AR mags....$10

[4PWW9]

Chuddly, in response to your PM...
I have no doubts a 3D printed magazine could be made that works flawlessly, there are materials now available like Ultem, that would work great, but the cost would not be $10 or anywhere near it, just due to the cost of operating the printer & the material alone.
If one were to buy a 3D printing machine, the training to operate it, the maintenance & warranty plan, the material, 3D software to operate the 3D printer, & labor to do the work, the investment in injection molds becomes very valid.
One of the great things about the newer 3D printers is that there are different materials available for them now. It is a very valuable thing to be able to make fully functioning prototypes prior to producing parts on any scale. I have extensive engineering resources and if there was any way possible that I could be producing 30rnd magazines on a 3D printer consistantly & affordably, it would be happening right now. Instead I'm building molds.
Here's a link to the company I deal with on 3D software & printers:
www.funtech.com

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I would not. $10 for an unproven magazine from an unknown company vs $12-14 for a proven design from a well respected company with a known good customer service department that will address any issues with defectives?

My AR is my patrol rifle. If it fails at the wrong time, I could die, or others could die while I'm working out a malfunction and an active shooter is still killing people. If you gave me the mags for free I wouldn't use them for the simple fact I train with what I fight with, and I only fight with equipment that is proven trustworthy.

 

[jmiller676]

I would not. $10 for an unproven magazine from an unknown company vs $12-14 for a proven design from a well respected company with a known good customer service department that will address any issues with defectives?

My AR is my patrol rifle. If it fails at the wrong time, I could die, or others could die while I'm working out a malfunction and an active shooter is still killing people. If you gave me the mags for free I wouldn't use them for the simple fact I train with what I fight with, and I only fight with equipment that is proven trustworthy.

At some point, someone had to prove what you use is trustworthy, correct?

 

[dukeboy_318]

I would try the mag. But I want you to print me a Beta mag lol

 

[chuddly]

I understand a LEO not wanting to use it.... But the rest of you guys REALLY need to work on reading. I said a reliable... Meaning that it has been proven.

Once again... It's hypothetical.... If its a PROVEN mag... Say it with me.. PROVEN...would you buy it

 

[SmokinSigs357]

They are? Will 5.56 come back to 0.35/round too? And 7.62x39 down to 0.21/round? *hopeful*

Yeah, Mr Smartypants...there have been plenty of links to PMags at normal prices now. Maybe not in abundance, but not enough to justify hanging out in this guys kitchen waiting for his printer to spew out some death trap of a "magazine".

Yes, ammo will come back down too...

 

[Archer46176]

Chuddly--- I have come to find that no matter what the intntions of a post there are those here as well as on ither forjms who find joy in tearing people down. You would think there wiuld be more people who would want to offer a helping suggestion as some here have. The thing is that the ones who are offering all of the negatives are likely thebones sitting on their a$$es doing nothing and who are miserable themselves who are looking for anyway they can to possibly make someone else feel as badly as they do.
If you want to do this put in a decent amount of r&d, learn from others doing it, maybe make some visits to others who are working on the same kind of projects. If you do not want to pay taxes you can sell shares. This would work as a milk share for raw milk or as it does in a food co-op. I was a butcher for 11 years before joining the Army. I had my own slaughterhouse and retail market and sold to co-ops I helped set up. A person cannot buy a sreak from a non USDA inspected cow but they can take a steak as their share of a cow they own a share in without USDA inspection.
Anyway, thunk thinga through and make sure you have something viable. I have come to believe posting things on the internet for discussion or as questions is just a big waste if time.

 

[Archer46176]

Yeah, Mr Smartypants...there have been plenty of links to PMags at normal prices now. Maybe not in abundance, but not enough to justify hanging out in this guys kitchen waiting for his printer to spew out some death trap of a "magazine".

Yes, ammo will come back down too...

I ha e to agree with this as I have seen them right here in Indiana with AGS selling for that but you have to be quick on the draw.
They have ammo as well and they keep getting ammo for decent prices so yes it is just a matter of.time before it comes down.
BUT, if a gyy is willing to do the proper reseach and development and come up with a viable product that will not fall apart and will feed reliably then why not encourage it. P-Mags may not be the end all be all of AR-15 or other magazine development. They are great but there could always be an improvement to anything.
It is UNLIKELY this guy will do anything remarkable BUT there is that chance!

