first 3d printed ar10

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OK, big deal it's a lower. It works but WILL wear out. Now print an ENTIRE gun using a printer that prints with powder metal and I'll get excited. Metal printed parts ARE a reality just VERY expensive and slow. And high stress parts probably would fatigue, at least with the present technology.
 
ford8nr said:
OK, big deal it's a lower. It works but WILL wear out. Now print an ENTIRE gun using a printer that prints with powder metal and I'll get excited. Metal printed parts ARE a reality just VERY expensive and slow. And high stress parts probably would fatigue, at least with the present technology.
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Already been done there's a metal printed 1911 for sale, and this is a fairly big deal as its a rather strong lower printed on a cheap printee
 
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Now print an ENTIRE gun using a printer that prints with powder metal and I'll get excited. Metal printed parts ARE a reality just VERY expensive and slow.
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Over FIVE weeks to print AND a $12,000 purchase price. Still not excited. But at the same time that's why a plastic AR10 lower is no big deal really. Just MY opinion. :)
 
ford8nr said:
Over FIVE weeks to print AND a $12,000 purchase price. Still not excited. But at the same time that's why a plastic AR10 lower is no big deal really. Just MY opinion. :)
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Lol never said they were efficient for manufacturing just good for prototypes (alot even have that purpose in its name) maybe making molds, what's exciting about this is the more it becomes a viable In home thing the less gun control means squat, can't control what every Tom, dick, and Harry cab magic microwave up in their living room
 
A printed plastic lower receiver is feasible because it's a low-stress part. So far, printing technology cannot make the high-stress parts, which are the barrel, barrel extension, and bolt in the AR design.

Home printing of lower receivers will be just a temporary means of getting around regulations. If such printing becomes common, the regulators will turn their attention to the barrels, etc. (rather than fight a losing battle against the home printers).

Making the lower the serialized part of a AR was a rather strange decision, in retrospect.
 
I just don't see 3D printing as something to get excited about in firearms-related applications. Nothing that is made a squirt at a time is going to be very strong or resilient compared to the high strength polymers used in firearms' manufacture.
 
DMK said:
The ATF favors regulating the part that holds the magazine with semi-autos.
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Actually it is a matter of law/regulation. There is a list of functions (can't find it now but have seen it before--possibly in the ATF handbook) and the part that houses or performs the majority of them is the receiver.

Mike
 
ford8nr said:
Now print an ENTIRE gun using a printer that prints with powder metal and I'll get excited. Metal printed parts ARE a reality just VERY expensive and slow.
Over FIVE weeks to print AND a $12,000 purchase price. Still not excited. But at the same time that's why a plastic AR10 lower is no big deal really.
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The first airplane flight was just 120 feet and lasted 12 seconds. - 1903
Less than 50 years later came the first supersonic test flight. -1947
Less than 20 years after that we were walking on the friggin' Moon. - 1969
Less than 10 years after that we had our first permanent space station - 1971

NO technology has ever started off fully fledged.
 
3D printing tech is cool, and it's moving along rapidly. But it's going to be a long time before it replaces (even in part) conventional manufacturing. Certain things will likely never be able to be printed, unless there are quantum leaps in metallurgy (possible, but improbable).
 
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