First 3-D-printed gun fired, but its digital blueprints make bigger bang

[Razgovory]

You keep trying to minimize the danger of .380 pistol.  What would you say are the chances of being shot in the head or chest with such a weapon and you being able to laugh it off?

I don't know.  I probably wouldn't laugh off being stabbed repeatedly with a ceramic knife, either

I wasn't thinking of a percent chance.  Just sort of "very likely", or "not likely at all".  Knife wounds tend to be much less damaging then gunshot wounds, if for not other reason then you have to be fairly skilled with a knife to kill with only one stab.  Knife attacks tend have multiple wounds and have a much higher rate of recovery.  Doing a little bit of research, William McKinley was killed by a .32 S&W bullet which is a smaller bullet with less power then a .380.  So it would be my understanding that a while not as effective as say a shotgun, a flamethower, or .50 caliber bullet a .380 is quite deadly and being shot with one would be a very serious and life threatening event.  Do you disagree with this?

[derspiess]

You keep trying to minimize the danger of .380 pistol.  What would you say are the chances of being shot in the head or chest with such a weapon and you being able to laugh it off?

I don't know.  I probably wouldn't laugh off being stabbed repeatedly with a ceramic knife, either

I wasn't thinking of a percent chance.  Just sort of "very likely", or "not likely at all".  Knife wounds tend to be much less damaging then gunshot wounds, if for not other reason then you have to be fairly skilled with a knife to kill with only one stab.  Knife attacks tend have multiple wounds and have a much higher rate of recovery.  Doing a little bit of research, William McKinley was killed by a .32 S&W bullet which is a smaller bullet with less power then a .380.  So it would be my understanding that a while not as effective as say a shotgun, a flamethower, or .50 caliber bullet a .380 is quite deadly and being shot with one would be a very serious and life threatening event.  Do you disagree with this?

I didn't bring up shotguns, flamethrowers, nor .50 caliber.  Rephrase without your childish hyperbole & maybe I'll answer, you petulant little shit.

[DontSayBanana]

So a potentially lethal, undetectable, AND untraceable weapon doesn't concern you as a security risk, Spicy?  Actually, you've argued our point successfully for us- since this couldn't be made into a precision or high-power weapon with the current technology, its ONLY values are its difficulty in being detected and its difficulty in being traced.

I'm actually quite the gun nut offline, but this is a Pandora's Box, dude.

[Razgovory]

You said kept mentioning that other weapons are more effective, which is a strangely evasive way to dismiss the bullet's killing power.  Since you never mentioned what other weapons were so I had to extrapolate.  I don't think it's hyperbole to say that a flame thower is more damaging then a .380 pistol.  I'm not petulant, in fact I'm quite amused by you attempts play down the killing power of a certain round.

[derspiess]

So a potentially lethal, undetectable, AND untraceable weapon doesn't concern you as a security risk, Spicy?  Actually, you've argued our point successfully for us- since this couldn't be made into a precision or high-power weapon with the current technology, its ONLY values are its difficulty in being detected and its difficulty in being traced.

It's not undetectable.  The weapon that has been demonstrated has a metal nail for a firing pin and a metallic .380 round.  Untraceable doesn't concern me so much, as it's already legal to manufacture untraceable weapons.  I will grant that it's potentially lethal.  But I'm not losing much sleep over it yet.

I'm actually quite the gun nut offline, but this is a Pandora's Box, dude.

On that I agree.  There's really nothing that can be done to put the lid back on. 

[DontSayBanana]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever taken an airsoft round from a gas gun?  That's enough to wound, and that's just a little hollow plastic sphere.  If we loaded a hard plastic equivalent of a slug, it might not have the stopping power of metal ammo, but for its intended purpose, it'd only need to work once.

Without the ammo, it'd be difficult to recognize just a firing pin for what it is.  It'd make metal detectors a hellacious experience, since one tiny metal shank could lead to a full search, when it could just as easily be a piece of a pen that's fallen out, even a metal bobby pin.

[derspiess]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever taken an airsoft round from a gas gun?  That's enough to wound, and that's just a little hollow plastic sphere.

No.  Got shot with a BB in the hand, and more than a few paintballs.

[/quote]If we loaded a hard plastic equivalent of a slug, it might not have the stopping power of metal ammo, but for its intended purpose, it'd only need to work once. [/quote]

You guys keep talking about the worst possible scenario.  Yes, lots of things *could* be lethal.  But shooting a plastic slug at someone doesn't seem like a well-thought out assassination attempt.

Without the ammo, it'd be difficult to recognize just a firing pin for what it is.  It'd make metal detectors a hellacious experience, since one tiny metal shank could lead to a full search, when it could just as easily be a piece of a pen that's fallen out, even a metal bobby pin.

Full search, or a pat-down?  Hell, I have to go through a pat-down just to get into Paul Brown Stadium on game day.

[Razgovory]

Actually it sounds like a well thought out and effective attack.  There seems to be a little gun snobbery here.  Sure a dense plastic bullet or ceramic bullet may not be as effective as conventional one, but I strongly suspect it would penetrate tissue.  If someone were to smuggle one into a campaign rally and got up to the line where they shake the President's hand they could easily kill or at least seriously wound the President.

[sbr]

It could pierce the skin, cause a serious infection. #clark grizwald

[MadImmortalMan]

Most people don't give a shit what's detectable. Only what they can personally control.

[DontSayBanana]

A lot of this is also mental masturbation.  We know what round was put in there, but what we don't know is the muzzle energy of this gun.

[Maximus]

You guys keep talking about the worst possible scenario.  Yes, lots of things *could* be lethal.  But shooting a plastic slug at someone doesn't seem like a well-thought out assassination attempt.

Is that where we're setting the bar?

[derspiess]

A lot of this is also mental masturbation.  We know what round was put in there, but what we don't know is the muzzle energy of this gun.

Nor accuracy.  A smoothbore plastic barrel isn't going to be too accurate (nor will it help in the muzzle energy department).

[Valmy]

On that I agree.  There's really nothing that can be done to put the lid back on. 

Didn't you just spend pages saying this is nothing to lose sleep over and not a big deal?  Now it is suddenly Pandora's Box being opened?

We'll see.  My main concern here is things like this will essentially invite more and more government powers and control in their attempts to do their basic job: protect people and property.

[Valmy]

A lot of this is also mental masturbation.  We know what round was put in there, but what we don't know is the muzzle energy of this gun.

Nor accuracy.  A smoothbore plastic barrel isn't going to be too accurate (nor will it help in the muzzle energy department).

Well if you are smuggling a plastic gun around the idea is to get it inside of a secured area.  In that case you will probably be firing at point blank range since they will not be expecting you to have a weapon.  I also think the idea a knife would be more effective is rather absurd, it takes a bit more skill and physical strength to take somebody down with a blade than it does to point a gun and pull the trigger.