3D-printed gun. Photo: Blackstar Arms / Wikipedia Commons
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On a quiet Baltic archipelago better known for seal hunting and ferry routes, one man has built a weapon that links traditional Nordic gun culture to American-inspired 3D firearm design.
Elias Andersson, 28, lives on the Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish region with a population of about 30,000. From a workshop in the capital Mariehamn, Andersson has created the Printax 001, a 3D-printed firearm named after the islands’ country-code domain “.AX”.
His story was reported this week by The New York Times, offering a glimpse into how U.S.-driven gun enthusiasm is influencing even remote parts of the world.
Andersson’s rifle looks like a fusion of an AR-15 and a sci-fi prop. It was built legally, with approval from Finnish authorities. Yet it represents a growing global trend: the spread of 3D-printed firearms from internet subcultures in the U.S. to places where traditional gun ownership is more limited and tightly regulated.
“The Ålands don’t have the weapons that I find interesting,” Andersson said, describing how he turned to online communities, primarily American, during the COVID-19 lockdown to learn about 3D weapon design.
That research led him to forums and YouTube channels such as Print Shoot Repeat, which has helped popularise hobbyist 3D printing for firearms among its 600,000 subscribers.
The Printax is chambered for 9mm ammunition and functions as a pistol-calibre carbine. It lacks some features of standard AR-15-style rifles, such as a bolt hold-open mechanism, but can be produced for around $200, far less than most commercial models.
Though a hobbyist, Andersson took inspiration from real-world conflicts. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 gave him a reason to consider the military value of his design. During a trip to Ukraine, he discussed possible applications of the Printax with military contacts. While Ukrainian forces prioritise drones over small arms, Andersson continues to look for ways to support them through 3D-printed components.
“I’m interested in modifying and improving and creating stuff that goes ka-boom in Ukraine and for Ukraine,” he said.
His first experiments in weapons design came years earlier. In 2019, he made the chassis of a bolt-action rifle from BMW parts. He later studied under the islands’ only gunsmith, Janne Stenroos, until Stenroos’s death in 2022. Despite having no formal engineering training, Andersson has refined his approach through trial, error, and online research.
Unlike some in the 3D-printed weapons community, Andersson supports strict firearm regulation. He does not plan to publish the blueprints for his design, which would violate Finnish and EU laws.
“The harsh reality is that there are idiots everywhere,” he said.
Gun violence on the Ålands is rare. One of the few widely remembered cases occurred over 20 years ago, when an argument about a doughnut ended in a double homicide.
The Printax is not about arming others, Andersson said, but about precision, engineering, and expression. “I’m trying to search for perfection,” he said. “But I don’t think anyone knows what perfection is.”
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
