Remember the plastic gun? Maybe good for a shot or two? Meet it’s somewhat more sophisticated grandchild.

Let me start out by saying one, very important thing: This is not about desktop 3D Printers.

Solid Concepts is a world leader of 3D Printing services, and our ability to 3D Print the world’s first metal gun solidifies our standing. The gun is a classic 1911, a model that is at once timeless and public domain. It functions beautifully: Our resident gun expert has fired 50 successful rounds and hit a few bull’s eyes at over 30 yards. The gun is composed of 30+ 3D Printed components with 17-4 Stainless Steel and Inconel 625 materials. We completed it with a Selective Laser Sintered (SLS) 3D Printed hand grip, because we’re kind of crazy about 3D Printing..

More: World’s First 3D Printed Metal Gun - Solid Concepts Blog

This is not anything that can be done with the kind of printers an individual can afford to buy at this time but the future is becoming quite clear. In the newest version of the classic Science Fiction RPG 2300AD 3D printers are common in the near earth colonies but have special lockouts such that only LEO or military users can create weapons on them leading, naturally, to an arms race between laws and hackers.

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in’t!
—The Tempest (V, i)