3D printed firearm

A 3D printed firearm is a firearm that is partially or primarily produced with a 3D printer. While plastic printed firearms are associated with improvised firearms, or the politics of gun control, digitally-produced metal firearms are more associated with commercial manufacturing or experiments in traditional firearms design.

Although it is possible to create fully-printed plastic firearms, these tend to have short working lives. At present, 3D printed gun culture is built more around the printing of common firearm frames and receivers, and the use of standard commercial components, like an action and barrel. Metal build parts can be made or bought in the form of a parts kit.

While 3D-printed parts are made in the development and production of conventional firearms, it is more common to see mention of them in the context of American gun politics. 3D printed parts complicate the debates regarding high-capacity magazine and assault weapons bans, as well as recent federal regulations like the ATF's pistol brace rule.