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In today’s issue:
NFA DAY OF DEFEAT
It’s the biggest legal news in 2A since Bruen, and the biggest (positive) practical change for what Americans can make and buy since the AWB expired, occurred recently. We proudly start off with this fantastic news!
NFA Declared Unconstitutional for Suppressors, SBRs, SBS’
If you’re reading this newsletter, you already know this, but it’s worth repeating: on August 5th, a federal judge in the Northern District of Texas issued a ruling declaring portions of the NFA applying to suppressors, SBRs and SBS’ unconstitutional.
The practical effect is that the ATF is enjoined from enforcing the unconstitutional provisions against beneficiaries of the ruling. For those beneficiaries, with appropriate provisos, they can now make and sell suppressors, SBRs and SBS’ without following certain NFA regulations.
It’s been over a week since the ruling, and while its implications are starting to settle, there’s plenty of confusion about the details. Major questions include:
Who is actually covered under this ruling?
What exactly can beneficiaries do?
What will the next legal event be in this drama?
I’ve already written extensively about the first two questions in the Guide to Builders, which you should absolutely read if you haven’t already. So let’s talk about the last question.
To me this victory is tremendous and is worth celebrating, so it’s a little surprising to see how many people are blackpilling about it. I’ve seen this in at least two forms:
The ruling is meaningless because it doesn’t cover everyone / apply nationwide / strike down the entire NFA / suck my dick and make me a sandwich.
The DOJ will appeal, the law will change, and when it does everyone buying or making the newly deregulated items will become felons.
To be honest I find the former reaction risibly obnoxious. I recognize that American gun owners are not used to winning, so difficulty celebrating a legitimate victory is forgivable. But I also detect more than a whiff of purity signaling in this behavior - of making the perfect the enemy of the good in pursuit of clout. To those trying to spoil this moment by making it about themselves, I can only say: not cool.
The latter reaction is worth discussing further, because it’s based on the understandable notion that this can’t possibly persist. Yet I am going to plant my flag here and say: yes it can.
I want you to reflect on the DOJ’s failure to appeal. The Texas judge gave DOJ an enormous opportunity to challenge this ruling before it took effect. They had plenty of time. They had the full resources of the US government. There was zero advantage to waiting, and several disadvantages. They still chose not to do so.
I believe that this obviously intentional decision, combined with signals from the administration, means that we will likely see this injunction persist for the remainder of the Trump presidency - two years.
That’s two years for makers and dealers to flood the market with previously-regulated products. Two years to make suppressors, SBRs and SBS’ ubiquitous. That’s seismic. That’s unprecedented.
I’m not going to pretend that the upcoming Harris / Newsom administration won’t try to undo this in some way. But I’m also not going to pretend that after two years of flooding that they’ll be able to simply turn off the tap.
At time of writing many FFLs are expressing serious hesitancy about abandoning Form 4s untie more clarification is provided. That’s fine and I don’t blame them. But I think that private makers should be bolder. All signals formal and informal tell me that you, maker, can now print suppressors, without pain or fear or guilt. Audentes fortuna iuvat.
If you feel inspired to take action, I have good news:
FTN.6 RELEASES - The Rest is Silence
When we needed them, they appeared. The FTN project reaches its ultimate conclusion, shepherded by the FTN Dev Group, who have carried on the FTN project in PLABoi’s absence. Right on time, they bequeath to us the FTN.6.
The release is tremendous not just in significance but in scale. It contains:
FTN.6 Rimfire, smaller than previous versions, closer to commercial cans
FTN.6 9mm, in two versions, one boostered and one boosterless, offering better performance and aesthetics than the FTN.5
FTN.6 Rifle, in several versions, again offering superior strength and performance to the FTN.5
FTN.6 Air, the lightest weight rifle-caliber FTN yet produced
Like the FTN.5, the series 6 embraces printing with nylons (PPA) and therefore requires no metal cans - these are for the most part fully printed designs.
This writeup is only an overview - to learn more, read the documentation in the release or the official statement by the FTN Dev Group.
NOTE: Guncad being guncad, this release was accompanied by some controversy and confusion. Rumors spread of the design being “stolen” from PLA.boi, or not being properly tested. These are false and have been addressed here.
This design was thoroughly tested by the same group of devs who tested previous iterations all the way back to the FTN.3. Its design choices were thoroughly discussed and considered by this group.
At least some of the rumors to the contrary seem to have been spread by a single malcontent. Don’t believe every salacious thing you read, anon.
