Investigating the availability of 3D-printed firearm designs on the clear web

The release of the plans of the 3D-printed Liberator firearm sparked a wave of new designs from creators worldwide, resulting in an extensive collection of 3D-printed firearm plans, in particular blueprints, and parts available for almost unrestricted download on the internet. Identifying and categorizing the diverse range of 3D-printed firearms and components pose a challenge due to the abundance of designs available. Between 2021 and April 2023, data was collected on over 2,100 3D-printed firearm plans. While blueprints of fully 3D-printed firearms initially dominated the scene, hybrid designs and parts kit completions / conversions (PKC) have gained popularity for their improved reliability and performance. The now highly networked community offers considerable support with detailed instructions and procedures, providing precise guidance for construction. This systematic classification, grouping and structuration of the recorded data on the Clear Web supported the identification of patterns of the main threat trends related to 3D-printed firearms.