3-D Printed Assault Rifle Breaks After Just 6 Shots - Polidicks

[quote]A field test of a 3-D printed assault rifle ended quickly over the weekend, with the printed plastic parts breaking apart after six rounds. It was the first live test of the printed AR-15 assault rifle, the Wiki Weapons Project’s target for the first blueprint of a fully 3-D printed gun. There are still plenty of improvements to make before the team will recommend assembly, as the test shows. The Wiki Weapons Project aims to create a working blueprint for a 3-D printed gun and distribute the digital design file online for free. The legal implications are cloudy at best (we reviewed some of them here). But whatever you think of the project, it’s well on its way to producing a workable firearm. In this case, only part of the gun was manufactured with a 3-D printer--just the lower receiver, which is the trigger and handgrip. The rest of the rifle was put together with off-the-shelf parts, according to the Wiki Weapons Project’s blog. The result was a sleek rifle with a DayGlo midsection. There you saw Cody Wilson, who heads the project, test-fire one round to see if it worked, and then hand the weapon to another member of his group, who only unloaded five rounds before the gun fell apart. The magazine had 10 rounds. The team thinks the problem was recoil, which caused the plastic to become unhinged. The threads connecting the receiver to the stock worked just fine--the o-ring just snapped. It’s worth noting that a previous, less powerful gun, a .22 caliber pistol also manufactured with a 3-D printer, was far longer-lasting. The .22, which we reported back in July, fired 200 rounds in testing. The WikiWep team writes that they have several improvement ideas in store, but final exams (Wilson is a law-school student) and the holidays might put a damper on their progress. [img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/fallapart.png[/img] [img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_small/articles/cracked.png[/img] AR-15 Receiver Cracked [/quote] Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-12/3-d-printed-assault-rifle-breaks-after-just-6-shots[/url] [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wuDCW_Rn5JI[/url]

this eliminates any fear of home-made assault rifles i suppose well, 6 shots, you could still do something though.

I don't see a problem with 3D printed guns, as long as the designs patent isn't being violated. It's still a shitty idea, considering how weak the plastics are.

I can't be the only one who's impressed that it worked. Obviously there are flaws, but there usually are with early revisions on things.

[QUOTE=Eeshton;38705216]this eliminates any fear of home-made assault rifles i suppose well, 6 shots, you could still do something though.[/QUOTE] It really depends. The .22 pistol worked well, but for something like an assault rifle, it would be a better investment to just buy one, than to get an industrial 3d printer.

If it could take 6 proper bullets, I don't see it impossible if people printed their own airsoft weaponry. And that would be pretty cool.

The fact the US Military is now doing heavy research into using 3D Printers for field-repairing firearms should speak for how big of an impact these guys have made. I hope for the most part they keep trucking, and make the finest damn printable firearm they can.

[quote]In this case, only part of the gun was manufactured with a 3-D printer--just the lower receiver, which is the trigger and handgrip. The rest of the rifle was put together with off-the-shelf parts, according to the Wiki Weapons Project’s blog. The result was a sleek rifle with a DayGlo midsection.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Derp Y. Mail;38705261]If it could take 6 proper bullets, I don't see it impossible if people printed their own airsoft weaponry. And that would be pretty cool.[/QUOTE] Airsoft is kinda a different thing. I wouldn't say it's more complex than an actual gun, but the way the feed system works kinda requires a lot of electronics.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;38705251]It really depends. The .22 pistol worked well, but for something like an assault rifle, it would be a better investment to just buy one, than to get an industrial 3d printer.[/QUOTE] not if u want to start a militia

I wonder if this can speed up gun production, would be cool if they started using 3D printing to make parts for guns, cars etc that have been discontinued.

This seems to be more of a problem with the strength of the material they used, although I suppose you can only print with certain types of materials right now. They'll probably be able to print with stronger materials in the future. And hey, if a part breaks, you can always print another one.

The amazing thing is that it worked at all. I'da guessed the recoil from a 5.56mm NATO round would have shattered the parts the first time it went off, not the sixth. Keep working at it, guys. [QUOTE=yawmwen;38705329]not if u want to start a militia[/QUOTE] Did Facepunch become an AOL chatroom circa 2003 while I wasn't looking?

