Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Awesome news here! Development of my PM522 Washbear 3D-printed revolver is coming along great and we've achieved a world first!
Here's a summary of the different cylinders we've tried:
-The original multi-part cylinder with tension rods didn't hold up. It fired two shots and cracked on the third, which deformed the cylinder enough to jam the action. The tension rods actually sheared cleanly at the point where the bullet exits the casing.
-So we tried making the tension rods thicker. On that version, the tension rods survived firing but the cylinder still cracked.
-So then we tried my resin-filled ABS idea. That one fired six shots, but was too damaged to reuse.
-So I made a version with no tension rods and I tightened up the headspace, hoping that the front and rear of the cylinder would contact the frame when fired and the frame would take the pressure. FP has printed this version in Taulman Bridge (a nylon filament) and it awaits testing. He also modified that design to accept steel chamber liners. Here's a video of the test fire with an ABS cylinder with steel liners:
It works!!! This is the first repeating firearm ever made with a consumer-grade 3D printer! (Not counting the Shuty because it uses a Glock barrel).
Now, it is kind of cheating to use the chamber liners, so hopefully the nylon cylinder will work and we'll have a true polymer pistol. Also you'll notice in the video that he had some trouble moving the trigger forward. This is because after a round is fired, the firing pin is still under tension from the striker bands while it rests in the dent it created in the primer. For the cylinder to rotate, the firing pin has to cam out of the dent, causing unwanted resistance. I've fixed this issue in the next version, coming soon.
What else...Oh, PM422 Songbird 2.0 has been successfully tested with internal bands! I'll be getting rid of the slots in the side and I might relocate the branding. I just have to export some files and get the .zip folder together. It should be out within a week.
Questions? Suggestions? Let me know in the comments.
Awesome news here! Development of my PM522 Washbear 3D-printed revolver is coming along great and we've achieved a world first!
Gunnit Rust: PM522 WashbearHere's a summary of the different cylinders we've tried:
-The original multi-part cylinder with tension rods didn't hold up. It fired two shots and cracked on the third, which deformed the cylinder enough to jam the action. The tension rods actually sheared cleanly at the point where the bullet exits the casing.
-So we tried making the tension rods thicker. On that version, the tension rods survived firing but the cylinder still cracked.
-So then we tried my resin-filled ABS idea. That one fired six shots, but was too damaged to reuse.
-So I made a version with no tension rods and I tightened up the headspace, hoping that the front and rear of the cylinder would contact the frame when fired and the frame would take the pressure. FP has printed this version in Taulman Bridge (a nylon filament) and it awaits testing. He also modified that design to accept steel chamber liners. Here's a video of the test fire with an ABS cylinder with steel liners:
It works!!! This is the first repeating firearm ever made with a consumer-grade 3D printer! (Not counting the Shuty because it uses a Glock barrel).
Now, it is kind of cheating to use the chamber liners, so hopefully the nylon cylinder will work and we'll have a true polymer pistol. Also you'll notice in the video that he had some trouble moving the trigger forward. This is because after a round is fired, the firing pin is still under tension from the striker bands while it rests in the dent it created in the primer. For the cylinder to rotate, the firing pin has to cam out of the dent, causing unwanted resistance. I've fixed this issue in the next version, coming soon.
What else...Oh, PM422 Songbird 2.0 has been successfully tested with internal bands! I'll be getting rid of the slots in the side and I might relocate the branding. I just have to export some files and get the .zip folder together. It should be out within a week.
Questions? Suggestions? Let me know in the comments.