This 'Building Block' Could Make Homemade Firearms Even More Practical

A Pennsylvania man says he's found a way to make 3D-guns even more practical.

“It’s a really simple concept: It’s kind of a barrel integrated into the shell, so to speak," 25-year-old Michael Crumling said. "Basically it removes all the stresses and pressures from the 3D-printed parts. You should be able to fire an unlimited number of shots through the gun without replacing any parts other than the shell.”

Image source: MikesCustomWeaponry.WordPress.com

The ammunition has a thicker steel shell that contains a lead bullet an inch inside. That allows the shell to be able to handle the explosion from the gun as it's fired without affecting other parts of the gun.

But the gunsmith's new .314  Atlas ammunition does have its limitations.

For example, it can take up to an hour to make. However, Crumling pointed out that once the rounds have been made and shot they can be ready to shoot again as soon as they're repacked with gunpowder, bullets and primer.

That seems easy enough. But perhaps not so easy has been all the legal precautions Crumling has had to take to ensure what he's doing is actually legal.

His test gun contains a piece of metal which makes it legal under the Undetectable Firearms Act. He's also included a rifled bore to make sure his invention complies with the National Firearms Act. And while it's perfectly legal to manufacture your own firearms in the U.S. without a Federal Firearms License, it's illegal to sell firearms without a license.

Image source: MikesCustomWeaponry.WordPress.com

That's why, for now, Crumling is simply sharing how to design the ammunition on his website.

Despite all the legal hurdles, Crumling called his invention a "building block for the future of 3D-printed firearms." The small rounds, he added, could later allow people to develop their own semiautomatic, and even fully automatic guns.

(H/T: Wired)

–

Follow Jon Street (@JonStreet) on Twitter