Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower? A Complete Guide

There are many misconceptions about what is possible with 3D printing. One of the most common questions I am asked is if you can 3d print an 80 Percent Lower. The answer to this question, like all others involving firearms laws and regulations, depends on your location.

If you live in one of the eight states that prohibits the manufacture or possession of an “unfinished receiver” then it is illegal for you to manufacture or possess an unfinished receiver. Rest assured, 3D-printed firearms do not fall into this category!

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Can you 3d print a 80 percent lower?

This is a question we get asked every day. 3D printers have been around for a while now and there are even affordable ones on the market, but can you 3D print an 80 percent lower? This is something that we like to give our opinion on. We really like the idea of 3d printing for firearms such as 80% lowers, suppressors, and even magazines.

But there are certain problems with 3d printers that need to be addressed before we can get there. One of the main problems people have is what material will use? Most printer filament is not able to withstand the high pressures of an AR-15 or similar rifle. The majority of materials used for printers are designed for little more than kids’ toys.

The bigger problem is that 3D printers use a process called Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) which basically melts the filament and builds the object layer by layer.

Every time an object is printed it will leave behind support material, this support material is very hard to remove because it’s impossible to dissolve. This means you will need to machine off all of this support material.

Although it can be removed by hand it takes hours of filing and sanding to get the part down to the point where it doesn’t have any rough edges or layers.

If these issues are solved then I believe that 3D printers could be able to produce 80% lowers, magazines, and other types of firearms. Do you think this is possible? If so what are the issues that need to be addressed? Let us know in the comments below!

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower?

3D printed AR lower materializes

During a recent trip to the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, I had an opportunity to visit Pete Orchard from Lancer Systems. During our conversation about the current state of the industry and 3D printing, Pete mentioned a new project that Lancer was working on.

They had just received their first test samples of an AR lower receiver created by using selective laser sintering (SLS). SLS is the process of laying down powdered material one layer at a time until the desired shape forms.

After each pass or layer is laid down, a laser then melts or sinters the material, thus binding it into place. This process continues until the final form is completed.

3D printed AR lower receiver with trigger and grip installed

During my visit, we decided to give their new 3D-printed AR lower a try using various components and magazines. The results were impressive, so we created a video that walks through the build and demonstrates how it functions. Their first run of receivers is very limited, so if you are interested in obtaining one for yourself, I would contact Lancer Systems as soon as possible.

All NFA/ATF Rules Apply Please check your local and state laws before installing this into a pistol configuration.

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower?

3D AR Pistol

The Lancer Systems 3D-printed AR lower receiver. It’s made from stainless steel and features a nylon grip insert. The screw hole on the bottom is for a standard, commercial buffer tube attachment. In their testing, they have found this screw size to be perfect for attaching the lower to a standard buffer tube. This receiver is 100 percent legal for anyone to own regardless of age or location.

Yes, it’s even legal in California due to the fact that it’s considered a “firearm” according to their laws. Remember, this is not an actual firearm, but simply a part. In CA, however, you can not legally use this lower receiver to build a functional AR pistol without having the right upper receiver (bolt carrier group, barrel, etc.)

The Lancer Systems 3D-printed AR lower receiver was installed on their SLS stainless steel custom billet upper.

Close up of the Lancer Systems 3D-printed AR lower receiver with nylon grip insert.

Lancer responded back saying that they will offer various colors for the grip inserts in future versions of their 3D-printed AR lowers.

Top view of the Nylon 6/6 material showing off its carbon fiber texture pattern. According to Pete Orchard from Lancer Systems, changing this texture pattern is as simple as updating the CAD file and reprinting it. The only difference between the lower on the right and this one is that this one has a grip installed while the other does not.

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower? (cre: 15lowerreceivers)

The 3D-printed AR lower receiver is next to an aluminum billet upper receiver for comparison. As you can see, it’s quite larger than even their oversized billet AR uppers. According to Pete Orchard from Lancer Systems, they are producing them in various sizes until they find what size will work best with standard components like triggers, etc.

