[ax0n]

There are so many different kinds of hackers here, that I'd almost have to disagree. There aren't many folks here who could tell me all I wanted to know about Haskell, asymmetric encryption, the finer points of being a non-technical founder and the different strengths of various revision control systems. But all of us see stuff like that here every day. We either ignore that which we do not understand, or we look it up.

[JonnieCache]

Surely there aren't many gun hackers in the world though? At least, not for very long...

[mgarfias]

What the heck? There are millions of us. There are several industries revolving around people who "hack" their weapons. Whether its a new handguard on your AR-15, or buying 10 lbs of gunpowder there are people that can help you out.

In fact, I'd say that there are more of them, than hackers.

[JonnieCache]

I was more thinking of DIY firearms/firearm modification. That would seem very dangerous to me.

It is quite common for criminals in the UK to "re-bore" replica or deactivated weapons. It is also very common for these guns to backfire, killing the shooter.

The idea of gun hacking simply put me in mind of these sad occurrences.

I'm not suggesting anyone is a mouth breathing redneck, or an inept criminal for that matter, lets put it this way: when I think of some of the things I've hacked in the more conventional sense, I wouldn't feel safe if those things had been potentially lethal :)

EDIT: before anyone else brings this up, it has just occurred to me that the category of "potentially lethal" includes every object in existence, especially cars, which people love to hack and I would never anyone accuse of being reckless for hacking. So feel free to disregard my whole point.

[ars]

Gun hackers in the US are far more familiar with guns than those in the UK. Also you can get higher quality parts for guns in the US (no need for replica or deactivated stuff).

[CapitalistCartr]

To understand the difference between you Brits and us Yanks, please Google "anvil shooting".

[ax0n]

I'm one. And the guy who replied to you before I could has the right idea. There are also pyrotechnics hackers in general, too, many of which really get a kick out of almost any kind of projectile or explosive device. We're not all mouth-breathing rednecks. See also: Metalstorm.