The Bullet That Could Make 3-D Printed Guns Practical Deadly Weapons

[NickB79]

http://www.wired.com/2014/11/atlas-314-3-d-printed-guns-bullets/

As 3-D printed guns have evolved over the past 18 months from a science-fictional experiment into a subculture, they’ve faced a fundamental limitation: Cheap plastic isn’t the best material to contain an explosive blast. Now an amateur gunsmith has instead found a way to transfer that stress to a component that’s actually made of metal—the ammunition.

Michael Crumling, a 25-year-old machinist from York, Pennsylvania, has developed a round designed specifically to be fired from 3-D printed guns. His ammunition uses a thicker steel shell with a lead bullet inserted an inch inside, deep enough that the shell can contain the explosion of the round’s gunpowder instead of transferring that force to the plastic body or barrel of the gun. Crumling says that allows a home-printed firearm made from even the cheapest materials to be fired again and again without cracking or deformation. And while his design isn’t easily replicated because the rounds must be individually machined for now, it may represent another step towards durable, practical, printed guns—even semi-automatic ones.

Oh boy, here we go.....

[KamaAina]

1. Moar gunz!!

[Mopar151]

2. lust a rearrangement of the parts - each cartridge is its own chamber and barrel.

I still do not get why there is such a fascination with 3-d printed guns. I'm a machinist, among other trades - I can make simple gun parts quite readily from common metal stock, with hand tools - throw in a lathe and a milling machine, and there is no practical limit. And that thing about not easily replicated, because each round must be individually machined (?)- with the right machine (basic, simple), I can have 50 done by lunchtime! With a "Swiss" automatic lathe, cycle times should be well under a minute per part, made from tubing. rifling is a secondary operation, done with a broaching tool in a small bench press.

[VMA131Marine]

3. plastic guns won't show up in a metal detector

Although the ammo most certainly will