Ninth Circuit Panel Finds in Favor of SAF, First Amendment, State Department, and 3D

AmmoLand ^ | 29 April, 2021 | Dean Weingarten

[Ancesthntr]

Ah, one of my favorite books (see my tagline).

[null and void]

Hmmm, I didn't know if it had ever actually been fired, just using the graphic as eye candy.

BUT, now that you ask, according the the source of infinite knowledge - Wikipedia:

The Solid Concepts 1911 DMLS is a 3D-printed version of the M1911 pistol. It was made public around November 2013 and was printed via the direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) method. It was created by Solid Concepts. A Solid Concepts Browning M1911 replica fired more than 600 rounds without any apparent damage to the gun. The metal printer used to create the weapon cost between $500,000 to $1,000,000 at the time the gun was created as of November 2013. The first gun, version 1.0, is made up of 34 3D-printed 17-4 stainless steel components.
...
The Solid Concepts Pistol fired its 5000th round on 6 September 2014.

Thanks for asking!

More eye candy:

The Solid Concepts 3D printed 1911 pistol

Looking from the “Chamber end” of the Solid Concepts 3D printed barrel

The ability to place text inside the barrel is possible with 3D printing

All images courtesy Solid Concepts, Inc.

[lepton]

Cool. With 500k, that’s a lot of machining capability.

[null and void]

$500k was 8 years ago. I bet even a new one is significantly cheaper today.

[taxcontrol]

I am a 3d printer guy myself and will attempt to explain the process.

Any object can be described in a series of dots. So if you remember your 3 dimensional drawings, there is the location of the dot (x,y,z), the size of the dot (think fractions of mm) and then there is the material at that location (plastic, metal, etc). 3d printing or more specifically, additive manufacturing, is done by first selecting the material called a filament. This is fed to the “print head” where it is deformed with heat (melted) and a tiny dot (more likely a stream) is pushed out the nozzle. The material is hot enough so that it creates a fused bond with the prior layer.

What we need now are directions for the head. These are the X,Y,Z coordinates. To accomplish this, there is something called Gcode. This is a simplistic mechanical program that says go to 1.1.1 and extrude a dot and move to 1.2.1 (move sideways on the Y axis). Gcode is translated by the computer into a series of steps or electrical pulses that are sent to the stepper motors that move the head.

To create the directions (Gcode), you need a software tool called a slicer and you need a 3d image of the objection. The slicer assembles all the gcode for a single layer (z axis) into one series of linked movements of the head. Then it will increment the z axis and execute the instructions for the next layer. This process is repeated until the entire set of dots have been extruded.

There are other considerations regarding materials, extrusion temperatures, overhangs, dual filaments, etc. But that is the basics of how it works.

Ultimately, if you have a file that describes the object to be printed, you then run it through your slicer and then load the filament and gcode into your printer, press start ..... and then wait.

[taxcontrol]

So yes and no.

There are models for low pressure loads. There are also models that allow you to insert a metal tube of the proper size and allow you to create a barrel that is more durable, maybe handle more pressure.

Most 3d printed ghost guns are the AR15 lower receiver. Since that does not actually handle much in the form of pressure, it does not need to be all that strong.

Finally, there are models that can be printed in plastic / wax and used to create a cast barrel. This is a somewhat risky proposition as weak points can be created in the barrel. Some creative and daring folks are working on how to make a barrel but that is too risky for me. I just buy barrels because I like my face and fingers just the way they are.

[V V Camp Enari 67-68]

Thank You!

[CodeToad]

A computer doesn't. A printer does. Printers usually melt plastics or soft metals to make shapes.

[CodeToad]

Here is an example of a 3D printer depositing materials to build up a shape.