Latest 3D Printed Hybrid Design: Cartridge/barrel Integration

Image by Michael Crumbling

The latest 3D printed hybrid uses an old but useful concept: pre-loaded interchangeable chambers/barrels/cartridges.   The cartridge itself has sufficient strength to contain the pressures necessary for propelling a projectile, and is sufficiently long enough to result in a velocity that is useful.

Michael Crumling has created a relatively small round, the .314 Atlas to demonstrate the concept as used with a 3D printed mechanism.   Here is a video link showing his system being fired:

Link to video at Wired

The extractor groove is likely included to make priming the cartridges easy.

I have thought of this concept myself and it has considerable possibilities for hybrid designs.   Designers need not be limited to a relatively anemic .314 ball projectiles, or to primer activated systems.   The system could easily use percussion caps or electrical ignition.    An simple electrical ignition system would be to use model airplane engine glow plugs.

As Michael has noted, such cartridges could easily be used in a revolver.   I mentioned such a concept with the hybrid Imura revolver.

You do not need to machine the chamber/barrel/cartridges from scratch.  You could much more easily use common water pipe as the basis for the cartridge, using common taps and drills and commercially available plugs to create the chamber/cartridges.  and have a more practical and powerful system.   Nominal 1/4 inch Schedule 40 pipe has an interior diameter of .364, a very useable caliber.   Nominal 3/8″ Schedule pipe has an ID of .493, a nice round ball pistol size.   Nominal 1/2″ schedule 40 has an ID of .622, almost exactly 20 gauge.    Mare the cartridge 3.5 inches long, and you would have two inches of usable barrel.  Each chamber/cartridge would then be smaller than a magnum 12 gauge cartridge.

As with Michael’s concept, the 3D printer need only supply a usable handle and a firing mechanism.   Even a single barrel/shot design is useful for self defense.  Such designs were used by European armies for centuries.  Add the quick reload possibility of a few spare barrels/cartridges, and the concept is quite practical.   Single shot designs are common in India’s black market pistols.

We will likely see more hybrid concepts surface with time and experience.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.  Link to Gun Watch