Issue 15: The Rise of 3D2A, Menendez Mag V3, .22LR ECM
Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends.
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Community Corner:
In this section, we’ll focus especially on news related to the overall 3D2A community.
The Passing of Fosscad…
On the same day our last issue went to print, we learned that Reddit had banned /r/fosscadtoo. This subreddit was one of two successors to /r/fosscad, which was itself banned in September after five years in operation.
The other successor subreddit, /r/3D2A, now stands alone as the only space dedicated to 3D printed guns on Reddit, and among a handful of Facebook groups, the only 3D2A space on the mainstream internet.
/r/fosscad was the front page of 3D printed guns, and our first reaction after its loss was to try to recreate it. But after the loss of /r/fosscadtoo, we conclude that there will never again be a “front page” for 3D2A on the mainnet. We believe that the future of DIY firearm development is decentralized, federated, and spread across dozens of locations.
…the Rise of 3D2A
Our task as we enter 2026 is to create the means to inform and direct the community to these decentralized resources.
To that end, we announce the creation of the 3D2A Wiki, and its Getting Connected guide. The 3D2A Wiki will serve as a signpost to community members old and new amid the evolving landscape of 3D2A.
More importantly, as a wiki, its content can be determined not just by one individual or group, but by the entire community. The content will grow and update over time, instead of stagnating. Instead of ossifying, the 3D2A Wiki will fossify.
/r/3D2A may very well remain and it will establish a culture in its own right. But it cannot be another /r/fosscad. Let’s instead make it a place for people to start their journey in 3D2A. A place they can stay briefly, but not too long.
A Stronger, More Decentralized World
Fosscad was not just a subreddit, but also a philosophy. As such the passage from /r/fosscad[too] to /r/3D2A also reflects a paradigm shift from Fosscad philosophy to 3D2A/Guncad philosophy.
Fosscad philosophy, built from 2019 to 2024, was in its own way centralized. It attempted to bring everything into one location - first IRC, then Keybase, then Rocketchat. It focused, for better and worse, on the developer personae and point of view rather than the designs themselves.
We felt this approach to guncad recede slowly in 2024, then quickly throughout 2025. The centralized chat platforms have now given way to the decentralized Element. Many of the community leaders from the Fosscad era are no longer with us, and their nearest equivalents do not aspire to the same social roles.
Describing this shift recognizes only something already in progress. Our enemies have already identified it - we now do so as well.
This is not the end of a story so much as the beginning of a new chapter in our maturing movement. We call it 3D2A because it means new things to new people.
New Releases:
In this section, we cover new file releases that we find notable. If something catches your interest, go download and start printing!
Menendez Mag V3 Released!
Bob Menendez remains in prison, but the Menendez Mag V3 was just released! This is the latest iteration of the printed Glock magazine, developed by Riptide Rails, and it introduces a notable innovation: metal feed lips!
These feed lips can be DIY’d by cutting a metal flat (or getting SCS to do it - a DXF is included) and bending it using a printed bending jig. You can also buy premade feed lips from Riptide!
The feed lips have always been the bane of printed mags, so introducing DIY’d metal versions is a very cool step forward, likely making these magazines practical for serious use.
Assembly is the same as the previous versions of this mag, nice and simple, requiring nothing but a Glock spring. Buy a complete kit from Riptide to get the spring and the feed lips all in one!
XD45 Frame from DBFirearms
The prolific DBFirearms brings us his latest design, a printable frame for the Springfield XD45! This is a remix of an earlier frame by 458Socom, modernized and tested by DB.
At this time, the frame is compatible only with the standard XD45 parts kits - XDM, MOD.2 and Subcompact parts aren’t compatible yet, but DB promises they’ll be coming soon!
Updates:
In this section we will mention updates to major releases - fixes, new variants, etc.
Stubbs Releases SMP41 Standalone Package
This is more of a repackaging than a true update, but it’s cool enough to warrant mentioning. Previously released in the Halloween Mega Release, the standalone SMP41 is a remix of the SMP40, meant to mimic the MP-41 by Schmeisser.
Time for some history - the MP-41 may be considered an unauthorized mashup of the MP-40, taking the front half (barrel, receiver, magazine, action) from an MP-40 and combining it with the stock and trigger mechanism of an MP-28. Was this the first remix? Was Hugo Schmeisser the earliest guncadder?