He said that if someone sends them an upper receiver group (upper receiver, barrel, bolt carrier group) they can produce a matching “drop-in” lower which would save lots of time during development instead of constantly changing out uppers. They are also looking into using different materials like carbon fiber-infused nylon for their lowers.

Lancer Systems 3D-printed AR lower receiver ready to go with various components.

Notice the stainless barrel and billet upper making this full-auto compatible, but it will never be converted to that by Lancer Systems. The buffer tube screw hole on the Lancer Systems 3D-printed AR lower receiver is about half an inch back from where it would be on a traditional aluminum billet lower receiver. This really isn’t an issue as most commercial buffers tubes should fit fine unless you are one of those who runs an extremely short (2″) mil-spec tube.

One other option would be to use someone like Jesse James or Hardcore Hardware’s Billet Machining Service (BMS) if your skills aren’t up to par for doing your own metalworking.

Both companies specialize in custom machining such as this and would be able to produce a finished result very similar, if not identical, to Lancer Systems.

3D printing can definitely take customization to a whole new level, but it’s also expensive. That being said, you get what you pay for and the quality of these 3D-printed AR lowers speaks for itself.

No one else on the market is offering anything like this because it would simply cost too much money to do so considering how much time is involved with each print job. The lower receiver group currently costs around $700, which isn’t bad considering that other “metal” ones are priced at about double or triple that amount when you add in shipping costs.

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower?

3D printed M16 lower receiver

US-based manufacturer Solid Concepts has created what it claims is the world’s first 3D printed M16 lower receiver.

Solid Concepts, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, performed the work as an exercise to showcase how direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) works. The company says DMLS offers great potential for a variety of industries, including aerospace.

“It’s a common misconception that 3D printing isn’t accurate or strong enough, and we’re working to change people’s perspective,” said Kent Firestone, VP of additive manufacturing at Solid Concepts. “In fact, our DMLS printers produce parts that are on par with, or stronger than, wrought aluminum.

The aerospace industry has already embraced alloy DMLS as a way to lighten aircraft parts by 40 percent. We’re proud to be able to produce the first 3D printed M16, and we’re excited about the future of how this technology will revolutionize manufacturing and warfighter production.”

Solid Concepts used direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology to manufacture the lower receiver.

This method fuses metal powder into a solid form, building the product one layer at a time from the bottom up. After printing an M16 lower receiver with DMLS, Solid Concepts’ engineers removed material from certain areas and added material in others to make the printed part stronger and more functional. Using conventional machining techniques, such as drilling and milling, would be labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive.

The lower receiver was manufactured using a DMLS 3D printing process known as selective laser sintering (SLS), where unsintered powder material is shaped into a solid form by applying heat produced by a laser. Solid Concepts’ DMLS 3D printing process uses direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology to fuse fine metal powder particles into a solid form, creating intricate products that couldn’t be manufactured using traditional methods.

“Direct metal laser sintering is one of the most powerful, accurate, and fast technologies available for 3D printing of metal components,” said Kent Firestone, VP of additive manufacturing at Solid Concepts.

“Because DMLS prints actual direct metal parts, we are able to make complex shapes that can’t be made any other way. The DMLS process has proven time and again that it can outperform any traditional method for making a prototype or end-use parts in metal alloys.”

Two XM16E1 rifles were also printed by Solid Concepts using selective laser sintering (SLS), which deposits powdered material layer by layer until the part is completed, adding support structures throughout the build cycles automatically. As each new layer of material was applied to previously constructed layers, support structures were introduced in order to maintain accuracy and provide necessary rigidity, as well as to save on printing time and material costs. The XM16E1 was the first select-fire rifle used by the American military, going into service in 1964 during the Vietnam War.

This is a great example of how 3D Printing will change the way we make things. While it may be a little more expensive now, I think this could become very popular for firearms components and customizable products. Solid Concepts uses selective laser sintering (SLS), where unsintered powder material is shaped into a solid form by applying heat produced by a laser beam within an inert atmosphere.

