11 thoughts on ““Cat’s Ot of the Bag and Running””

  1. I think an old pepperbox style revolver possibly with disposable, pre-loaded cylinders could be nice start. Printing all those little bits that advance and lock the cylinder in place could be tricky, though, so maybe a manually-rotated cylinder is more realistic?

  2. If I were running a printable gun project like a software project, here’s my approach:

    Take a known working model gun. Let’s say a .22 S.A. revolver with known specifications and dimensions.

    For the proof of concept, we begin by fabricating interchangeable parts. Perhaps a cylinder that could be swapped with the factory one. Likewise, replacement triggers, hammers, etc. could each have a team or individual driving the development.

    What you’d end up with might be a metal frame and barrel, but with a variety of printed replacement parts.

    It doesn’t fulfill the vision of the 100% printable gun, but it gives LOADS of engineering data points WRT differences in material stress, etc.

    1. Problem is, once you go plastic. The specifications vs size of componentall alter. So you can’t just print it in plastic. You’ve got to re-engineer.

      In which case, it makes sense to go toward new designs. IMHO.

  3. We have used 3d printing for prototypes for a few years now. We sometimes would print out a part to make a mold to cast in metal. Lots more durable than the plastic.

  4. In the meantime, why not just print a plastic 1911 frame instead? An inexpensive parts kit could complete a functional 1911 easily enough.

  5. Running a steel slide on a plastic 1911 frame is a scary thought. What would the rails be made of? I think I remember reading that a 1911 slide produces 2000 gravities of deceleration when it stops at the back end of a stroke.

    1. I wonder if there would be a way to print a frame for a 1911 only used with a .22 LR conversion kit, or for some other kind of gun like that. Make a plastic frame, buy the slide, barrel, and other parts from companies like Brownells. Do it with a low-powered round/pistol combo first.

    2. You could probably print in a set of voids where you could insert your own home fashioned rails. Perhaps beaten from a shovel like that AK ;)

  6. It’s only a matter of time before laser sintered metal 3D printing is affordable for the home user. Cat really will be out of the bag then..

    1. This.

      Laser sintering is gaining more use in high tolerance parts MFG and repair.

      Especially the latter as depending on the mtl and part you can add back in material and have it be stronger than the original.

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