Walker Defense Research (WDR) is a new firearm accessories manufacturing company located in Mesa, Arizona. Right now they have one product – the NERO 556 muzzle device. By looking at the shape of this product you have probably guessed that this is a 3D printed part.

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing allows making parts with complicated geometry that would be extremely difficult and expensive or even impossible to machine. This technology also allows making parts with materials that are hard to machine. As a matter of fact, the NERO 556 muzzle device is 3D printed out of Inconel.

Thanks to the slots on sides and on top, the NEMO 556 works both as a muzzle brake and muzzle rise compensator. According to WDR, it is also engineered to “manage the felt concussion“. This muzzle device is available for 5.56/223 caliber only. It is threaded with 1/2-28 thread pitch and comes with one crush washer. The coating on this product is described as “Black Cat^™ Tactical PVD Coating by Vergason Technology, Inc.“.

Interestingly, WDR serializes these muzzle devices. According to the company, they do it for quality control. There is even an option to choose the lowest available serial number at the moment of purchase which will add $10 to the MSRP of $179.99.

Here is also a video published by Walker Defense Research demonstrating the controllability of the full-auto fire with the NEMO 556 muzzle device installed.

Hopefully (I think unavoidably) the additive technologies will eventually become widespread and affordable enough that 3D printed products will be comparably priced or even cheaper than similar products made by traditional machining. At SHOT Show 2018 we saw an increasing interest in the additive technologies and many companies making or experimenting with 3D printed products. I think at next SHOT Show the number of companies getting into 3D printing will dramatically increase.

Images from: www.walkerdr.com, www.instagram.com/walkerdefense