The Liberator 3D Plastic Handgun

http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/8449468/Liberator_-_First_3D_Printable_Gun

Self Defense (7rd Magazine Limit)

If you watch the video closely the man has a HK USP Compact. Federally issued to many government agents, the magazines are very common and hold 13rds. You could never have to settle for a 7rd magazine especially in 9mm.

Next, you should always have a back up gun or spare magazine. I love HK and would trust it to run 100%. After the man killed the guy at the door he should have quickly switched magazines and gotten his family into a locked room.

This man would have died anyways because he hesitated, both criminals had guns aimed at him and he should have shot much quicker. Empty the magazine and reload!

Lastly, I can not stress the importance of  teaching your family some firearms safety. This man was sexist and did not trust his wife/daughters with guns. That mistake cost him his life. There is a saying that "God created all men, and Samuel colt made them equal". The old adage is true considering a man or woman with a handgun would have been almost equally beneficial in this situation. The man hesitated, reacted slowly, and closed his eyes when he shot. I would bet, that properly trained, one of the women in the house could have performed much better.

.22 passes 10 cents a round!

It just might be time to start dry firing with snap caps or turning to a cheaper alternative such as airsoft now that a duly lily loaded 10rd magazine is over a $1 worth of ammunition.

I've been so busy with projects that I haven't been able to make it to the range as often as most. My last trip was over a month ago, consisted of a 2 hour wait, and every evil black gun had already been sold in the showroom.

I did however sell some ammunition at $50 a box. If you visit gunbroker it's past that point with shipping. Happy hunting...for rounds.

Print a Gun

So you want to print a gun or at least know how to. Currently 3D printing is extremely expensive. A personal mojo printer will run you $10,000 without factoring the material costs. However this has not deterred professional gun nuts to design a working gun in CAD software. You might have read about the first lower AR receiver in the news and a working 30rd (high) capacity magazine soon followed. Both of those items were already polymer so ABS plastic was not a stretch. The next step is to start looking into a fully functional ABS plastic .22LR handgun.

For legal purposes the first .22LR handgun will simply be a collection of parts and a separate instruction manual in case you actually wanted to put the parts together and head to a gun range. Any springs or bolts could be purchased at a local supply store such as lows or home depot while the metal barrel could be purchased as an existing gun part that does not require an FFL so it could be shipped to your door. Another option is to print a tube in plastic or just use PVC pipe then line it with cheap hot pot metal, and then finally rifle it for .22LR. Currently their are companies that let you design parts in CAD and then they will print in metal (stainless steel). Someone could easily design a rifled barrel file and simply sell it online as art. I consider almost all firearms (except glocks) to be art.

It seems like printable guns are too far off in the future because of the high cost of printers and printing. I am going to hold out until they are under $1,000 or 1/10 of the price they are now. When we reach that point their will be a wide variety of .22LR parts that can be formed into guns. If you currently own a 3D printer the best thing to do is practice by replicating existing parts on firearms you own to make a digital database in case you ever need replacement parts. The magazine, sights, the frame, try the slide as well.

New Walther PPK/S in .22LR

The Walther PP series was introduced in the 1930s. It has a cult like following that rivals JMB's 1911 platform that was developed in 1908. Both platforms have had generations of product development and have been incorporated with the latest technology/materials. The 1911 and PPK are both two firearms that have stood the test of time.

The Walther PPK/S is an iconic gun because of its role in world war 2, Western Europe, and Ian Fleming's James Bond. Just a bit of trivia: James Bonds original favorite gun was a Beretta .25ACP. That changed when a fan of the series corrected Fleming's frequent misspelling of Beretta and suggested the Walther instead. The Beretta .25 was not nearly as sexy as the PPk platform and I can't even imagine the Beretta pocket pistol in a James Bond movie.

In the 2010s there was a huge demand for pocket handguns and the PPK is still a popular choice for a concealed carry permit holder. I fell In love with the ergonomics of a pocket pistol after shooting a colt mustang which is very similar to a Sig p238 which is in the same class as a PPK.

I immediately purchased a Bersa Firestorm .22 which is a clone of the Walther at nearly half of the price. After world war 2 Walther was not allowed to manufacture guns in Germany for obvious reasons and Bersa (Argentina based) got ahold of the blueprints. I'm not sure if they pay a licensing fee but the Firestorm is extremely reliable and cheap to shoot because it is also chambered in .22lr.

The new Walther is going to be made in Germany and imported to the USA through Umarex. I have not been impressed by the P22 and doubt your going to get the full value out of your $300-$400 for this firearm. I recommend looking at the Bersa before pulling the trigger on the Walther.

Ammo Costs

Right now we are in one of the greatest ammunition shortages since the president first took office in his first term. This has lead to retailers have their inventory back ordered and private sellers to mark up bulk ammunition 300% times their original value.

However ammunition is also rising in cost because of components. Copper and lead are in constant supply/demand flux. Their is also speculation that the ATF will tax ammunition. by going after a vital ingredient, smokeless gun powder.

If true, even reloaders would be hit hard after their supplies run out. All of these factors will lead to the shortage to continue long into 2014. .22 long rifle will easily pass $25 for a bulk pack by the end of the year if its even available. Feel free to comment below if you are aware of any retailer who is still in stock.

Skeet shooting 101

When I started regularly going to gun ranges around age 16, skeet shooting didn't really appeal to me. I wasn't fond of using a single bead at the end of the gun to aim with and the length/weight of most 12 gauge shotguns. After I started weight training at the local YMCA, my whole perspective changed. The shotgun's weight was no longer holding me back from enjoying the sport and I was able to quickly maneuver the gun around for quick shots.

 Currently I am shooting a 12 gauge because it is manly and anything less would make me look weak compared to other shooters at the range. If 12 gauge is too much there is 20 gauge and .410 shot shells. The .410 is a very small shot in diameter. It is very low recoil but the shot does not have as much power so it will not expand like a 12 gauge. You are sacrificing power and spread for a huge reduction in kick back (recoil). 20 gauge is a great compromise. It is great for training younger and new shooters while providing plenty of spread.

If you want to have the best chance of hitting a clay pigeon then you want a short barrel 20 gauge without a choke. A choke focuses all the bbs into a tighter pattern and if you remove the choke the bbs will expand to cover a wide area. A short barreled shotguns aids in the expansion and is very easy to maneuver to make quick shots.

 Lastly, if you are at a gun range where their are ceasefires for rifle and pistiol ranges to go down range to change targets, you can go down range too. You will often find many clays that are on the ground undamaged and perfectly usable. Right now you can spend $5 for a box of 90 or you can just go down range and pick up the clays yourself. In my opinion there is a certain satisfaction of getting free targets.

If you read this article thinking, Josh, this has nothing to do with .22 Long Rifles.Technically you can skeet shoot with rat shot .22LR shot shells.