 

[brrytrry]

It sounds like you might have your answer. People would probably not pay $10 for a mag if they then have to also buy the springs. If prices return to "normal" and Pmags are $10-14 again then most people would stick with Pmags.

I have looked at buying one of the low cost 3d printers as well but I don't think you could make any money off one since anything you could make on it someone can produce much cheaper thru traditional molding techniques. The new wave of 3d printers are really just a novelty at the moment and fun for hobbyist and artists.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

If you want to do any kind of production, molding is much cheaper. The 3D printer was designed for rapid prototyping, not for doing production. The cost for the printer, material, software, labor, etc, does not make it cost affective.

 

[atalon]

I understand a LEO not wanting to use it.... But the rest of you guys REALLY need to work on reading. I said a reliable... Meaning that it has been proven.

Once again... It's hypothetical.... If its a PROVEN mag... Say it with me.. PROVEN...would you buy it

Lets put it this way. IF you could make a mag as good as a Magpul and it was proven so then yes people would buy it. Why wouldn't they? The problem you missing is that they are not proven and you are asking people to say that they would buy into something you have not even tested yourself yet or other people try it (making it "PROVEN"). No one is going to go for this hypothetical. If you took this question to a venture capitalist he would tell you to show him something worth investing in.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

At some point, someone had to prove what you use is trustworthy, correct?

Sure. And I'm sure a lot of stuff that was tested was proven untrustworthy. See first gen M16. See the aftermarket M9 magazines the Army bought. People die over these beta field tests, I will not be one. I, personally, am willing to pay a bit more for a proven track record. P-mags have that track record. Metal GI mags have that track record. 3D printing, at this time, does not. Now, in a few years if they are actually proven, I will reevaluate.

I am not an early adopter, and have never felt the loss for it. Let other folks pay and bleed to shake the wheat from the chaff.

 

[6mm Shoot]

If I can print out a lower for $20 or $30 PM me to set up a time. Yes I will pay $10 for a working mag for an AR.

 

[chuddly]

If I can print out a lower for $20 or $30 PM me to set up a time. Yes I will pay $10 for a working mag for an AR.

Im not set up to do anything at all yet...like i said its all hypothetical right now. But i am VERY strongly looking at a 3d printer and if i get to that point i will definitely post something for people. Thanks for all of the feed back (negative and positive). I have come to the conclusion that no matter what you tell some people they wont listen (proven reliable mag = "death trap" ???????). Im still thinking about getting one simply because of all the projects i have going on and it would be excellent just for those alone. I will keep you guys posted.

 

[merchaar]

Chuddly, in response to your PM...
I have no doubts a 3D printed magazine could be made that works flawlessly, there are materials now available like Ultem, that would work great, but the cost would not be $10 or anywhere near it, just due to the cost of operating the printer & the material alone.
If one were to buy a 3D printing machine, the training to operate it, the maintenance & warranty plan, the material, 3D software to operate the 3D printer, & labor to do the work, the investment in injection molds becomes very valid.
One of the great things about the newer 3D printers is that there are different materials available for them now. It is a very valuable thing to be able to make fully functioning prototypes prior to producing parts on any scale. I have extensive engineering resources and if there was any way possible that I could be producing 30rnd magazines on a 3D printer consistantly & affordably, it would be happening right now. Instead I'm building molds.
Here's a link to the company I deal with on 3D software & printers:
www.funtech.com

You hit it right on the money. Even for good quality ABS in an FDM printer, you are looking at $2.50 a cubic inch wholesale. That will put you around $8 a magazine. Figure in a $2000 printer, and the fact that each magazine will take 2-3 hours to print (machine wear), and this quickly becomes unfeasible for a mass production environment (or anywhere near).

I have printed a few Defense Distributed magazines, and at around $10 a magazine and 3 hours of printing, and a less than desirable finish, I it really isn't worth it.

 

[merchaar]

If I can print out a lower for $20 or $30 PM me to set up a time. Yes I will pay $10 for a working mag for an AR.

For a lower, it costs me $34 dollars in material. Most el cheapo printers that your everyday hobbyist would have are not capable of printing a lower, as the largest dimension is right around 8 inches.

 

[m4lover]

Glad to see all my fellow INGOnites are so positive. I personally might buy one at first to see if they work at all, if not i wont come back. but if they work i would be frequent!