorado state gun-control legislation. Also, magazine maker Magpul has begun making its products outside Colorado in an as-yet-to-be-named state, and some companies associated with Magpul have also said they plan to leave the state immediately.

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HiViz Shooting Systems manufactures light-gathering sights, recoil pads and accessories for the shooting industry. HiViz President and CEO, Phillip Howe, said the company will move to Laramie, Wyoming.

Howe said, “I make this announcement with mixed emotions. Colorado is a beautiful state with great people, but we cannot in clear conscience support with our taxes a state that has proven through recent legislation a willingness to infringe upon the constitutional rights of our customer base.”

Howe said that prior to the changes in law in Colorado, he made several attempts to persuade state officials through e-mail and telephone calls to proceed slowly with gun control legislation that would impact individual shooters and the shooting industry as a whole.

Also, Magpul’s new home already seems to be in operation. The company wrote on its Facebook page this week that gun sights and standard 30-round magazines (called PMAGs) are now being manufactured outside Colorado for the first time. However, the company hasn’t announced the new location yet.

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Denver-based Lawrence Tool & Molding announced in February that it would take jobs and machinery out of the state if Magpul relocates. The company supplies parts to Magpul. “Considering it is 60 percent of our work, we will do and go along with whatever it takes to keep that business,” said owner Lloyd Lawrence in the Denver Post.

North Denver’s Alfred Manufacturing Co. has grown from 40 employees in 2008 to 150 largely because of the work provided by Magpul, said the company’s third-generation chief executive, Greg Alfred. Alfred said his company was actively scouting locations in other states, including Wyoming and Montana.

 

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The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!
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Related Topics: News NRA    

Our reporters heard many of the speakers at the recently concluded NRA Annual Meetings, and some were outstanding, in our opinion. The NRA has thoughtfully posted videos of many (if not all) of the speakers from the event, which you can find on the NRA News website.

 

Radio host Glenn Beck speaks at the NRA Stand and Fight Rally, an event of the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings in Houston, Texas. In his highly-anticipated keynote speech, Beck conveys his message through stories often ignored by the mainstream media of law-abiding citizens defending themselves with firearms, and the cold, hard facts about gun control that have been rejected by the political elites. “So what is this gun, good or evil? It is nothing! A gun is only a reflection of the people that use it,” he declares. Originally aired on 5/4/13.

 

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The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

There’s a lot of experience and good common sense residing in the 1.3 million Cheaper Than Dirt! subscribers who receive the Chronicle e-newsletter, and sometimes, our readers share their wisdom in the comment section of various articles in the Shooter’s Log and in the Forums. Here are some recent comments that caught our eye because of their timeliness, technical depth, attitude, or insight. If you’ve got something to add, please jump into the comment string and expand the discussion.

Wicked Quick: AR-15 Shoot Fast! With Jerry Miculek

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Comment (1) by mach37: I’ll say it again: emphasizing rapid-fire capabilities of the AR-15 does not create good press for the NRA or Cheaper Than Dirt!. Rapid fire is exactly what anti-gunners are claiming for “assault weapons,” likening them to machine guns. You guys need to cool it with pushing “shoot fast.”

Comment (12) by Andrew: This guy is really talented and I found this video very fun to watch. For you guys criticizing the fact that he does some rapid fire demos, if the liberals think this guy, who is basically a professional shooter/hobbyist, is going to go on a mass shooting, they are even more idiotic than I already thought they were.

Powder Attack: The Next Wave of Gun Regulation

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Comment (7) by Mike: Smokeless powder is not an explosive, it’s classified as a propellant. Black powder is an explosive. This bill is nothing but more hogwash coming from the Liberal side. So now the pack of bottle rockets that I buy the kids for the 4th of July will require a background check. Just another roadblock for law-abiding citizens to purchase legal items.

Springfield Armory’s XD-S 9 Wins Handgun of the Year

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Comment (8) by Dan: The only way this gun makes sense to me is if you are recoil-sensitive and can’t handle .45 ACP in such a small package. Otherwise, why choose a handgun that’s the exact same size and has the same ammunition capacity in 9mm?? Would you rather have 5+1 in .45 ACP or 5+1 in 9mm?

Comment (20) by Surly: It would be wonderful if the polymer Springfields were built in the USA. Many of us would have more respect for the brand than we already do. However, if you put the Croatia thing aside for a minute you realize that the best-selling polymer handgun in this country is also foreign-made, and Springfield has absolutely blown it out of the water. Flashback: with minor interest in the XD 45 Tactical, I wrote off the whole XD line as a Glock clone. But with the XDM, Springfield took everything that was wrong with the Glock and made it right. Most companies would have stopped there and let the money roll in, but Springfield went on to develop the perfect CC pistol: the XDS. I’ve held one and can vouch for the fact that it’s unbelievably thin for the caliber, and even someone with large hands will find it comfortable to grip. So before complaining that it isn’t made in the USA, first consider your options, then consider the design and quality of these pistols (which you can’t fully appreciate until you hold one in your hand and compare it to the competition). My only complaint is that they aren’t making them fast enough. The demand for polymer framed CC handguns in this country is insatiable, and Springfield should seriously consider opening another factory or two. I’ll own an XDS someday, it’ll be the perfect counterpart to my XDM40 (which shoots like a SA with a PRP trigger installed BTW). Have a blessed day.

Comment (33) by Dave Hammond: What Springfield really needs to do, is to convince another manufacturer to produce an AR platform in 9, .40 & .45 that accepts XD magazines. I’m sticking with my Glocks because of the offerings from Just Right Carbines.

Considerations for Concealed Carry Handguns

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Comment(29) by Bud Springer: Just as you said, “ask 10 gun store folks what is the best concealed carry gun and you will likely get 10 different answers”, the same holds for all we readers. Fat, thin, tall, short, heavy clothing, little clothing – it all matters as to what weapon size and shape works for each of us…and as some point out, seasonal changes and day -v- night place us in different carry outlooks. The perfect answer is obvious: There IS NO perfect answer. What works for you is what is best for you, although the caliber argument could go on forever.

PTR Industries to Leave Connecticut by Year End

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Comment (522) by HammerOfCrom: All the people who care bout the Constitution and the companies that support it or depend on it are being forced south, save the ones with big FEDERAL contracts. The country is starting to be forcibly divided along roughly northern and southern lines again, with some notable holdouts such as New Hampshire. It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility that there will be a fracture between states that support the Constitution, and states that want to rewrite it.

Are You Buying Guns? Tell Us Why

Comment (972) by Queendvrs: “A million armed freemen, possessed of the means of war, can never be conquered” – Andrew Jackson

New Jersey Senate Committee Passes Remaining Gun Bills

Comment (1) by horselips: The opportunities for further restrictions and abuses existing within these “common-sense reforms” is terrifying. Apparently, Governor Christie has abandoned all hope of ever receiving the GOP nomination for the presidency. I’m glad we were able to see this RINO for what he is, before it was too late.

 

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The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!
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Related Topics: General News NRA People    

Our reporters heard many of the speakers at the recently concluded NRA Annual Meetings, and some were outstanding, in our opinion. The NRA has thoughtfully posted videos of many (if not all) of the speakers from the event, which you can find on the NRA News website.

 

Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, addresses the crowd at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, an event of the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings in Houston, Texas. Chris Kyle was fatally shot at a gun range in February. He was a former Navy SEAL and expert sniper who killed 160 people during five combat tours in Iraq, a record for a U.S. military sniper. Originally aired 5/3/13.

 

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Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!
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