Issue #9: Fully DIY Rolling Block, Printed Ammo, Printable FMG9, TX-22 Dump
From single-shot rifles to super safe belt feds, we've got it all!
Welcome to the Guncad Digest! This newsletter will regularly round up the best and most interesting 3D2A releases, betas and news.
If you want the Guncad Digest delivered straight to your inbox, you can subscribe to this Substack.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, or Reddit, where we’ll post notifications when a new issue of the Digest is live!
In today’s issue:
New Releases:
In this section, we cover new file releases that we find notable. If something catches your interest, go download and start printing!
Modelo Polytactico - Fully DIY Printed Ammunition Rolling Block Rifle
We’re starting off with one of the most exciting releases in a while, the Modelo Polytactico by The Armourer of Black Lotus Coalition! Release trailer:
Like the video says, this design is a fully DIY rolling block rifle, using a pipe barrel and requiring no firearms parts. That’s very cool, but what’s even cooler is that it uses printed ammunition - an advanced version of the Mr. Deep ammo.
These printed shells can be configured with loads from anything to basic plinking ammo to rounds strong enough to take small game, or more. Both slugs and shotshells are supported!
If you want to build one of your own, kits are available at 3D Print Freedom!
Plasticcatto “Competition-Driven Glock 17” Releases
The latest release from Gatalog, it’s the Plasticcatto! This takes the common printed Glock 17 frame and adds several features to make it more “competitive”, including an integrated compensator, tungsten weights and a DIY holster system. Check out the trailer to learn more!
It’s available for download now, so go get printing and smoke the fudds at your local IPSC match.
DIY “Red Dot” Optic
First the DIY Collimator sight, now this - feels like we’re seeing a lot of DIY “optics” lately. Hard to call these optics because they don’t actually involve glass, but you know what I mean!
This is the Reddot at Home from Atombomb347. While this uses a piece of Truglo fiber, it’s not a collimator because it does include a window. This is a cool option!
It mounts onto a pic rail, but I wonder if it could be shrunk and adapted as a pistol optic. Will it survive firing on a pistol slide? Let’s test and find out!
Aesthetic REBEL-9 Upper Remix
The REBEL-9 is one of my favorite guns, so I’m happy to see it getting some love with this remix of the upper! Developer Asuka-TheLastResort brings us the ZPR-9 Upper for the REBEL-9. This is designed for the imperial AR-9 barrel version of the gun, so it’s great for American builders. I doubt it would be difficult to adapt it to the metric version as well.
Someone in the Reddit comments noted that it has something of a Derwood aesthetic, which I can actually somewhat see.
Want to build one? We’ve got kits!
Presented Without Comment 5.7 / Macs that Look Like Macs
Another eagerly anticipated build! Unseenkiller and Nightalliance brings us the PWC 5.7 Mac frame for 5.7x28mm uppers - and not just the frame, but a printable 5.7 mag as well.
Notice that the frame uses no side plates! The reinforcement to keep the buffer tower in place is provided via L-brackets that sit inside the tower, which is pretty neat.
Of course for me the best part is that it actually looks like a Mac. On that note, in my original announcement for this design, I incorrectly stated that this was the first Mac That Looks Like Mac™ release since the Scarab. It was pointed out to me that I was overlooking the Popillia from chuckycheesetouchedme - apologies for the oversight!
There’s a few more MLMs in development, including the Plissken Plinker from Uberclay and the PWC 9 from Unseen himself. We’re getting closer every day to my dream of dual wielding Macs like Max Payne.
TX-22 (Mag)Dump
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve seen the absolute deluge of Taurus TX-22 posts that have taken over FOSSCAD. I guess somebody noticed that it’s a solid .22LR platform can be had for under $300, and is quite amenable to DIY upgrades.
Of course the most popular upgrades are FRTs and we’ve got plenty. Freedom Finger Triggers is a good commercial option, and Advanced Reset Tech will have one as well. Or you can DIY versions from NNWDevelopment, gartech or FRTMONSTER. Which one do you think is best? Share in the comments!
