Seems like small scale metal 3D printing offers possibilities of making limited runs of replacement parts for guns that are long out of production. Yes? No?
If yes, then what candidate guns would you suggest? It's kind of difficult because if the gun was popular then it probably has aftermarket support already...
Assuming the metallurgy and (if necessary) heat treating processes can be worked out, it might work. The difficulty may be in acquiring a large enough selection of a particular firearm to insure the universal fit tolerances are right (assuming the technical data package is NLA). Or make the plan to provide raw parts with final fitting and installation by the user or gunsmith. One would also want to consider the consequences of failure - if the part you make fails, will the gun just not work or could it cause a catastrophic failure and potential harm to operator?
What you will find is that even though you are not making receivers and not making complete firearms, if you are in the business of making firearm parts, the BATFE will want you to have an FFL. They want to be able to collect fees and check on you every now and then. If that fits in your business model, awesome.
You will most likely be making parts for things you own examples of. Obscure parts rarely have existing CAD models. As stated above, you may need multiple copies because old/obscure/not-top-tier offerings are not always the most consistent. Open up an AK style some time and check out the file marks inside. You may have a few, they may be all over.
You are going to expect to have several firearms come across your desk for business purposes, and this is what the BATFE will expect as well. That is why they will want you to have an FFL. This type of thing pops up for companies only making hand guards.
As far as what to try for? I have no idea, but I would ask a company like Numrich what they have consistent demand for that they no longer have parts available for.
Real usable metal printed parts are made on very expensive printers. They can be incredibly nice, and made out of incredible alloys. It can be done, but honestly since most of those guns were made without access to additive manufacturing, replacement parts can be made more efficiently without additive manufacturing.
You are still making gun parts, so all relevant laws would apply.
I'd think it more profitable to get really good at making pre-1900 shotgun parts by hand. Pick stuff that was 100% handmade to begin with. Learn to match the original production process. At least that's what I would do if I were interested in a business like this.
Dunno if you guys know this, but many of the parts are so specific that you make a screwdriver to go with the screw.
I toured stratasys' factory/design center a few years ago. Super awesomeness. I was interested in metal printing and they had some. But they weren't super keen on it. My guide mentioned lots of environmental/safety issues
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:I'd think it more profitable to get really good at making pre-1900 shotgun parts by hand. Pick stuff that was 100% handmade to begin with. Learn to match the original production process. At least that's what I would do if I were interested in a business like this.
Dunno if you guys know this, but many of the parts are so specific that you make a screwdriver to go with the screw.
truth. We visited Williamsburg, and they had a gunsmith. It seemed like a neat little booth until I started asking questions. They make rifles out of that shop that you can buy today. They make them as they would have been made, with the tools they would have had, in colonial Williamsburg. They start at 20K per rifle. They make the barrel to your spec, and they indeed make their own screws.
Affordable tools.
I know they exist, but flood the market with 3D printed flat folding jigs for AK, CETME, UZI, Galil, MPx, etc. It's hard to justify building just one stamped receiver when the jig costs 1/3-1/2 the price of a complete firearm.
I need an Uzi alignment jig, make me one of those.
I don't know how you'd 3D print them, but on the topic of Uzi, I'm pretty sure McKay is the only one still making semi bolts and repair pieces. Their bolts are rarely in stock, and quite expensive when they are. There's still a lot of cheap demiled imported Israeli parts kits on the market but no available semi auto bolts. Modifying a FA bolt is doable, but you really need a mill, a way to anneal the bolt, and you still need a pricey and rare striker assembly for it.
If you can laser/water jet/stamp some Galil, G3/CETME, and MP5 flats, sell them as a kit with a 3D printed jigs, for <$200, I'll be your first customer.
Also with all of the super cheap CETME kits on the market, Apex was selling them for $99 on Cyber Monday, I'd love to see some caliber conversions. 3D print me a Glock magwell adapter, and somone make a 9mm bolt and a trunion to hold a 9mm barrel. There's a fella that makes .45 ACP conversions but they use Thompson mags, and the .45's case diameter is darn close to the 7.62x51.
Remembered another idea I had recently.
Make a PPS 43 barrel shroud that's >16" that welds in place and looks like the original, so you can use the folding stock and not have to SBR it.
Lots of people making gun parts already.
ATF is salivating at the prospect of the new anti-firearm administration so you don't want to slip up, they are already raiding people selling the 80% kits (Dubbed Ghost Guns by the anti-gun crowd).
One business opportunity is reloading and selling once fired brass. I suspect the business for ammo is going to be steady for a while. You still need the Federal license to do this.
Another thing that is getting popular is silencers, people don't want the noise (actually required in some European countries at firing ranges) - Not just an FFL for these though, Class 3 license as well to make and sell.
From what I know as a lifetime firearm hobbyist if you don't have a background and street credibility you will probably fail unless you have a really good product and can afford several years of making no money while your market your wares and gear up to meet the demand for orders.
I've been talking to a customer of mine who is former long time MIM/PIM guy who is now in the 3D metal printing space. He is targeting the expensive portion of the business which is the post printing sintering of the parts. His thoughts were that some of the current lower cost 3D plastic printers can produce good quality metal printed parts now as the process is the same but the material is now highly loaded with powdered metal. These parts require debinding and sintering and the capital required to perform this step is pretty significant at approx. $1MM. He's got the furnace in place now and is targeting toll sintering for people printing the parts.
The little community that SWMBO and I bought our property in, has one stop light (which is a recent development). The old IGA at the corner of that light was bulldozed, and a new gas station built in its place about 15 years ago. Attached to that gas station was a small regional bank branch. The bank lasted maybe 5 years and has been vacant since. I've fanaticized about opening a little firearms/sporting goods store in that little bank for years, there's a small vault in it, the doors and windows are already pretty secure, and it's a good location for drive-by traffic, a lot of lake traffic.
Alas, I like my job, and have no desire to quit it. Having my own FFL, even just Q&R would be handy though. However, at the rate things are going, by the time I can retire, the US will be like Australia, or gun owners will be so disenfranchised by taxes that only the super rich can own guns, or I'll be in prison for owning something that was 100% legal until someone at the ATF has another manic episode, and manages to legislate another opinion into law over night.
Sorry if that's teetering towards floundering, I've been keeping a close eye on the 80% and pistol brace bull E36 M3 of late, and jharry3 mentioning it, got my Irish up.
It's fun to dream.
This was somehow innovative enough to get its own segment on The Gun Collective's weekly show this week.
In reply to bigdaddylee82 :
There is a small strip mall near me. A couple of the stores are operated as sort of "secondary" jobs. An R/C shop and a gun store. Their hours are a bit odd (the R/C shop will often well after noon and sometimes stay open until 11PM). The gun store also has odd hours, but typically in the afternoon or evening. So... the idea of a part-time, mainly evening retail business wouldn't be uncommon.
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