Over at my second digital family – AR15.com – one user has started making his own GLOCK magazines with a stock 3D Printer, some filament and CAD files released by a group called Deterrence Dispensed. The end result are functional 3D Printed GLOCK magazines that may not look as polished as a factory specimen, but feed rounds all the same. Of course, the metal spring will need to come from an outside source – for the time being.
The work done by Connor and the Deterrence Dispensed team is a reminder that technology is advancing so fast that legal limitations to firearms ownership will eventually not be able to keep up. “Tea. Earl Gray. Hot”? I say “Magazine. GLOCK. 19”
All images credited to Connor S. and used with his permission. His write up can be found below.
Can’t Stop The Signal: DIY 3D Printed GLOCK Magazines
All that is needed to print the “Menendez Mags” is a simple consumer grade 3d printer. One of the best values on the market nowadays is the Creality Ender 3, which can be found for less than $200 and is widely regarded as a very good unit. The Ender 3 is popularly widely modified by enthusiasts but is ready to make Glock magazines right out of the box.
3D Printed GLOCK Magazine Credit: Connor S.
3D Printed GLOCK Magazine Credit: Connor S
The files themselves are created and distributed by “Deterrence Dispensed”, not to be confused with Defense Distributed. Deterrence Dispensed is a much more anonymous group that has been releasing various files including AR15 receivers, Glock frames, various tools, and other detailed CAD drawings of firearms. Some of the models are 3d printable, some are for reference only. The most well known source to obtain the files is from Github, at https://github.com/maduce/fosscad-repo. I believe the group would appreciate you sharing their distribution anywhere and everywhere, because widespread exposure is exactly what they want… especially with petty tyrants like Bob Menendez deplatforming them from twitter, and other popular platforms like Reddit inventing pretenses to ban them without warning.
Once you have the files you want, you’ll need to process them in a program called a “slicer”. There are a number of slicers out there, but the most well known are Ultimaker Cura and Slic3r. Cura is probably the most popular for its wide range of features and much more approachable interface. The two screencaps show what you see when opening 3d models for printing- a model that you can orient and modify the size of. These programs do not allow for end-user 3d model editing itself, and are mostly used to convert your models into “G-code”, which is the instructions your printer processes to print your files.
On the popular Ender 3, I am able to print up to 7 magazines at once. Until you have your printer well calibrated, I would encourage you to just do one at a time to save on filament in case there are any mistakes or mechanical errors. My average time for printing the magazines is around 6.5 hours per magazine.
All parts of the magazine other than the follower can be printed at once; due to the shape of the follower it requires supporting material be built into it and removed in post processing after it is done (this is just extra non-structural plastic used to build parts that would otherwise be hanging in thin air when printed, and is easily torn off and discarded after the part is complete). Removing the excess support material takes only a few seconds.
3D Printed GLOCK Magazine Credit: Connor S
3D Printed GLOCK Magazine Credit: Connor S
The pictures of the three magazines show a factory glock magazine, a magpul brand magazine, and a printed “menendez” magazine.
There are pictures included of a factory glock frame (a G35 with a 9mm conversion barrel) and a polymer 80 G19L build. The magazine works fine in both, although fresh off the press they do not “drop free” but can be sanded lightly to get them to do so.
The disassembled magazines show a comparison of a factory mag with a factory spring to a “Menendez mag”. The Menendez Mag has a increased power spring- I wanted to see if it could handle it, and it certainly can with no issues.
Printing a single magazine requires 40 grams of filament according to Cura. This means you could print 25 magazines from a 1 kilogram spool of filament. That may be a bit optimistic due to waste or failed prints, but realistically you’re looking at magazine prices in the $0.87 (yes, really) range using the recommended filament based on current amazon prices. Your springs can be indefinitely reused if you do manage to wear out a magazine body, which may eventually fail when the feed lips spread or are cracked.
3D Printed GLOCK Magazine Credit: Connor S
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