Can’t Stop The Signal: DIY 3D Printed GLOCK Magazines

[Reptile]

From the Firearm Blog,
Over at my second digital family – AR15.com – one user has started making his own GLOCK magazineswith a stock 3D Printer, some filament and CAD files released by a group called Deterrence Dispensed. The end result are functional 3D Printed GLOCK magazines that may not look as polished as a factory specimen, but feed rounds all the same. Of course, the metal spring will need to come from an outside source – for the time being.

Can’t Stop The Signal: DIY 3D Printed GLOCK Magazines

 

[Dennis in MA]

I can't think of a reason for this, outside of getting expensive mags in a ban state or just S&G. Glock mags are pretty cheap considering. And plentiful.

It's a cool project. Just not that practical.

 

[daekken]

Considering I got Magpul G19 mags for $7 on Black Friday I have a feeling I'd need to print quite a bunch to recover my costs, if I could even make them cheaper than $7.

I'm fine with people doing it, but I don't see any purpose for this other than for fun (which is fine, but is what it is).

 

[tuna]

 

[Al-Jim19]

I can't think of a reason for this, outside of getting expensive mags in a ban state or just S&G. Glock mags are pretty cheap considering. And plentiful.

It's a cool project. Just not that practical.

The point is that magazine restrictions are pointless. As long as these magazines are reasonably cheap to make their mere existence indicates a win.

 

[radioman]

Considering I got Magpul G19 mags for $7 on Black Friday I have a feeling I'd need to print quite a bunch to recover my costs, if I could even make them cheaper than $7.

I'm fine with people doing it, but I don't see any purpose for this other than for fun (which is fine, but is what it is).

7 bucks! Damn!
Where do you shop?
I’ve seen them for 40.

 

[Dennis in MA]

They're $11 at Brownell's right now. G19 mags. Magpul. Pmag. I'll sell you 10, drop-shipped from Brownells for $28 each.

 

[daekken]

7 bucks! Damn!
Where do you shop?
I’ve seen them for 40.

The internet:


$40 is more than Glock factory mags. One vendor has those for $20 lol:

 

[allen-1]

Considering I got Magpul G19 mags for $7 on Black Friday I have a feeling I'd need to print quite a bunch to recover my costs, if I could even make them cheaper than $7.

I'm fine with people doing it, but I don't see any purpose for this other than for fun (which is fine, but is what it is).

It's a demonstration that the legislation is pointless.

"We the People" can make magazines.
"We the People" can make firearms.
Technology has made its way to the desktop, kitchen table and workshop of middle America.

You can pass any legislation you'd like - whether we choose to comply is another matter.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

Considering I got Magpul G19 mags for $7 on Black Friday I have a feeling I'd need to print quite a bunch to recover my costs, if I could even make them cheaper than $7.

I'm fine with people doing it, but I don't see any purpose for this other than for fun (which is fine, but is what it is).

Assuming you already have the 3D printer, the posted per-mag filament cost for a G17 mag is $0.87 cents. Maybe round that up to $2. to included electricity cost (very high estimate, printing one at a time). Current mag spring prices are around $5. for a G17. So about the same $7. per mag as your factory mag, at which point the factory mag wins hands-down for being perfectly fabricated. However, if you consider the original 3D printed designer is working on a mag spring winder that will drop per-mag spring prices down to about a buck for spring metal, then a $3. completed 3D printed G17 mag starts looking good. Things look even better when you double that figure for a $6. 33 rd mag.

Still, I have a 3D printer, but I wouldn't bother with the 6 hour prints . If I wanted to make mags from scratch, I'd buy some Smooth-on casting rubber and Smooth-on liquid plastic. Cast an existing Glock mag mold, then replicate to your heart's content. Would still need the springs though. Maybe I should test that out for you guys as a proof of concept.

 

[Emacs]

There are some good youtube videos on how to wind and heat-treat springs. Mark Serbu for example.

 

[daekken]

Assuming you already have the 3D printer, the posted per-mag filament cost for a G17 mag is $0.87 cents. Maybe round that up to $2. to included electricity cost (very high estimate, printing one at a time). Current mag spring prices are around $5. for a G17. So about the same $7. per mag as your factory mag, at which point the factory mag wins hands-down for being perfectly fabricated. However, if you consider the original 3D printed designer is working on a mag spring winder that will drop per-mag spring prices down to about a buck for spring metal, then a $3. completed 3D printed G17 mag starts looking good. Things look even better when you double that figure for a $6. 33 rd mag.

Still, I have a 3D printer, but I wouldn't bother with the 6 hour prints . If I wanted to make mags from scratch, I'd buy some Smooth-on casting rubber and Smooth-on liquid plastic. Cast an existing Glock mag mold, then replicate to your heart's content. Would still need the springs though. Maybe I should test that out for you guys as a proof of concept.

Sounds about right.

The things I would be most interested in would be making scarce mags or ones that are expensive.
For example, good, functional .223 AK mags are quite expensive and not super common. Being able to 3D print decent ones would be a game changer. Or even stuff like FAL mags; usually running $25-$35 each. If you could make $10 FAL mags, you'd be in good shape.

But, Glock and AR mags are such that the supply is massive and the costs are already really low. There's lots of platform/manufacturer mags without cheap alternatives, and paying $35 for a magazine blows.

Basically, we need 3D printers taking up the real estate Magpul and others aren't. For some of these, the demand probably isn't high enough for someone like Magpul to invest in, but for a smaller operation with flexibility, there's room.