We are told that this will be the final FTN release. Though no doubt others will pick up the baton and continue development of DIY suppressors, let me offer my sincerest admiration to those who brought the FTN project into existence - not just the printable artifacts themselves, but the philosophy, the ideology, the weltanschuung the project created.
You are one of the top three most significant figures in 3D2A, and one of the most important shapers of the 21st century firearms movement. Appare!
New Releases:
In this section, we cover new file releases that we find notable. If something catches your interest, go download and start printing!
Seraph Pistol - Bufferless Blicky Part 1
Be not afraid! Developed by CapnCuck and released by The Bullpen, the Seraph is a bufferless AR pistol that can be chambered in either 5.56 or .300BLK. And as the photo above demonstrates, it truly is a pistol!
Hardware required is a standard AR BCG and barrel. The bufferless magic works by chopping the BCG and attaching a sled made from custom-cut laser parts, an approach similar to (and inspired by) the Marsupial / Quokka.
See it in action! It’s an extremely cool bolter-style gun and another sign of how far guncad has come.
Parts kits are available at 3D2A.com!
BB15 - Bufferless Blicky Part 2
But wait, there’s more! The BB15 - whose acronym is the source for the term “bufferless blicky” - was created by Caliber / 8762e13 and tested by the same team at The Bullpen.
As can be seen, this is a bullpup rifle, not a pistol like the Seraph, more similar in role to something like the FAMAS or Aug. The BB15 might be thought of as an evolution of the Phantom Pup project, with its documentation noting that the biggest improvement is reduced cost and complexity in populating the lower parts kit. A compatible upper (FM15, BRN180, or generic upper with bufferless BCG) is required.
The design can be built for any upper / magazine sized for AR-15 footprints - so standard intermediate cartridges (5.56, .300BLK, etc.) but also with AR9 parts. Documentation is thorough.
Fine work!
Fair Deal v2 - S&W15-22 Magazine Releases
Announced as “coming soon” in Issue 30, the Fair Deal v2 hit release just two days after publication! That might be a record.
As can be seen, this is a printable S&W15-22 magazine, compatible with any design that accepts that mag (DIY or OEM). Capacities of 10, 15, 20 and 25 are available, all of which use different lengths of the same spring. It also features a LRBHO!
Developer General Custer clearly put a significant amount of care into this release. If you have a gun that takes this magazine, go check this release out!
Slap Ya Glock - MA-19 (Re)Releases
I actually missed this one when it first came out, but fortunately a re-release brought it back to my attention! The MA-19 from Macnay Arms is a printed Glock PDW with a very special feature: an MP5-style charging handle that reciprocates the slide and can be locked back - and more importantly, slapped open!
You can print it without the “slap” if you want, in which case it prints without the upper / brace and simply the foregrip (still a PDW.) But why would you want to do that?
Between this and the Daedalus, the Glock PDW world just keeps getting cooler!
Updates:
In this section we will mention updates to major releases - fixes, new variants, etc.
Clapping Back on Smokeless Powder
The section we did on DIY smokeless powder in our last issue was intended to start a discussion, but it got more attention than I expected! In fact I think it was the most discussed portion of the entire newsletter.
Unsurprisingly, popular consensus was that the method presented was totally unsafe! I agree, but I also lack the chemistry knowledge to explain precisely why this is. Fear not - others do! This explanation on Reddit by Katrahaska_1939, and discussion in the comments of the same, do a great job of covering it.
The main thrust seems to be that the truly dangerous part of the Issue 30 writeup was its encouragement to create nitroglycerine (NG). Katrahaska points out that even commercial smokeless doesn’t use NG by itself, instead often combining it with nitrocellulose (NC), which is easier and safer to make and store.
The suggestion seems to be that the Issue 30 writeup could swap NG with NC and still work adequately for a DIY powder. Performance will not be as good, but if you’re making your own powder, are you really trying to count every Joule of energy, or simply create something that goes bang reliably?
I’m actually thrilled to see so many community members with chemistry knowledge willing to weigh in. What say you guys to pooling your knowledge and creating a proper guide?
HT-PLA Pro Initial Results are Promising
It’s been a few weeks since Polymaker dropped their new HT-PLA Pro filament, and results are starting to roll in! Encouragingly, the initial evaluation seems to be pretty good!
Developer lunaticrider209 describes an experiment in which he printed a Glock frame (in a very sexy color!), assembled it and left it in his car for several days, during which time temps reached over 130F, actually maxing out the thermometer he used (not great, not terrible.)
