On November 6th, Austin, Texas-based Solid Concepts announced the successful printing and firing of the world’s first 3D-printed metal 1911 handgun.
The gun, printed by Solid Concepts, looks like any mil spec 1911 you could find in a local gun store.
Every aspect of the gun is printed using Solid Concept’s Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process–except for the springs. During tests the gun repeatedly fired and cycled using standard Winchester .45 cal ammunition. Accuracy was impressive.
After the successful tests, Solid Concepts’ Phillip Conner said, “We were not looking for a cheaper, easier, better way to make a gun–that wasn’t the point at all.” Rather, he said they were trying to “dispel the commonly held notion” that their DMLS parts and guns “are not strong enough or accurate enough for real world applications.”
Solid Concepts holds a federal firearms licence (FFL).
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