Other upgrades are available including a spare mag holder, an extended mag release, a weight plate, and printable magazines (16/18, 13/14). Mag extensions coming soon!
I’d be remiss not to mention Pembleton’s Sounding Rod striker channel (Middleton made remix here) and compensator. If you’re feeling froggy you can buy a kit containing all of Pembie’s upgrades, including an FRT, professionally printed.
Okay, but can you print the gun? Soon! AtomBomb347 is working on a frame design, the Bullock22.
Those are all the projects I could find - what’d I miss?
Lima Six Upper - Beltfed at Home
I really don’t intend to turn this newsletter into a generic gun newsletter - I want to stay focused on DIY projects. That said, it’s hard to ignore the Lima Six beltfed AR upper launching recently. Well, you can put it on a printed lower, so it kind of counts!
The lucky few who got their hands on the first drop have already started making parts to go with it. For example, this printable box / drum from BasicCombat. I’m looking forward to seeing what else people come up with!
Community Corner:
In this new section, we’ll focus especially on a particular community member. We’ll interview developers, review parts kits and help promote things I believe are deserving of your attention!
Print-A-22 Harlet V3 Review
In today’s Community Corner we’re checking out the Harlet v3 kit from Print-A-22. I think everyone should build a Harlot - it’s dead simple, it works well and it’s fun.
Print-A-22’s Harlet v3 kit is affordable and well designed. Even for this simple kit there’s some thoughtful decisions that went into its creation, such as using button head screws instead of socket heads (to ensure the screw heads don’t sit proud of the plastic) and including extra nuts and screws when you inevitably drop one and lose it under your workbench. It’s all packaged in a neat printed case, a staple of Print-A-22 products.
Interview with Print-A-22:
We interviewed Print-A-22 to learn more about his kit:
Q: Why should someone build a Harlot?
A: Some say its a right of passage into the community. I think that might be taking it a bit far, but I do think the Harlot is a great build to start for someone wanting to get into 3D2A.
It forces you to calibrate your printer, its cheap, and being 22, if something does go wrong, the consequences are generally lower than on higher power builds. It also teaches you some fundamentals, like dealing with barrel liner, printing parts that need to move with each other, and carefully reading the readme.
In almost every instance I've seen where someone had a failure with a harlot, or claims it doesn't work or isn't safe, further investigation shows that the directions were not in fact followed closely. The build went through an extensive beta, and its likely that more harlots (and their variants) have been printed than any other build.
While some may look at the harlot as a "boring single shot", it is what I recommend to anyone wanting to get into this space. Plus there are literally thousands of combination of parts you can use to come up with something truly unique. You can build a harlot short or long, with fancy decorated grips, threaded barrels, or even an integrated suppressor. Anyone who calls the harlot boring has never taken the time to explore the vast variety of parts that you can use to build a harlot in just your style.
Q: Why should someone buy their Harlet kit from you?
A: Obviously the included kit case... you can't get that case anywhere else. From anyone else, you end up with a harlot and an empty plastic baggie. When you buy a Harlot from me, you also get a super cool decorative case.
In all seriousness, .22 is my specialty, and what I do every day, meaning you won't get a chamber that's too shallow, or missing hardware when you buy a Harlot kit from Print-a-22. I take pride in the products I put out there, and have put together more kits for harlots than any other kit I offer.
I also include a steel 'dime breach' standard in all my harlot kits, a worthwhile upgrade over the plastic printed breach, or drilling out a dime. I also donate 10% of my profits on all harlot kits back to Black Lotus Coalition to support their dev efforts and testing funds.
Q: This kit is for the base Harlet v3. What other models of Harlet v3 do you support?
A: Initially I just offered Harlot Kits, but after building a V3, I knew I needed to expand to offer V3 kits as well, as the upgrades over a standard harlot are substantial. I also offer kits for the Shizukana (Threaded Barrel), and Longshot (3" Barrel).