That said, the SMP41 is really just an SMP40 with a different stock. If you want that cool wood aesthetic on your 9mm Not-See SMG, this is for you!
New Betas:
In this section we round up recently opened betas. Help support development by joining these betas and testing!
Pill Popper V2 Enters Beta
MiddletonMade’s popular printed suppressor design is back with a new iteration! He describes the V2 as having a hybrid chamber design, helping to achieve better suppression effect. The details are above my head, but it looks cool to me!
Middleton classes this as a beta and so will I. If you print it, make sure to share feedback!
ECM22 Project - DIY Rimfire Barrel
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new ECM design! Developer @R_Weapon brings us a new setup for ECMing a .22LR barrel. I’ve seen other betas for .22LR ECM, but none ever got a true “release”, so if this one makes it through a good testing sequence it will be the first “official” .22LR ECM!
This was apparently developed to support a fully DIY .22LR semiauto pistol, the R17, which I think is by the same developer despite being on a different Odysee channel.
Interested? Download and help test!
Notachi Continues Development with RC5
The Notachi Revolver by clearview4851 has advanced to a new iteration! See changelog here. It looks like one of the major updates is making the DIY firing pin easier to manufacture, which I of course approve of.
This design is being used to test DIY “primer-only” ammo, which is what makes it particularly interesting to me. Given its fully DIY nature, if you decide to help test, do so with care. Looking forward to seeing this design continue to progress!
Coming Soon:
This section lists announcements or previews for projects that have not yet hit open beta. Keep an eye out for further news about these projects!
“Icarus” Glock 43 PDW Coming Soon
Glock PDWs aren’t exactly uncommon, but I’m not sure I’ve seen one for a Glock 43 before! Developer FloridaManPrints is working on just such a design, and he claims that the beta should be out very shortly. Keep an eye out!
News:
In this section we’ll review major news events either originating in the 3D2A space, or particularly pertinent to this space.
California Criminalizes Talking about DIY Guns
In a move that is simultaneously shocking in its audacity, and yet not at all unexpected, California will establish an all-encompassing prior restraint on the “aid[ing], abet[ting], promot[ion], or facilitat[ion]” of the unlicensed “manufacture of any firearm using a three-dimensional printer or computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine”.
What does this actually mean? As usual, we don’t know, and that’s the point. The language is so vague and broad that it could refer to:
Selling a barrel or bolt to a Californian
Selling a collection of nuts and bolts labeled as a “parts kit” to a Californian
Providing a Californian information about how to buy his own "parts kit”
Running a website that offers 3D2A CAD files for download
That last example is specifically identified as illegal, and a rebuttable presumption of violation is established for the owners of such a website.
To be clear, this bill has passed, and it will go into effect as written on January 1st, 2026. At that time we will see who in particular California had in mind when writing this bill.
If you are a parts kit vendor or otherwise an owner of a 3D2A website or resource, it behooves you to pay close attention to this bill. Be smart, be safe. Be aware.
Other Links:
This section will collect any other links I find interesting. These may be older designs I want to share, releases I find notable but don’t have much commentary on, or anything else that catches my eye.
Back in Issue 12 we reported on a Beretta FRT, but sometime after publication it was taken down. Fortunately, it’s back!
If you like to do primer-only tests on your build before graduating to the real deal (and you should) this printable hammer-based bullet extractor will help you.
About the Guncad Digest:
Thank you for reading this issue of the Guncad Digest! Please send us your feedback and suggestions for improvements on the issue.
The Guncad Digest is sourced using the very excellent Guncad Index, from /r/3D2A, and from readers like you. If you know of a project you think should be featured, send it our way!
This issue was compiled and authored by Alyosha from 3D Print Freedom / 3D2A. We sell high quality parts kits for some of the best DIY guns available - if you’re looking for your next gun build, come check us out!
Honestly r/3d2a isn't the greatest. I got a permanent ban because I was try to tell people to go to the gatalog/guncad index/odysee and they have this retarded new rule where you can't mention those websites. If it's meant to be the stepping stone how can it even function as one when I can't tell people where the resources are? Every other post was stl begging and asking where to get the files and I thought I was doing the right thing. Apparently the mods like to gatekeep.
Will the bending jig be on the sea ? I haven’t seen anything on those feed lips.