Plastic Gun Barrels?

In SE Asia I've seen booby traps made with bambo and shotgun shells. The device was set on a piece of wood with a nail under the primer. the whole thing was buried with the ideal you stepped on it, the nail would set off the primer and you'd get a load of shot.
 
After hundreds of year of progress in the science of metallurgy I have to wonder why anyone would want to build a gun out of plastic.:confused:
 
Sounds like a "zip gun", or one of these "Do it yourself" projects. Sort of a modern version of the Liberator.
 
Skans ...Is there any legal prohibition against developing / using plastic gun barrels?...
Click to expand...
A completely plastic gun is legal as long as the firearm does not violate The Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 (due to sunset in 2013).

18 U.S.C. § 922 : US Code - Section 922: Unlawful acts:
(p)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture,
import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive any
firearm -
(A) that, after removal of grips, stocks, and magazines, is not
as detectable as the Security Exemplar, by walk-through metal
detectors calibrated and operated to detect the Security
Exemplar; or
(B) any major component of which, when subjected to inspection
by the types of x-ray machines commonly used at airports, does
not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the
component. Barium sulfate or other compounds may be used in the
fabrication of the component.
(2) For purposes of this subsection -
(A) the term "firearm" does not include the frame or receiver
of any such weapon;
(B) the term "major component" means, with respect to a
firearm, the barrel, the slide or cylinder, or the frame or
receiver of the firearm; and
(C) the term "Security Exemplar" means an object, to be
fabricated at the direction of the Attorney General, that is -
(i) constructed of, during the 12-month period beginning on
the date of the enactment of this subsection, 3.7 ounces of
material type 17-4 PH stainless steel in a shape resembling a
handgun; and
(ii) suitable for testing and calibrating metal detectors:
Provided, however, That at the close of such 12-month period, and
at appropriate times thereafter the Attorney General shall
promulgate regulations to permit the manufacture, importation,
sale, shipment, delivery, possession, transfer, or receipt of
firearms previously prohibited under this subparagraph that are
as detectable as a "Security Exemplar" which contains 3.7 ounces
of material type 17-4 PH stainless steel, in a shape resembling a
handgun, or such lesser amount as is detectable in view of
advances in state-of-the-art developments in weapons detection
technology......
Click to expand...

drail After hundreds of year of progress in the science of metallurgy I have to wonder why anyone would want to build a gun out of plastic.
Click to expand...
Because there are over a hundred and fifty years of progress in the science of plastics.

Plastic has some admirable properties for a firearm.
 
"plastic has some admirable qualities for a firearm" Like what? Cheap to manufacture and ship? Higher profit margin?
 
plastic has some admirable qualities for a firearm" Like what? Cheap to manufacture and ship? Higher profit margin?
Click to expand...

Well, if there was a suitable plastic for making gun barrels, it sure would make it easy for me to practice making my own. Machining and working with plastic, instead of steel, is something that a hobbyist can tackle in a home garage. That is appealing to me, perhaps to others.
 
drail said:
"plastic has some admirable qualities for a firearm" Like what? Cheap to manufacture and ship? Higher profit margin?
Click to expand...

"Plastic" is not all "cheap", you know?

In fact, the word "plastic" is about as descriptive of the properties of the material as the word "metal".

There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of different plastics. Some are very strong. Some have high heat tolerances. Some are excellent insulators. Some are very, very light.

Disparaging any given item because it's "plastic" is no different than believing all "metal" gun parts are the same since they're all "metal".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top