Skip to content
Surprising Science

Federal License Granted To Manufacturer Of 3D-Printed Guns

Cody Wilson and his company, Defense Distributed, can now sell and distribute firearms, but he says he’s going to wait for an add-on that will let him offer a broader range of products.
Sign up for Smart Faster newsletter
The most counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

What’s the Latest Development?


On Saturday, six months after putting in an application, Defense Distributed owner and founder Cody Wilson officially became a federally licensed gun dealer and manufacturer. The Type 7 federal firearms license enables Defense Distributed to sell and transport their 3D-printed firearms, but Wilson has applied for an add-on, the Class 2 Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT), that will allow the company to broaden their catalog to include such products as a fully-automatic rifle.

What’s the Big Idea?

Defense Distributed has been prototyping 3D-printed guns for some time, including, earlier this month, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle with a modified 3D-printed “lower” that withstood over 600 rounds in a videotaped demonstration. The company also offers its schematics on its site for download. Donations have been pouring in since news came of Wilson’s efforts, but he says he will wait until he receives the add-on — typically within a few weeks — before putting the guns on the market. As an official gun dealer, he is also required to keep records on all the guns Defense Distributed produces and sells.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

Read it at ArsTechnica

Sign up for Smart Faster newsletter
The most counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful new stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday.

Related

Up Next
There has been a lot of tragically depressing news regarding academic copyright recently. Aaron Swartz committed suicide after being hounded for downloading academic papers and now Indian students are being denied access […]