 

[drgrant]

The things I would be most interested in would be making scarce mags or ones that are expensive.
For example, good, functional .223 AK mags are quite expensive and not super common.

Depends on whose gun it is you're trying to make it for. If I remember correctly for the f***ery that is 5.56/223 on an AK there are at least like 3 different
standards. It's not like 5.45 x 39 where they're all the same.

-Mike

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

Sounds about right.

The things I would be most interested in would be making scarce mags or ones that are expensive.
For example, good, functional .223 AK mags are quite expensive and not super common. Being able to 3D print decent ones would be a game changer. Or even stuff like FAL mags; usually running $25-$35 each. If you could make $10 FAL mags, you'd be in good shape.

But, Glock and AR mags are such that the supply is massive and the costs are already really low. There's lots of platform/manufacturer mags without cheap alternatives, and paying $35 for a magazine blows.

Basically, we need 3D printers taking up the real estate Magpul and others aren't. For some of these, the demand probably isn't high enough for someone like Magpul to invest in, but for a smaller operation with flexibility, there's room.

Good point. I'd try to print some for you, but not having a compatible AK, I'd have no idea if it would work. 3D print prototypes are so hit/miss until you figure out the correct shrinkage compensation on a particular print to make the tolerances work. It is kind of an educated guessing game that would require a few F'd up prints before finding the right setting.

Didn't see the .223 AK mags on the Fosscad list yet. AR mags, standard AK47 mags, 10/22 stuff, and AKM 75 round drum is in alpha right now. No AK .223 or FAL mags yet as far as I can tell. There is a FAL receiver though--interesting...

 

[EddieZoom]

I'm fine with people doing it, but I don't see any purpose for this other than for fun (which is fine, but is what it is).

Change is the only constant....today's cheap and readily available is tomorrow's banned/illegal/impossible to buy. See high cap mags or AR's in MA for real world examples. Roll you own manufacuting that is relatively cheap and relatively easy is pretty powerful stuff.

 

[allen-1]

Change is the only constant....today's cheap and readily available is tomorrow's banned/illegal/impossible to buy. See high cap mags or AR's in MA for real world examples. Roll you own manufacuting that is relatively cheap and relatively easy is pretty powerful stuff.

Yep. Plus the learning curve that's being overcome. Today it's Glock Mags, tomorrow?

 

[Dennis in MA]

Are these mags stiff enough or are we back to U-notch????

 

[allen-1]

Yep. Plus the learning curve that's being overcome. Today it's Glock Mags, tomorrow?

Here's a post from a facebook group I belong to, I stripped out the userid:

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

Are these mags stiff enough or are we back to U-notch????

I asked the original designer via Reddit about the mags (the Menendez Mag version), as this was my initial though as well. He said that they do bulge and aren't completely drop free when loaded, but seem to drop unloaded.

The only work around I could see while still keeping the concept of 100% 3D printed (aside from spring) would be to copy an ETS ten rounder, as the walls are much thicker. But at that point, you're not only using much more filament, but you're also capping yourself at sub standard round counts. There is also the thought of using higher strength materials like carbon impregnated filament, but then the cost argument goes out the window.

 

[dcmdon]

I can't think of a reason for this, outside of getting expensive mags in a ban state or just S&G. Glock mags are pretty cheap considering. And plentiful.

It's a cool project. Just not that practical.

Most 3D printed gun related projects aren't practical. The same goes for just about any 80% lower.
Its more interesting in that it demonstrates that people can make them if a real ban is ever put into place.

 

[T-Unit]

The point is that magazine restrictions are pointless. As long as these magazines are reasonably cheap to make their mere existence indicates a win.

They're much more pointless when you consider the ease of driving to NH or Maine and buying mags that hold more than 10 rds. It's the same thing for stuff like binary triggers. Let's say there's a mass shooting in a ban state and the shooter used "hi capacity mags, binary trigger, and an AR made from an 80% lower that had the collapsible stock, flash suppressor, and pistol grip" and all those things were bought out of state... what difference does it make? Those laws didn't do anything to STOP the shooter, they just stopped those who aren't murderers from having them.

Which is the entire point.

 

[Spanz]

Can’t Stop The Signal

Hmm, found this on the Oaty Bar?

 

[boudiepitbull]

The solution is obvious...we need to legislate an outright ban on 3D printers. It's the next logical step needed to prevent more mass shootings in churchs and schools and to keep the children safe.

 

[namedpipes]

It's a demonstration that the legislation is pointless.

"We the People" can make magazines.
"We the People" can make firearms.
Technology has made its way to the desktop, kitchen table and workshop of middle America.

You can pass any legislation you'd like - whether we choose to comply is another matter.

If you think about it, people have been making guns for hundreds of years. And that doesn't even count the Chinese.

Ethan Allen, a noted gun manufacturer of the 19th century did NOT have a factory filled with Bridgeports and blast furnaces. His factory might approximate a typical DIY'er's basement.

The home workshops I suspect some of the people hereabouts have could produce firearms (one at a time) on a par with the finest commercial manufacturers today.

Pandora's Box, genie out of the the bottle - whatever tired catch phrase, it's FAR to late to stop people from doing as they wish.

And THAT is why the indoctrination programs AKA high education. And in turn, why it's so easy to get funding TO go to college. So they can teach us not to WANT to make or have those things.

 

[fshalor]

I can't think of a reason for this, outside of getting expensive mags in a ban state or just S&G. Glock mags are pretty cheap considering. And plentiful.

It's a cool project. Just not that practical.

When semi auto magazine manufacture is outlawed for consumer markets in 2020, this will come in handy.