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower?

3D Printed Guns

The debate about 3D printed guns has exploded in the United States since Cody Wilson, founder of the pro-gun group “Defense Distributed”, announced that his company was ready to produce and distribute blueprints for using plastic gun parts.

The only thing needed is a computer-controlled (or “CNC“) milling machine capable of manufacturing these parts, which can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000. This has created alarm among politicians because it means every person with Internet access and an expensive CNC milling machine can potentially become a gun manufacturer.

To address this concern, California senator Leland Yee introduced legislation on January 26th, 2013 which would ban the publication of any computer-aided design file (.dxf, .stl, or another file format) which can be used to manufacture firearms on a CNC milling machine. This legislation is backed by gun control advocates such as the Brady Campaign, who say that these files could allow “just about anybody to make a gun in their own home” (CNN).

However, Yee’s proposed legislation raises several legal issues.

While it may be possible for the government to restrict blueprints for 3D-printed guns under existing weapon laws, banning CAD files will have no effect on the actual distribution of the plans themselves because these plans exist only as digital files and are easily distributed electronically.

Additionally, restricting the distribution of CAD files would violate not only the First Amendment but also section 102(a)(1)(B) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which states that “no person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected” under copyright law.

This is because plans for 3D printed guns are protected as speech by the First Amendment, and prohibiting their publication would require bypassing a technological measure that restricts access to said files. Finally, this sort of legislation will have little effect on the proliferation of CNC milling machines since these machines can be used to manufacture anything from clothing to musical instruments.

Legally speaking, there does not seem to be much reason why blueprints showing how to use a CNC milling machine cannot be restricted by the government under existing weapon laws.

If a gun made from 3D-printed components is indistinguishable from other guns, then it would likely be treated the same under existing weapon laws because any distinction between 3D printed guns and regular guns would be arbitrary.

Furthermore, if gun parts made out of plastic are prohibited by state or federal law then there will be no need to regulate 3D printing plans since making a gun out of legal materials would still require traditional metalworking techniques such as machining and forging.

However, restricting 3D printing plans under existing weapon laws seems unlikely given that they fall squarely within the protection of free speech afforded by the First Amendment.

This is because “[t]he First Amendment … gives us the right to think freely and to talk freely –and to write for ourselves whatever we wish” (Bloodhound Blog).

This protection applies not only to written or spoken words but also to pictures and symbols, as well as other means of expression. Therefore, restricting 3D printing plans would be unconstitutional because these plans are a form of artistic expression and can be printed on paper just like any book.

In addition to the First Amendment, prohibiting publication of CAD files could violate section 102(a)(1)(B) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which states that “no person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected” under copyright law.

Plans for 3D printed guns are speech protected by the First Amendment, so prohibiting their distribution requires bypassing a technological measure that protects said plans from being viewed.

This would be a violation of section 102(a)(1)(B) because if CAD files are viewed, then the technological measure that protects them has been circumvented.

Can You 3d Print a 80 Percent Lower? (cre: washingtonexaminer)

Finally, legislation that restricts plans for 3D printed guns will have little effect on the proliferation of CNC milling machines.

While these machines can be used to make practically anything from clothing to musical instruments, they cannot make firearms without the use of additional traditional metalworking techniques such as machining and forging.

Since gun laws typically focus on whether or not an object function as a firearm rather than what it is made out of, restricting blueprints for 3D printed guns under existing weapon laws would ensure their similarity to other firearms while also recognizing that actual firearms are not possible without additional metalworking techniques.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to build a firearm, it’s not illegal in the United States to print your own 80% lower. While there are some restrictions on what type of firearms can be printed and how many receivers may be produced without serial numbers or serialized features, it is legal for an individual with appropriate knowledge and equipment to produce their own homemade gun parts.

However, if they want to sell them online or at trade shows (think SHOT Show) they’ll need approval from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Make sure that before printing any gun part yourself, you understand all federal laws surrounding homemade guns because ignorance will get you into trouble!

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