BBC Trending: Print and shoot - The spread of 3D-printed guns episode artwork

EPISODE · May 28, 2025 · 19 MIN

BBC Trending: Print and shoot - The spread of 3D-printed guns

from The Documentary Podcast · host BBC World Service

A growing number of incidents have highlighted the dangers of 3D-printed ‘ghost guns’, untraceable firearms that can be assembled at home with the help of a 3D printer and a set of blueprints. Since the first design appeared in 2013, 3D-printed gun technology has advanced rapidly. Some models can now fire hundreds or thousands of rounds without their plastic components failing. Although these weapons are illegal in many jurisdictions, designs, parts, and blueprints continue to spread on social media. We explore the growing popularity of 3D-printed weapons online.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 28, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

BBC Trending: Print and shoot - The spread of 3D-printed guns

0:00 19:53

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Documentary Podcast?

This episode is 19 minutes long.

When was this The Documentary Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on May 28, 2025.

Can I download this The Documentary Podcast episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!