The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

If it WAS an April fool then RT were well caught..

http://rt.com/usa/3d-printing-revolution-guns-209/

if NOT an April fool, interesting

Certainly this type of technology is real.

Saw some gun parts - including an action - produced by this method at the Shot Show.

But, the action looked like a sand-casting - it would have needed machining to make it useable.

yep 3D printing is real have seen small plastic shapes at work done by the developement egg heads.

Story on 3d printing helping children
http://www.themanufacturer.com/articles ... -children/

TW

Video of a lower receiver was released end of last year, it did fail however it took a few shots so the technology is there and now it is just a matter of developing the materials. I know someone who is a prototype engineer for a major defence contractor (Think biggest in the world!) and they have used such technology for a while now however quite what for has never been discussed.

I knew the technology was around and we debate dit for making gun parts, looks like it's on it's way..that should be fun now the UN have agreed their gun ban charade!

Shares in milspec polymer seem a good idea..

The current technology is pretty much limited to nylon/ABS-type materials in the hobby market for 3D printers, but even these can be used to make decent stuff. I think the latest version of the 3D printer AR15 lower receiver lasted about 600 shots before it failed, which is plenty when you think about it.

The commercial/specialist ones use either powder-based selective laser sintering or plastic/nylon extrusion methods to make bigger objects with better resolution, but I think they are experimenting with metal printing now. It's slow by all accounts, but they'll find a way of speedin it up I am sure.

Cheers user702, all sounds really fascinating..and the printers do not seem overly expensive for now.

600 rounds before failing, from the posts on here about some proprietary fireams, that's quite good :lol:

Making magazines and accessories alone would save a few quid...

Hi JSJ, with a name like that you must be a Viking, Danish maybe?

I think Japan is investing in metal 3d printing and they gave a 2 year timeline for the project completion. Good times ahead.

Laser sintering would be the ideal solution for gun parts. There is a large range of metal powders available. we have been using it in the aerospace and F1 for a long time. The machine cost is high you'd be looking close to million pounds for a good installation.

there are a number of comercial suppliers in the uk all you have to do is email them your file and select the material and they'll build it for you.
It could be interesting for custom accessories check out http://www.3trpd.co.uk i've done some work with them in the past anything you can design they can pretty much make (size dependent)