a plastic/nylon 80% lower?

[dcholl]

I think somewhere in the forum, this was discussed on using 3-D printers for making your own gun parts and lowers....Doc

[Coils]

Yes there's a few threads about the 3D printers, but the plastics available for them right now hasn't held up to more then a few rounds.

I think if someone can figure out a cheap way to make a home injection molder would work, the plastics that will hold up for these is easy to get but it comes in pellet or ball form.
Maybe a wood mold will work since your most likely only going to make a few for yourself, and metal pieces can be added to a few important areas.
The hard part is making the injector part, it needs to heat up enough plastic to fill the entire mold in one shot.

[Rocster]

The DefenseDistributed guys with the 3d printed AR lower just made some good progress...their latest prototype did 600+ rounds with no failure with one extruded type, and a failure with a second one using a second different printing method..
The have pics & a video here:
Defense Distributed blog

They used a different ABS blend for the material and have added extra beef in areas where Ver. 1, 2 failed.

[Coils]

That's good to hear, I think when better plastics become available for these style printers you'll see alot better results.

[dutigaf]

ok here is the article we were talking about:

“Download this gun”: 3D-printed semi-automatic fires over 600 rounds | Ars Technica

[Sprat]

saw this today if its going to help you decided if you want to go to plastic

80 % TACTICAL MACHINING LOWER 556 223 AR15 : AR15 Parts at GunBroker.com

[Rocster]

Hey Coils,
There is a way to do non-injected, pourable molding too. It is a bit tricky for a complicated part like an AR lower but with care and the right techniques you could get something in urethane that if the right durometer blend could be firm enough for a lower.

This article is extremely detailed, in fact the most I have ever seen for a molding tutorial...I think you will find it amazing:
Guerrilla guide to CNC machining, mold making, and resin casting

[Coils]

Thanks for the link, there's a lot on there and I'll have to look it over when I got more time.

I know about pourable molding but I don't know how well it will work for something like an AR receiver. Maybe if you can make it with less detail? More like a slab side rather then having all those raised ribs for the small pins and springs.

[j427x]

i looking for a "low tech" solution here--

its got to be something you can do in a cave--LOL!

[dutigaf]

J,

BUllets bolt together alum ones are definitely "caveable"..