Old school Machining vs. "Printing" your own Liberator - Page 2

45_auto · June 27, 2013, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skans

Even snub-nosed pistols have rifling. I always figured it had more to do with stabilizing the bullet, even over short distances, rather than just long distance accuracy.

I always figured it had more to do with staying legal than anything else. A snub-nosed pistol without rifling is called a "sawed off shotgun".

Same reason all the "Judge" type guns have rifling.

SIGSHR · June 27, 2013, 04:52 PM

I can see "printing" your own, but a plastic barrel?

Slopemeno · June 28, 2013, 12:20 PM

I've also seen a pretty detailed illustration of the devices used by gunsmiths in the 16-1700's to make barrels and rifle them.

Those guys had a lot of time and patience. A LOT.

The rifling rig was probably the easiest. It was a wooden bed that held the barrel and guided a wooden rod down the bore. The wood rod had a track carved into it's length that set the rifling twist. The "button" was also wood with a hardened scraper on it. The scraper removed metal. As the rifling groove got deeper- shims of paper were added under the scaper to deepen the cut. Frankly I'd rather do the rifling than any other phase of construction they showed...

And yeah- I also think the most promising part of the 3-D printer phenomenon is how rapidly a manufacturer like Ruger could prototype parts. Most of the other stuff I see associated with the printing seems to be wishfull thinking.

**Unclenick** · July 1, 2013, 02:39 PM

That's only because of the limitations of the resins the current generation of 3D printers use. I saw one engineering prof (IIRC) interviewed who said the next generation will assemble things out of microscopic blocks that can snap together in all three dimensions that will serve as the 3D equivalent of a pixel. These could be made of metals and sintered later, I suspect. After that, he says, the next thing will be advances in equipment that already exists than can assemble individual atoms, so that we actually construct things from the atoms up. This is basically a Star Trek replicator, though you'll need the right raw materials (won't be building new atoms from scratch economically any time soon). He thinks as early as twenty years from now for the first clunky industrial versions.

Can you imagine putting some charcoal briquettes in the hopper and dialing up a perfect 100 carat diamond for the wife on you anniversary?

July 1, 2013, 02:39 PM	#29
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,061	That's only because of the limitations of the resins the current generation of 3D printers use. I saw one engineering prof (IIRC) interviewed who said the next generation will assemble things out of microscopic blocks that can snap together in all three dimensions that will serve as the 3D equivalent of a pixel. These could be made of metals and sintered later, I suspect. After that, he says, the next thing will be advances in equipment that already exists than can assemble individual atoms, so that we actually construct things from the atoms up. This is basically a Star Trek replicator, though you'll need the right raw materials (won't be building new atoms from scratch economically any time soon). He thinks as early as twenty years from now for the first clunky industrial versions. Can you imagine putting some charcoal briquettes in the hopper and dialing up a perfect 100 carat diamond for the wife on you anniversary? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

June 27, 2013, 04:52 PM	#27
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	I can see "printing" your own, but a plastic barrel?

June 28, 2013, 12:20 PM	#28
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	I've also seen a pretty detailed illustration of the devices used by gunsmiths in the 16-1700's to make barrels and rifle them. Those guys had a lot of time and patience. A LOT. The rifling rig was probably the easiest. It was a wooden bed that held the barrel and guided a wooden rod down the bore. The wood rod had a track carved into it's length that set the rifling twist. The "button" was also wood with a hardened scraper on it. The scraper removed metal. As the rifling groove got deeper- shims of paper were added under the scaper to deepen the cut. Frankly I'd rather do the rifling than any other phase of construction they showed... And yeah- I also think the most promising part of the 3-D printer phenomenon is how rapidly a manufacturer like Ruger could prototype parts. Most of the other stuff I see associated with the printing seems to be wishfull thinking.