CLIVE, Iowa — This week, students at Iowa State University received an email that said they could learn about how to get started with printing a 3D firearm.
Just days before, 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at a King Soopers store in Boulder, Colo.
And five days before that, eight people, including six Asian women, were gunned down in the Atlanta metro.
Students on the ISU campus told Local 5, “It might not be the best time to send an email like that," and “I just don’t think it’s a smart idea.”
It made us wonder, how easy is it to print a 3D firearm and how safe are these weapons?
Brandon Hart, the owner of Hartsmart Products in Clive, said he won't print a gun for customers.
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“Primarily, it’s related to safety," said Hart. "A printed item is just not as safe, not as strong as an injected molded part would be.”
A 3D printed object is, mainly, made out of multiple layers of plastic
Staff at Hartsmart said it's illegal to print a firearm for someone. The gun must have a serial number and be registered with the government.
According to 3Dsourced.com, plastic struggles with the pressure of live ammunition and can break or explode when fired.
However, it can make it past metal detectors.
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