TSA stops a passenger with a 3D printed revolver
One of the 68 firearms discovered in carry-on bags this week was a printed firearm. It was assembled with parts made from a 3D printer. While it was a realistic replica, it was loaded with live ammunition. This was a good catch from the TSA team at Reno (RNO)! While firearms are permitted in checked baggage, we strongly suggest making yourself familiar with local laws prior to flying with a printed firearm.
I wonder what the story is on that?
August 8th, 2016 at 5:56 pm
That’s not a firearm, it’s a Darwin trap.
August 8th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Yeah, I would NOT want that in my hand when fired.
(I assume it really “functions”, though it’s not obvious from the picture, and presumably has a metal firing pin.)
August 8th, 2016 at 6:08 pm
(And note the text quoted states it’s a “replica”, as in non-functional.
So a fake gun with real ammo, guaranteed to give the TSA actually-justified conniptions.)
August 8th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Looks like a test of the effectiveness of screening to me.
August 8th, 2016 at 6:46 pm
I wonder how many functioning firearms got through while TSA was congratulating themselves about this one?
August 8th, 2016 at 7:11 pm
That really does look like a TSA audit test. Amazing they found it, given their usual fail rate.
August 8th, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Ok, who has the 3D file for an NAA Pug? cough it up! đŸ™‚
August 8th, 2016 at 8:08 pm
The NAA minis have no firing pin, by the way. Unlike a Ruger S6 and others, the NAA hammer’s slender nose hits the cartridge rim directly, old school style.
Those look like 22 magnum rounds. If it were able to touch one off the result would be un-good.
August 8th, 2016 at 8:14 pm
mariner:
According to the published red team reports, the answer is “twenty.”
August 8th, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Good catch? Screw the TSA. Fake security theater. Airports should have frag ammo vending machines.
August 8th, 2016 at 9:06 pm
Did this really happen? I would think that the oh my gerd crowd would be chomping at the bit knowing that a “ghost gun” almost made it onto a airplane. Seems like it would be bigger news than just hitting the TSA blog
August 9th, 2016 at 7:52 am
I’ve been saying for a while now that if you’re going to make a 3D printed gun, it should be something along the lines of a muzzleloading derringer or pepperbox. The pressures are much lower with black powder or black powder substitutes, and you don’t need a metal casing for the ammunition: Simple Pyrodex pellets glued to whatever you’re using for a bullet work fine. The advantage of making it a muzzleloader is that because it’s not legally a firearm under federal law, it doesn’t have to have a big chunk of metal in it to make it detectable by a metal detector, and of course the projectile itself doesn’t have to be metal either. In fact, I can imaging an entire gun like that without any metal in it at all: Paper or plastic caps for ignition, etc.
August 9th, 2016 at 8:29 am
Bill, if I’m wanting a firearm invisible to airport scanners, I’m going with the venerable Glock 7.
“You know what that is? It’s a porcelain gun made in Germany. It doesn’t show up on your airport X-ray machines here and it costs more than what you make in a month!”
―John McClane”
August 10th, 2016 at 12:09 am
Hell, I think I could make one just as effective out of wax. wait, Ebony?