3D-Printed Semiautomatic Pistol Unveiled

Proteus/DEFCAD

This is an update to the ongoing progress with 3D printed weapons. 

The eyes of the world are on the innovation of 3D printing. Naturally, whenever a new technology is created that offers open-source DIY opportunities to the average individual, it is going to make governments and their protected corporate interests very nervous.

Such is the case with 3D weapons manufacturing. Defense Distributed has led the way with their innovations, sparking others to provide their own offerings. Their progress, as well as their subsequent hindering by the US Department of Defense Trade Controls, has been documented by a series of video updates below.

Various versions of pistols and rifles have already been printed and successfully test fired. So far, “The Grizzly” pistol has managed to get off 14 single shots. Now, designer Proteus has uploaded their files for a semi-automatic pistol to Defcad.com and Fosscad Twitter. Specs are offered below.

The open-source nature of 3D printing is poised to render anti-gun legislation nearly obsolete. For those who believe that 3D printing can be restricted, futurist and a director of engineering at Google, Ray Kurzweil, recently noted that it will soon be possible to print an entire 3D printer from a 3D printer, at a very low cost … globally. Then what?

From the DEFCAD Forum (with additional images):

I have designed a .22 LR Semiautomatic firearm. Unlike former designs such as the Shuty, this design uses almost all plastic parts (All non-plastic parts currently except the FCG cannot physically be plastic or a semiautomatic will not function) and uses weights to bring the bolt to a correct weight. You will need the following parts:

*3D Printer with ABS capability

*AR-15 FCG

*AR-15 Buffer Spring

*Ruger 10/22 Mag Spring

*AR-15 Firing Pin

*1x8mm metal insert (Case extraction)

*.44 bullets to weigh down bolt (More info in the .readme)

The barrel uses an insert around the case, but then the rest of it has a plastic bore, which means it is pre-rifled and therefore complies with the ATF.

Magazines available in 10 and 30 round versions. NOTE, although they are based off of 10/22 magazines, they MUST be printed as they contain a built in mag-catch and will NOT work in a 10/22 rifle.

Credit to nilsson for original 10/22 magazine design and Shanrilivan for the part of the frame that holds the FCG, which was derived from the Charon v3.0.

Suggestions are welcome, testers even more so.

See previous updates here.