3D Printed AK Magazine in Development by Defense Distributed

[jgreiner]

3D Printed AK Magazine in Development by Defense Distributed

They are naming it the Feinstein.

 

[Psode27]

LOVE IT! wonder how/if they will distribute it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

How/if?

It is in the air now. A mouse click from Texas just distributed it.

Regulate that, gun police.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I get that you can 3-D print a magazine and the follower...but what do you do about the spring? I'm no gunsmith but it seems to me that component needs to be pretty well executed if the mag is going to work right.

 

[Disposable Heart]

I get that you can 3-D print a magazine and the follower...but what do you do about the spring? I'm no gunsmith but it seems to me that component needs to be pretty well executed if the mag is going to work right.

That's the caveat, even if they made a leaf spring using the printing method, it would be weak and not last long (no heat tempering overall to achieve "springiness?")

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

That's the caveat, even if they made a leaf spring using the printing method, it would be weak and not last long (no heat tempering overall to achieve "springiness?")

I guess I'm outta the loop on this technology, but how do you print metal? The photo in that article showed a spring of an apparently dissembled mag. I'm guessing they printed the plastic parts and used a traditionally manufactured spring to test it out. It wouldn't take much of a politician to figure out how to ban or regulate the construction of springs capable or suitable for use in "high capacity" magazines.

 

[BIGnTall83]

I am honestly surprised this hasn’t been done already, the technology has been around for a few years. i use to work in a fabrication shop, mainly smallish brackets that go in fire truck/police lights, we were looking at getting one a few years ago to help with prototyping new bracket designs. And of course they would have to use a standard spring since the material they use is a polymer if I remember correctly.

 

[MikeDVB]

I guess I'm outta the loop on this technology, but how do you print metal? The photo in that article showed a spring of an apparently dissembled mag. I'm guessing they printed the plastic parts and used a traditionally manufactured spring to test it out. It wouldn't take much of a politician to figure out how to ban or regulate the construction of springs capable or suitable for use in "high capacity" magazines.

Making such a spring isn't terribly hard with the right equipment. Even without the right equipment - with the skills and know-how it's still very much doable.

Magazines are easy to regulate for them because they have one purpose - the steel that is used to make those springs has so many other applications, banning everything except the explicit end-result would be troublesome at best - but I could see them trying.

 

[LarryC]

Piano or spring steel wire is a common commodity. Making a spring is very easy. I have make hundreds. I am a retired Engineer from a manufacturing facility. It would be pretty simple to make an aluminum or steel form to properly dimension the spring and they can be bent with pliers (just don't "nick" the material - have to round off the sides of the pliers to prevent that). Also may want to "heat treat" to stabilize for long life, that can be done in a kitchen oven. Springs typically have pretty loose tolerances so not beyond the backyard mechanic to produce his own! I would say anyone with the skill set capable of assembling an AR from parts would have the ability to learn and produce good magazine springs.

 

[Dauvis]

I am honestly surprised this hasn’t been done already, the technology has been around for a few years. i use to work in a fabrication shop, mainly smallish brackets that go in fire truck/police lights, we were looking at getting one a few years ago to help with prototyping new bracket designs. And of course they would have to use a standard spring since the material they use is a polymer if I remember correctly.

Most of the 3D printers out there are leased and those leases typically have a clause that forbid the printing of weapons. If I remember correctly, this group had a printer revoked from them for that reason.