If there is anyone out there, who has caused as much grief for the anti-gun crowd as Cody Wilson? When he showed the plans and result of his 3D printed gun, the Liberator, he caught the attention of both the pro and anti-gun world. After releasing the plans for the 3D printed Liberator online, he was quickly shut down by the State Department who were making claims he was violating ITAR.
The Liberator is a single shot 380 ACP handgun that’s roughly the size of a Desert Eagle and very awkwardly built. Many claims said the gun would pass through a metal detector, however, with the firing pin installed these just weren’t true. The gun needed a metal firing pin and metal cased ammunition. The gun is far from intimidating or effective. However, it beat gun control and more than anything it started a mini-revolution.
ITAR is a set of rules and regulations regarding the export and import of firearms. Their accusations claimed him merely publishing the plans was the equivalent of shipping a gun overseas without the proper paperwork. Cody Wilson took the plans down but then moved to sue the Federal Government.
Much to the ire of gun controllers everywhere Cody won, and he won big. His argument blended both the 1st and 2nd Amendments. He has a right, under the 1st Amendment, to publish his plans. We, under the 2nd Amendment, have the right to own guns. This seamless intertwining of two fundamental freedoms is a fantastic argument to make. It was a very successful one.
Defense Distributed is now allowed to post their plans. What’s fascinating is that it was way back in 2013 that Wilson released the liberator, and 2015 is when the lawsuit started. It’s been five years since Defense Distributed could release any new CAD plans. That’s five years of time for Cody Wilson and company to make, test, and experiment with other 3D printed components. What will they release next? Cody Wilson has shown us 3D printed AR lowers in the past, and that’s brilliant. In the United States, the lower is considered the firearms and each every other piece can be ordered online without the need for an FFL.
AR lowers are one thing, but the future could have us see components like magazines. This isn’t just a win for Defense Distributed but for anyone who wants to 3D firearms and firearm components and shares them online. It’s considered protected speech at this point.
The rise of the Liberator brought upon the increase of 3D printed guns in general. Guns were printed around the world, with a Japanese man proudly hosting a Youtube channel boasting about his 3D printed firearms. A Finnish News Agency printed the firearm legally, and so did an Israeli News Agency.
Another company used a metal 3D printer to form a 1911. Other people and companies have rapidly spread Cody Wilson’s little idea far and wide. In my opinion, he did exactly what he wanted to. He killed gun control. He may never get rich on his plan, but he was more than successful in achieving his goal.
Now he can work in the light, proudly displaying and sharing his 3D printed designs. 3D printing is already set to change the world. The technology is still in its infancy, but it’s proliferating and expanding daily. Even since 2013, the price of 3D printers has plummeted as they’ve gotten more straightforward to make and demand has grown. At this point, you can buy a small 3D printer for 200 bucks. A printer this size isn’t going to make a Liberator, but it does exist.
The future of firearms could be 3D printed, and the death of gun control could be in the palms of our hand. Defense Distributed is doing good work, and producing not just 3D printed guns. They also introduced the Ghost Gunner, an at home CNC device that can mill out 80 lowers with ease. The newest Ghost Gunner can even do pistol frames. He’s working to undermine the modern gun control movement, and I tip my hat to him.
Make sure you check out Defense Distributed and Ghost Gunner to keep up with Cody Wilson and his current projects. He’s launching an open source project this summer for users to upload plans for their own guns. Stay tuned for that.