Additionally, since I cut all barrel liner to order, and outside of barrel liner length, the hardware for harlot kits are generally the same, I'm happy to make a kit with whatever length barrel you want.
Q: What's your favorite Quentin Tarantino film?
A: Inglourious Basterds...an amazing movie on its own and the rant scene parodies get me every time.
Notice: Guncad Digest received a free Harlot kit and a small advertisement fee as part of this review and interview.
Interested in being featured in the Community Corner? Send me a message on Substack, or email customersupport@3dprintfreedom.com, and let’s chat!
Updates:
In this section we will mention updates to major releases - fixes, new variants, etc.
VolksStubbGewehr Receives a Safety Update
The VolksStubbGewehr is a printed Mauser K98k, utilizing a plastic version of the famous Mauser bolt action. It works pretty well, but the looser tolerances could lead to situations where the cocking knob might not catch while closing the bolt.
Happily, Stubbs fixes this in this update, adding a a printable sear insert to help catch the knob. This update requires a new section of pen spring; our 3D Print Freedom VSG kits have already been updated to include this new spring.
New Betas:
In this section we round up recently opened betas. Help support development by joining these betas and testing!
FossMG9 - the Printable FMG9 We’ve Been Waiting For
Your attention please - a printed FMG9 is finally on its way to release.
There’s been several attempts at this over the years, all of which have been abandoned due to the inherent difficulty of the design. Developer GreenWhiskey2 decided to make his own attempt at it, and it appears that he’s found a way to make it work!
The beta is being run at Element. If you want to get in - and why wouldn’t you? - DM GreenWhiskey2 on Reddit. I cannot wait to see this one go live!
RPK Remix for Plastikov v4
The Plastikov v4 added support for several previously unsupported AK platforms upon its release, and developer Sticky has extended it yet further to support RPK parts kits. This is more of an alpha than a beta - he notes that he’s done test fitment but never finished the build or fired the design. Calling AK experts - let’s get some eyeballs on this one!
.380ACP VZ61 Lower from Titus Arms
![r/fosscad - [Open Beta] Titus Arms TA-61 380 Optimized Lower](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I-L6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fef6cd1b3-e4fb-43b9-abec-f60647bdbb9a_640x360.png "r/fosscad - [Open Beta] Titus Arms TA-61 380 Optimized Lower")
Friend of the Digest Titus Arms has opened a beta for a .380 version of the VZ61 receiver! He calls it the TA61.
Want to help test? You’ll need a VZ61 parts kit, as well as a conversion kit for a .380-sized upper, barrel, bolt and magazine.
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!
Quokka-15 In Development
The DIY bufferless Marsupial MK18 is getting a new version, the Quokka-15! This new version reconfigures the bolt carrier sled into using a single guide rod instead of two, allowing the upper profile to be much slimmer.
The upper has also been made milspec, meaning it can fit on any lower, not just the specific Marsupial printed one. Several other small changes have been made throughout as well.
It’s in testing right now and is coming soon!
MSRG-19 - 56 Gram Glock-19 Frame
It wouldn’t be a Guncad Digest without some weird unseenkiller shit. Here we have the MSRG-19, Unseen’s attempt at making the smallest functional Glock-19 frame. Massing just 56 grams, this is definitely a design for the “ounces are pounds” crowd.
Super Safe Printable M249S - You Absolute Madman
This video speaks for itself. We’re super-safeing SAWs now.
Could we possibly get parts kits for these?
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.
Here’s a neat little widget to help increase your AR trigger pull weight and eliminate overtravel, nominally to help reduce wear on engagement surfaces.
Middleton brings us an MP5 inspired grip for your AR-15
Need another mouse gun in your life? Here’s a beta for a printable frame for the Tanfoglio GT27, also called the FIE Titan. Chambered in 7 rounds of .25ACP, this will be a fun little pocket gun that won’t weigh you down on your evening jog.
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/fosscad, 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!
Thanks for quoting me and at the same time throwing back a nod to one of our most everyday heros in 2A... Derwood. Hope your doing good brother!
Great article as always thank you!!