3D Printing is going full steam ahead in terms of weapons development, no matter how primitive the products that are being made out of these printers, the results are getting impressive each time as shown in the YouTube videos. Whilst most of the attention has been about the printing of 3D guns, with the first one fired successfully; now another area in firearms development in 3D printing which is equally important, opened up --- the 3D printed bullet.

Indeed, out of the blue, what seems to be the first 3D printed bullets have been fired successfully. Printed with the US$800 Solidoodle 3D Printer according to Wired.com, the bullets were able to hit their targets that they were fired at as posted by Taofledemaus:

The story is a bit amusing as the designer of the printable slug, who is ArtisaTony on YouTube did not follow the 3D printed gun path's perhaps due to impatience and since the 3D printed gun seems not to last long as the Wired story goes:

"Because a real gun shooting plastic bullets is more fun than a plastic gun shooting real bullets,” he says. “You have to spend six hours printing a barrel that you’re going to use one time, and it’s not as much fun. It’s more about the enjoyment and the sport. And if you’re having to labor that much, then the enjoyment goes away."

It's a nice way to put and I do tend to agree with him. I'd rather be able to print hundreds of bullets for a real steel firearm which is already durable and can fire thousands of rounds rather than have a 3D printed plastic gun which can only fire perhaps a maximum of 30 rounds before it melts or disintegrates when the time comes  and a firearm and lots of ammo matter most.

With this story, we want to emphasize 3D printing to play a big part in improving the design and technology of airsoft guns and that these stories should motivate us to consider it even more. Rapid prototyping is the name of the game since it helps moving a concept from design to market and it even lowers the costs of development whereas before the ability to make prototypes was an expensive and longer proposition. And some of the more forward looking airsoft companies now are resorting to 3D printing such as SRU of Taiwan.

Still, we look forward to see new airsoft designs and concepts coming from the different corners of the earth. Let a thousand flowers bloom with 3D printers.