Gun Control poll

[elysiantraveller]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

They will get it perfected. It will be easy to figure out once the shooting starts.

I'm sure they can be made to a reasonable amount of safety but stuff like ambient temperature and things like that will play a huge role in that.

Even steel barrels toss rounds differently depending on temperature and we know how brittle plastic can behave in subfreezing conditions.

It's still pretty neat though.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

Evidently he's implying that they don't work?

Maybe he'll elaborate.

It will kind of work, ONCE. Currently even the 3D printer capable of printing with powdered metal produces an item incapable of tolerating any measurable stress. A bullet is actually larger than the gun barrel, when fired the bullet expands into the voids left by the rifling so it can pass through. A 3D printed barrel would not tolerate that stress and either fly apart or peel away like a peeled banana. The barrel coming apart will send a low velocity bullet that could go anywhere. The safest place to stand around someone shooting a 3D printed gun would probably be a few feet directly in front of it.

[FantasticDan]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

It will kind of work, ONCE. Currently even the 3D printer capable of printing with powdered metal produces an item incapable of tolerating any measurable stress. A bullet is actually larger than the gun barrel, when fired the bullet expands into the voids left by the rifling so it can pass through. A 3D printed barrel would not tolerate that stress and either fly apart or peel away like a peeled banana. The barrel coming apart will send a low velocity bullet that could go anywhere. The safest place to stand around someone shooting a 3D printed gun would probably be a few feet directly in front of it.

I appreciate your knowledge on the topic.

But as Ralph says, probably sooner than later they'll see advances in functionality.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

It will kind of work, ONCE. Currently even the 3D printer capable of printing with powdered metal produces an item incapable of tolerating any measurable stress. A bullet is actually larger than the gun barrel, when fired the bullet expands into the voids left by the rifling so it can pass through. A 3D printed barrel would not tolerate that stress and either fly apart or peel away like a peeled banana. The barrel coming apart will send a low velocity bullet that could go anywhere. The safest place to stand around someone shooting a 3D printed gun would probably be a few feet directly in front of it.

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

I appreciate your knowledge on the topic.

But as Ralph says, probably sooner than later they'll see advances in functionality.

Then do me a favor and tell people to stop spreading misleading information about guns.


As for advances, I am sure there will be some, although the process will always have limitations, due to the physics of metallurgy. What you have is a method that isn't even as strong as casting. Anyone with even a simple knowledge of tools knows a forged tool is stronger that a cast one and one machined from solid (How they make real modern guns) is stronger than that.
I think the limitation for 3D printing a gun barrel that could be somewhat durable would be one for a shotgun or a muzzle loader (where the bullet will roll down the barrel).

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

I think the limitation for 3D printing a gun barrel that could be somewhat durable would be one for a shotgun or a muzzle loader (where the bullet will roll down the barrel).

Which still leaves you with metallic cartridges and bullets that will set off a metal detector.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

I think the limitation for 3D printing a gun barrel that could be somewhat durable would be one for a shotgun or a muzzle loader (where the bullet will roll down the barrel).

Originally Posted by Clocker

Which still leaves you with metallic cartridges and bullets that will set off a metal detector.

The 3D printed gun I was referring to is the powdered metal version. I don't think the 3D printed plastic version would ever even be suitable for a musket or shotgun. Even if you could use an expensive high strength heat tolerant plastic like peek I am sure the heat of the muzzle blast would far exceed the rating of the plastic. All plastics I have machined and there are too many to list expand and contract quite a bit just from a variance of 50 degrees. I would hate to see what the heat variation from a muzzle blast would do. Best case scenario the barrel leaves with the bullet or just catches on fire.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

I really don't know. But I do know it's not a good idea to let people have access to unregistered, untraceable, and undetectable firearms.

Right?

Depends on the people.
Just having access to them doesn NOT make them potential mass shooters.

Who ya gonna call?
Technology just opened a door you can't close.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by woodtoo

I'm wasting no more money on my 3-D printer then.

I've heard you can 3D print CHOCOLATE!

[Tom]

Originally Posted by elysiantraveller

I'm sure they can be made to a reasonable amount of safety but stuff like ambient temperature and things like that will play a huge role in that.

Even steel barrels toss rounds differently depending on temperature and we know how brittle plastic can behave in subfreezing conditions.

It's still pretty neat though.

OK, then, instead of gun-free zones, we will establish HEAT FREE zones.
Crank up the AC in public places and we will be cool!

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Clocker

Which still leaves you with metallic cartridges and bullets that will set off a metal detector.

Why not plastic bullets?

[elysiantraveller]

Originally Posted by Tom

Why not plastic bullets?

Inners post summed up the actual issues of a plastic gun with the heat and pressures apply to the bullets as well.

Plastic is a terrible at transferring energy as well. It doesn't have the density.

These 3d guns are cool but in terms of practicality... not so much.

[Tom]

For now......

[elysiantraveller]

Originally Posted by Tom

For now......

I'm sure advances could be made but plastic just isn't that dense. It's good at absorbing energy not transferring.

Why bullets are made out of metal/lead and body armor is made out of plastic.

Anything's possible but super expensive and labor intensive bullets doesn't make a buncha sense for a CTRL-P gun.

I would think some subsonic rounds would be a requirement for a plastic gun.

[elysiantraveller]

I guess you could use something like ceramic barrel sleeves but cost would be massive and when they went it would be catastrophic.

The plastic bullet thing though is highlighted by airsoft guns. They shoot roughly the same size as your Red Rider BB gun. The airsoft bullet weighs .2gr and the Red Rider about 4.25gr. Both travel at close to the same speed... airsoft is actually about 20-30% faster.

Now go shoot yourself with both and see what happens....

^^^ Just kidding... don't do that.

[hcap]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

It will kind of work, ONCE. Currently even the 3D printer capable of printing with powdered metal produces an item incapable of tolerating any measurable stress. A bullet is actually larger than the gun barrel, when fired the bullet expands into the voids left by the rifling so it can pass through. A 3D printed barrel would not tolerate that stress and either fly apart or peel away like a peeled banana. The barrel coming apart will send a low velocity bullet that could go anywhere. The safest place to stand around someone shooting a 3D printed gun would probably be a few feet directly in front of it.

I hold 2 US patents. I can tell you sometimes the way around "limitations" is to think differently. Without thoroughly investigating the patent art, the first thing that comes to mind is to accept tradeoffs in the standard performance of the usual.

Tom is right.

Re-design the bullets out of a softer material. Plastics. Tensile strength is the issue in the barrel, but to get a lump of poly carbonate or similar to spin at relatively high velocity, seems like the simpler problem.

So Dan is correct. Will still maim and kill, but not to perfection. Will be more undetectable, and perhaps easier to produce.

.314 Atlas A softer metal. Mmachined from 1018 cold rolled steel.(low carbon steel)

https://mikescustomweaponry.wordpres.../05/314-atlas/

https://gizmodo.com/plastic-3d-print...wor-1654929202