ByThomas Brewster,
Forbes Staff.
A
pink uzi. A leopardskin handgun with a golden scope. A rifle designed to look like it's from the Halo videogame. A multicolor toy assault rifle, made for a four-year-old’s birthday.
These aren't the kinds of guns you can buy off the rack. They were built at home, with 3D printers, evidence of a burgeoning online community where enthusiasts imagine, design and literally print out the guns of their dreams and then share the results online. Tens of thousands of users have joined private social media groups on Facebook, Discord and other sites to share their latest handgun creation, offer tips on how to print weapons and commiserate about anti-gun laws. Many of these so-called “3D2A” groups are run by 2nd amendment absolutists who say that they’re exercising their constitutional rights and participating in an increasingly popular American pastime; like an arts and crafts community, but for deadly weapons.