After removing the frame it was inspected and no warping or cracking was found. He then went on to fire 1,000 rounds of ammo through the build without issue.
That’s extraordinary! Perhaps even better than I might have expected. We’ll want to see continued testing and broad acceptance before truly accepting this new filament as a replacement for standard PLA Pro, but I like where things are going!
New Betas:
In this section we round up recently opened betas. Help support development by joining these betas and testing!
Carioca Redentor - Urutau Mk2 Enters Beta
We open this beta section with major news that was as much a surprise to me as it was to all of you - the Urutau Mk2 has entered beta at Black Lotus Coalition.
It seems that, while Joseph the Parrot’s utterly unjust prosecution works its way through the Brazilian legal system, other developers have picked up the Urutau project and continued work. Now that work has reached completeness, requiring only a semi-public beta test to validate it before release.
The largest difference between the Mk2 and the original Urutau is its size - the Mk2, while still chambered in 9mm, has been shrunk considerably with the goal of making it as compact as the FGC-9. The most important consequence of this resizing is that the gun is now, by default, an SBR - but recent news shows that this may not be as much an issue as initially imagined!
A handful of other improvements are being introduced (a popular one will be its slappable charging handle) and many elements are in place for further improvements in future iterations, most notably the use of a DIY cartridge called the “9x23mm Stark” - currently in closed development, but further details to be revealed.
This is more than just a new beta - it’s a reminder that a dream never dies. You can jail the man but not the idea. The signal will never be stopped.
Join the beta at Black Lotus Coalition!
Jaçanā Also Enters Beta - Unbullpupped Urutau
A second beta has hit the community! As if to prove my point above - we’re not just improving released Parrot designs, we’re resurrecting unreleased ones!
The Jaçanã might best be described as an “unbullpupped Urutau” - it moves the magazine in front of the trigger, eliminating the trigger linkage, allowing the use of a standard AR FCG. The bolt is still weight-forward, so it’s bufferless, allowing it to be easily configured as a pistol.
While this design has been alpha’d privately, it is not as mature as the Mk2 and so is in a more private, selective beta process, also at Black Lotus. Greater building experience is required. If you’ve got what it takes to help, reach out to BLC and request access!
PWC2.0 with Twitch V3 Immanentizes my Mac Dream
I’ve become a self-parody at this point with my constant harping on Macs that Look Like Macs, but that’s how we all end up isn’t it? In any case, my dream to dual wield full auto Mac pistols remains unfulfilled - but it’s pretty damn close at this point.
Based dev nightalliance has made updates to the original PWC-9 primarily to add support for the Twitch V3 Mac reset trigger. Both components (the frame and the Twitch) are released as beta projects, so you can download them and try them out now!
Like the original PWC-9, this is compatible with standard Velocity-style Mac uppers but still requires an MPA lower parts kit.
See it in action here!
Decker 9 Beta Produces Bizon Wonders
There is a certain formula in 3D2A: popular design + long running beta = insane mods. The Decker 9 is the finest example of this moment.
This design is functionally complete and is slowly working its way towards release configuration. This leaves many beta participants with lots of time on their hands. Developer sticky filled that time by adapting the KP9 Bizon for use with the Decker. See it running here!
The design has been released privately to the Decker beta room, which can be found at Black Lotus. Join up to help test it, and the Decker 9 project generally - help bring it to release!
Partisan-9 Extractor Mod Unexpectedly Drops
I can’t say I was expecting this. The Partisan-9, released in 2023, is an iteration of the FGC-9 that improved the design in several ways, most notably by using square bolt stock instead of round, and introducing a method to port the barrel for integral supression. Its designer ImmortalRevolt incorporated these improvements in his later Rogue-9 and Rebel-9 releases.
Given the Partisan’s age I’m surprised to see a mod for it, and yet here it is! Developer LFOD has released a bolt mod which incorporates a Rogue/Rebel-style extractor. The lack of an extractor is arguably one of the greatest weaknesses of many fully DIY guns, so I’m quite pleased to see this technology being backported.
Could it be backported further onto the FGC-9? Onto the Urutau? Anything is possible!
Printable Tavor Lower Enters Beta
What we have here is a printable lower for the “CTAR21”. What is that? Perhaps you know it better as the Tavor?
(Yes, technically this is for the compact version, hence the C)
This project by PekingDuck has apparently been in development for some time in anticipation of more Tavor parts kits entering the US. COD fans rejoice! Grab a kit and come help test.
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!
