• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

3D Printed AR15 Much Improved, More Reliable

ccwinstructor

Centurion
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
919
Location
Yuma, Arizona, USA
Major improvements have been made in 3D printed AR15 rifles. The part of the rifle that is defined as a gun by federal law is the only part printed. The rest of the parts are commonly available on the free market.

People have made guns at home since guns were invented in the 1500’s or before. However, the ability to print out your own AR15 lower receiver at home, without having to use steel files, a grinder, or other home workshop tools, has caught the attention of the public in this digital age.

Defense Distributed is the organization that aims to make the promise of the Second Amendment a practical reality for everyman at the touch of a button. No longer will criminals in and out of government be able to be reasonably certain that their victims are unarmed.

The first AR15 lower printed by Defense Distributed was matched to a barrel chambered for the 5.7x28 cartridge, a pistol/rifle round less powerful than the more common .223. It failed after six rounds.

All of their design work and testing is now being done for and with the .223 cartridge. Several different printers and technologies have been tested. Stress analysis with sophisticated engineering design tools has been used to reduce the number of prototypes required. The lowers will now work reliably for 40-60 shots before failing. The highest round count so far has been over 80.

The failures occur at the rear take down pins, through to the hand grip.

Defense Distributed believes that their latest improvement will be reliable for 100 rounds. They expect to release the build files to the public in the next few weeks.

They will dedicate it to Joe Biden and company.

Dean Weingarten

Pictures and link at the site:

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/01/major-improvements-have-been-made-in-3d.html
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
I think that all this effort is just an exercise in the capabilities of the machine.

One can easily make a lower from a solid block using simple tools that many have at home.

If they want to make a point that one cannot control the production of weapons then I guess they are free to do that and I would support such activities.

Politicians who think that they can "ban" guns are deluding themselves and in fact, their efforts will just end up highlighting the ways of ignoring gun laws and show people (including criminals) how to get around such bans.
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
...The first AR15 lower printed by Defense Distributed was matched to a barrel chambered for the 5.7x28 cartridge, a pistol/rifle round less powerful than the more common .223. It failed after six rounds.

All of their design work and testing is now being done for and with the .223 cartridge...

Well, the 5.7x28mm uppers that I know of are blowback-operated. The .223 is gas-operated. Blowback is far more stressful to the lower. Even a .22 conversion kit puts more stress on the lower than the .223.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
I think that all this effort is just an exercise in the capabilities of the machine.

One can easily make a lower from a solid block using simple tools that many have at home.s.



One can do is right easily is another matter. I guess what one would define as easy and what simple tools.

A milling machine and a lathe are not simple tools.

Small hand held power tools and hand tools are simple how many hours are we taking to take a raw alum block to a finshed AR reciver. Let along trying it with a block of steel.

I have done lots of hand tool work yes it can be done but it is time consuming.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
One can do is right easily is another matter. I guess what one would define as easy and what simple tools.

A milling machine and a lathe are not simple tools.

Small hand held power tools and hand tools are simple how many hours are we taking to take a raw alum block to a finshed AR reciver. Let along trying it with a block of steel.

I have done lots of hand tool work yes it can be done but it is time consuming.

Vids online showing aluminum lowers being made ... no lathe needed no milling machine ... drill press is all...

I might give it a go ... see how hard it is....heck, only cost ya a block of Al ...
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
Vids online showing aluminum lowers being made ... no lathe needed no milling machine ... drill press is all...

I might give it a go ... see how hard it is....heck, only cost ya a block of Al ...


Go for it I would really like to hear the report. Keep a good log of your hours spent doing it. and then run a few hunreds of rounds through it for funtion.
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
80% I do that. Not as hard as you think. I use a drill press and a dremmel for cleanup. Last build was an AR pistol. The one I am building now is an A2. It is a good feeling to work a weapon you built yourself. Not having any roll marks or ser #s is nice too.
An 80% runs about US$150 a zero% (forging,no work done) runs US$50 The pleasure of firing a weapon that you built with your own hands...Priceless.
 

Firearms Iinstuctor

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
3,428
Location
northern wis
80% I do that. Not as hard as you think. I use a drill press and a dremmel for cleanup. Last build was an AR pistol. The one I am building now is an A2. It is a good feeling to work a weapon you built yourself. Not having any roll marks or ser #s is nice too.
An 80% runs about US$150 a zero% (forging,no work done) runs US$50 The pleasure of firing a weapon that you built with your own hands...Priceless.

I agree about the work on a 80% , but makeing one from a raw block of metal or even a a raw forgeing would be a differant story.
 
Top