* Posts by MickeyC

1 publicly visible post • joined 31 Jul 2012

Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer

MickeyC
FAIL

Hmm

Firstly in the US, there is no Federal firearm registration or licensing system in place for firearms that aren't covered under the 1934 National Firearms Act which covers fully automatic weapons, short barreled rifles and destructive devices. Background check records are destroyed after 90 days.

Most states do not have a firearms register or licensing system in place and the background check is there to ensure that convicted felons or others with certain histories can not purchase a firearm from a dealer. this does not however occur on private face to face sales.

Note too that under federal law anyone who may legally own a firearm may also make one and the only requirement for a serial number is that one be present if the weapon is ever sold.

AR15 receivers are usually forged or machined from billet aluminum, not stamped parts like an L85.

.223 would be an issue with a plastic receiver as it generates over 50,000 psi and considerable heat in the receiver. The AR15 taps expanding gasses and vents them back into the receiver to cycle the action, pinging a lot of high speed and hot debris and gas into the receiver body. Numerous companies make .22 versions of the AR15 in plastic. Printing the part is simply an evolution of the R&D process prior to switching to Plastic injection molding.

A much simpler action would be to buy an 80% receiver blank and a drill press to make a part. Many folks over here do that already.