linuxmemes

If I had to guess, the two most likely reasons are: for the challenge of it, and to reduce the amount of required tools.

I feel like the people who work on 3d printed guns largely fall into 2 camps - the people who just like to build things, and the people who look at a 3d printer as a valuable tool in the whole "become ungovernable" concept.

I know the second group are responsible for designing a fully 3d printed gun that's currently being used to fight against a genocidal military regime in Myanmar, for example. The people there are getting zero international aid, and can't get their hands on guns. But, they can get ammo, and they can get 3d printers. So they've set up 3d printer assembly lines to make guns that are at least good enough to kill a soldier and take his gun. It was designed for exactly that kind of situation - basically the Liberator one-shot pistol the CIA designed to be air-dropped into occupied France during WW2, except as a modern semi-auto SMG chambered in 9mm.