MA40 Internal Beta Continues, Nears Open Beta
The printable MA-40 project, announced in Issue 16, is getting very close to opening up for public beta! We got a nice teaser for this project from tester XxWHITE-RICExX, who couldn’t have a more appropriate username for testing a Halo gun.
It seems like the final work before release is getting the electronics package set up, and that’s pretty close too! Here’s a pic:
The dream of slaying aliens with a MA40 is within Reach! Stay tuned, Spartan.
Super Safe Every UMP
In our last issue we shared a project to create a reset trigger for the UMP 11/9. Soon, thanks to developer FoapsFiles, you’ll be able to shoot your UMP-VO in super semi too!
This is not quite ready for release, Foap says he wants to refine it more, but hopefully we can expect it after not too long. Keep it coming!
Open Source Arms Presents Slick Website, Slicker DIY AR-15
A novice asks the master: why does 3D2A keep reinventing the AR-15? The master responds: “柳は緑、花は紅”. The novice was enlightened.
A new group called Open Source Arms has arrived with a new AR-15 design, and more interestingly a very slick website. Details on this design are scarce but what’s been revealed is quite interesting - it seems like while the lower is 3D printed, the upper will be made from bent sheet metal and rivets. I’ve always been a fan of incorporating bent flats into more designs, so this pleases me!
It sounds like the beta will drop on September 30th, and you can sign up at the website to be notified. We’ll report it here too of course!
Other News:
In this section we’ll review major news events either originating in the 3D2A space, or particularly pertinent to this space.
Guncad Index Launches Contingency Plan for Odysee
The fact that the tremendous changes made recently at the Guncad Index are not the biggest news in 3D2A only evinces the sheer scale of recent events. Yet they are absolutely worth covering.
Many readers will be aware that the former CEO of Odysee recently stepped down and, in a public tweet following his departure, sent signals that the Odysee platform may not last much longer.
That sounds very scary, and it is. Further communication with Odysee people have led me to believe that an Odysee shut down is not imminent, or even inevitable, but regardless it is something that must be accounted and prepared for.
We were not found wanting. Well before any actual crisis emerged, a solution was implemented. As of now, a viable alternative for file uploads and downloads, based on torrent technology, has been developed and deployed at the Guncad Index.
The Index’ operator and developer The Shittinator has written extensively about the this solution and its context at his own Substack. I highly recommend you read it (and subscribe while you’re there!)
Shittinator’s article tells you all you need to know about the technical details, so I’d instead like to comment on the infrastructural context. Because of the tremendous work performed by Shittinator and others, we were not caught flat-footed by this announcement. All the pieces were in place to get a second option implemented.
This is not to say that the work involved was trivial - it sounds like Shittinator worked for several days on end to get it built as quickly as possible. But it was his earlier work over the last year of building the Index in the first place, and positioning it in the community, that made this current work possible.
Let it never be said that there are not Great Men in history. You may sleep easily in your bed tonight, knowing that guncad will not die if Odysee fails, thanks to men like Shittinator. My hat is off to you!
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.
Based dev Proof1447 has released a red dot riser with an integrated iron sight, which is exactly the kind of neat / useful little accessory guncad is meant for. Nice work!
Developer clearview4851 is continuing his Notachi DIY revolver project, which consists not just of the gun but a special printed ammunition called the 9PAK. He’s got a beta release available, which he notes is untested, so handle with care!
This week’s award for most obscure 3D2A project goes to this trigger housing by Luvs2spwge, which allows you to mount an AR-15 trigger in a Hotchkiss M1922. The question is not who will let me, but who will stop me?
I included five different languages in this issue. This was not really intentional. Find them all!
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 3D2A.com. 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!
I will keep working until that dream of yours is fulfilled.
I wish I had the knowledge, time, and expertise to head a project like this.
That OpenPew article was extremely detailed and reminds me of how little I know. 😂
With that said, if someone does have the knowledge, time, and expertise to head this project, I would volunteer to take on some testing. For instance, I could commit to a few of filament types, caliber types, and barrel lengths.
However, I don't have a decibel meter so my testing would be strictly on durability/reliability.
I am hoping to test my PPS-CF10 printed CP9 Hex v2 on my PSA AK-V this weekend if I can find time.
I haven't found anyone who has tried this filament type for suppressors but in researching it, it sounded like a promising candidate so long as it's not too brittle.
If it works well, my next thought is to try it on 5.56, then 5.56 with an FRT.
With that said, I am here to learn but I'm also here to contribute so if I can help this community progress let me know and I'll give it a shot (pun).