[QUOTE]In this case, only part of the gun was manufactured with a 3-D printer--just the lower receiver, which is the trigger and handgrip. The rest of the rifle was put together with off-the-shelf parts[/QUOTE] Just fyi

[QUOTE=Eeshton;38705216]this eliminates any fear of home-made assault rifles i suppose well, 6 shots, you could still do something though.[/QUOTE] [url=http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/179192-DIY-Shovel-AK-photo-tsunami-warning]Not really[/url], firearms are all around piss easy to make/manufacture.

-My automerge was printed in 3D-

Well, fuck. I'm calling it now, this stuff is going to be banned. There was a big uproar over airsoft a few years ago because they could supposedly be converted to fire one or two rounds of live ammo before exploding. Considering the 3D printed receiver was still mostly functional, and had just lost its buffer tube, I bet governments are going to see this as a serious issue.

[quote]In this case, only part of the gun was manufactured with a 3-D printer--just the lower receiver, which is the trigger and handgrip. The rest of the rifle was put together with off-the-shelf parts[/quote] Still lasted longer than your typical polymer lower. They should build an AK instead, just build the receiver in the 3d printer and use a normal bolt, piston, and barrel.

Tediore in its early years

[QUOTE=catbarf;38705455]Well, fuck. I'm calling it now, this stuff is going to be banned. There was a big uproar over airsoft a few years ago because they could supposedly be converted to fire one or two rounds of live ammo before exploding. Considering the 3D printed receiver was still mostly functional, and had just lost its buffer tube, I bet governments are going to see this as a serious issue.[/QUOTE] only half of the gun was made in the printer, the upper (barrel and other stuff) were just your typical prebuilt stuff.

[QUOTE=catbarf;38705455]Well, fuck. I'm calling it now, this stuff is going to be banned. There was a big uproar over airsoft a few years ago because they could supposedly be converted to fire one or two rounds of live ammo before exploding. Considering the gun was still mostly functional, and had just lost its buffer tube, I bet governments are going to see this as a serious issue.[/QUOTE] They'll have to ban every form of blacksmithing before it becomes even slightly possible to stop firearm production.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;38705327]Airsoft is kinda a different thing. I wouldn't say it's more complex than an actual gun, but the way the feed system works kinda requires a lot of electronics.[/QUOTE] Unless it's spring-loaded.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;38705329]not if u want to start a militia[/QUOTE] If you wanted to start a militia, you could just by 40 mosins for the price of a 3d printer. [editline]4th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Derp Y. Mail;38705494]Unless it's spring-loaded.[/QUOTE] I get what you're saying, but spring loaded guns never go above 40 dollars. Would be a really shitty investment.

I dunno what stuff was used in the printing, but with such weak materials, it shouldn't really be a surprise that it has such low durability. If it were printed with some sort of advanced fortified ceramic or "printable alloy", it'd probably last a fair bit longer. Also, with the right materials d'you think it'd be possible to print custom-tooled cartridges?

I'm still waiting for the moment when 3d-printers use molten aluminium. I wonder what material they used to make it? There are lots of thermoplastics available and the cheap ones are unfortunately quite brittle.

[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;38705483]only half of the gun was made in the printer, the upper (barrel and other stuff) were just your typical prebuilt stuff.[/QUOTE] Yes, but the lower is the part that turns a standard civilian hunting rifle into a babykilling murder machine (aka full auto). Modifying a lower for full auto is already banned so extending that ban to custom-made lowers doesn't seem unlikely.

If you hit each bullet in the head you got yourself a bodycount of 6. Or if you cant hit the head you get at least one guy.

It would probably only be durable with something like this. [url]http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Crosman_MAR177_AR_15_Upper_PCP_Conversion_Kit/2703[/url]

no surprise that it failed at the buffer tube. that's the part that usually fails on properly made AR15s

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;38705492]They'll have to ban every form of blacksmithing before it becomes even slightly possible to stop firearm production.[/QUOTE] [video=youtube;n1wV3lmbSv4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1wV3lmbSv4[/video] been posted before though