Uh oh the anti-gunners are going to get their panties all in a bunch over this:
This is a near fully printable 5.56mm X 45mm or .233 REM AR-15 magazine. It is current only a 5 round magazine. I left my printed spring design out on purpose for saftey reasons. However, with a little printing experimention and some range time it can be made easily.
What is included is the magazine body, anti-tilt follower, and floorplate.
I have used this magazine, no jams or feed problems….. YET. It works, but be reminded it is only a printed ABS magazine. If you end up using a printed ABS mag spring be prepared for stress relaxation of the polymer over time, especailly if it is kept loaded over a long period of time.
That’s right blueprints are now available that allow you to print your own AR-15 magazines. I’ve mentioned 3D printers before and believe the technology is the next logical leap to take for the post-industrial revolution world. Currently most 3D printers are only able to work with plastics but eventually ones capable of working with other materials, such as powdered metal, could become cheap enough that most households could afford one. Imagine being able to print out almost any part that you need. Theoretically you could manufacture and entire AR-15 with a 3D print (although I believe the barrel could be problematic but certainly not impossible).
This will likely be another technology the anti-gunners will have to attack. Although current laws allow you to manufacture your own firearms for personal use the anti-gunners will claim printing off firearm components violates various “common sense” gun control laws. This will likely lead them to present impossible to conform with legislation that would require 3D printer manufacturers to prevent their prints from printing firearm components.
But as logical human beings we can sit back and enjoy the ingenuity that went into this project and also benefit from it. When I finally get a MakerBot this will likely be one of the first things I print.