Extract from ABC News
3D-printed firearms are becoming more common in Australia. (Supplied: AFP)
Melbourne-based 3D printer Kris Paxton was driving a company-branded vehicle when he was approached by a stranger asking about guns.
"There was one night when I was picking up my dinner and a car pulled up beside me and a dodgy looking guy came out and asked me about 3D-printed guns," Mr Paxton said.
"I said I don't have anything to do with that ... He seemed pretty pushy, so I reversed out and took off as quick as I could."
Elliott Theunissen, who owns a 3D printing shop in Perth, said he too has been asked to make weapons.
"On average I would have one or two people a year trying to get parts for weapons, so it's not something we see everyday, but it does come up," he said.
While he believes the majority of these people aren't looking to commit crimes, he can't be sure about all of them.
"Over the years we've certainly had people online wanting a gun, which they say is a mock gun or a prop, but then they mention that it has to be strong and temperature resistant,"he said.
"With those people it is very obvious what's going on."
Owners of 3D printing businesses say they are being asked to make guns. (ABC News: Michael Nudl)
The two business owners follow strict guidelines which state they can't even print toy guns or props, let alone the real thing.
But Mr Paxton is concerned some criminals won't take no for an answer — and he wants more done to protect businesses like his.
"You do worry that police can't protect tobacco store owners, and you wonder when it might spread out to other fields,"he said.
"I do worry about extortion and stuff like that."
Just as reliable as conventional guns
Experts say the cost of privately-made firearms or 3D-printed guns can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, making it significantly cheaper than a conventional firearm.
Their growing prevalence in the community has law enforcement agencies on edge because these weapons don't have serial numbers and can be hard to trace.
"3D-printed firearms facilitate access to firearms for individuals who otherwise would not be able to buy or purchase a gun legally," said David Bright, a professor of criminology at Deakin University.
3D-printed guns seized by police in NSW. (Supplied: NSW police)
"The real benefit for individuals who want to get their hands on a gun is that it can be done secretively in a person's house or bedroom with a printer and a blueprint for a firearm."
The biggest concern is hybrid firearms, which combine traditional gun parts with 3D-printed material.
"One of the more popular, contemporary hybrid guns is the FGC-9 and that firearm is about as reliable and has the same impact as conventional firearms," Mr Bright said.
"It can be semi-automatic and can fire 30 odd rounds before it needs to be reloaded."
Deakin University criminologist David Bright says hybrid weapons are becoming more common. (Supplied)
Federal and state police believe homemade guns will soon overtake illicit weapon imports and will likely become the most prevalent stream of firearms in Australia.
Parts legal to purchase
There are strict penalties around the manufacture of a 3D-printed or privately-made firearms in Australia.
However, most gun parts can be legally purchased without a background check, which means they only become subject to firearm regulations once the parts are assembled into an operable gun.
"You can either build it from scratch or you can use a derelict weapon and fill in the gaps … but until the final layering is done then whatever is going on is innocuous," said Andrew Hemming, an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Queensland.
"It's very difficult to see how you could police this."
The prevelence of 3D-printed guns and gun parts have authorities worried. (Supplied: NSW police )
NSW and Tasmania are the only two Australian states where it is illegal to possess a digital blueprint for the manufacture of a firearm.
The maximum penalty is between 14 and 21 years in jail.
According to a recent report by the Australia Institute, the discrepancies in firearm regulations between states and territories, coupled with Australia's porous interstate borders and ease of travel, further heighten the risk.
The report states that "the lack of comprehensive data on illicit firearms, including emerging threats like 3D-printed guns, exacerbates the challenge".
"People have been tinkering with weapons — criminals particularly — for years but we are now taking a quantum leap in which you can make your own weapon,"Mr Hemming said.
"You don't have to do some dodgy trade in a backroom corner for money with some unsavoury character to get an illegal firearm, you can now do it in the comfort of your middle-class home or garage."
Mr Theunissen said there are safety measures in place to protect the community, noting 3D-printed weapons still need metal components.
"It's not as easy as manufacturing something and sneaking it through customs or sneaking it onto a plane," he said.
"Unless people have really high-end, professional equipment at home, they are not printing an all-plastic weapon to use."
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