3D printed ammo?

[Mooseman]

It's obvious that 3D printed guns are viable but without ammo they're just paper weights. I was musing on how you could create 3D ammo. Would you make it out of metal or polymer? Would some sort of integrated primer work or would some sort of rim fire work better. The powder would be easy but how do you get the primer compound in. How would the bullets be made.

For the purpose of the thread I'm assuming standard ammo components are not available with the exception of powder and primer compound.

I thought this might be a fun mental exercise so let's hear your thoughts

 

[bigfatdave]

Caseless and/or entirely disposable would do well with a deposition process.

I think you'd be best off casting your projectiles or using machined brass or similar - seems like deposition wouldn't be great for the densities you need for bullets.

 

[Dr. Sandman]

Print a flint-lock muzzleloader. Problem solved.

 

[Havok7416]

I must be missing something. How is the powder the easy part? It can't be made like the other components. For that matter, neither can the primers really.

 

[Mooseman]

I didn't mean that you would print the powder, I'm assuming there is powder available. I'm assuming the same for the primer compound but not the container it would go in.

As far as the bullet goes, maybe a slug in a plastic sheath so you could grab rifling even if the bullet wasn't of a material conducive to it. Kind of like a shotgun slug.

 

[TheGoldenSaber]

I don't know about that but have you heard of the LSAT? It uses polymer cases instead of brass.

http://world.guns.ru/machine/usa/lsat-e.html

 

[jmorris]

Mostly polymer ammunition has been around since the '80's. I was given 1000 round of .223 because it wouldn't run in semiautos. Not saying it can't be done, just don't do it the same ways that have already been tried.

 

[Redlg155]

Plolymer + polymer would probably be a no-go. Polymer weapons utilize the strength of the casing to help contain the pressures. Polymer casings rely on the strenght of the action.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

The ammo part is what I don't understand about all the hoopla the gun fearing masses are sweating about the "invisible" guns because the ammo is metallic and I would think detectable. I accidentley left a penny in my pocket on going through the peepshow at the airport and it set off the machine. I would think a cartridge would do the same.

NSA be advised, I have no intention of trying this.