Solid Concepts, a company that specializes in 3D printing in metal and now owned by Stratasys, as announced their second 3D-printed metal gun, the Reason.
Their first gun, the 1911, as well as this one were made by sintering – melting – metal powder with a laser. However, from the detail on the barrel and handle it’s clear the company has improved the technology immensely over the year.
“We’re proving this is possible, the technology is at a place now where we can manufacture a gun with 3D Metal Printing,” wrote Kent Firestone, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Solid Concepts last year. “Now, if a qualifying customer needs a unique gun part in five days, we can deliver.”
There have been a number of plastic guns available to hobbyists for some time now. These metal models, however, are far more rugged and safer to fire. In fact, the original 1911 has been successfully fired at least 5,000 times.
This new gun, which features an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence on the barrel, appears to be a proof-of-concept and demonstration of high-resolution metal printing techniques. The original 1911 sold for $11,900 but there is no price tag on this gun/political statement.