So you want to design a gun? Don’t we all!
Here are a variety of resources that might assist you.
This content moved over from my previous website. For broken links, use WaybackMachine.
Some information here may be illegal to possess in places like Australia and Singapore. Know your own laws.
Firearms Engineering
Information specific to the design of firearms
BOOKS
Firearm Anatomy – Book I
The Thompson M1A1 Submachine Gun
Mr. David S. Findlay
Firearm Anatomy – Book II
The STEN Submachine Gun
Mr. David S. Findlay
The Thermodynamics of Firearms. Design of firearms as heat engines and the interior and exterior ballistics of projectiles.
Clark Shove Robinson
Hatcher’s Notebook : A Standard Reference Book for Shooters, Gunsmiths, Ballisticians, Historians, Hunters, and Collectors
Julian S. Hatcher
Engineering Design Handbook – Guns, General
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Engineering Design Handbook – Interior Ballistics of Guns
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Engineering Design Handbook – Automatic Weapons
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Engineering Design Handbook – Gun Barrels
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Engineering Design Handbook – Muzzle Devices
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Engineering Design Handbook – Breech Design
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Technical Notes on Small Arms Weapons Design
US Army Weapons Command
Performance Calculations and Optimization of Gas Guns
U.S. Army Electronics Research and Development Command
The Textbook of Pistol Technology and Design 2nd Edition
Peter Dallhammer
Ballistics – Theory and Design of Guns and Ammunition
Donald E. Carlucci
Handbook on Weaponry
Rheinmetall
The Machine Gun History, Evolution, and Development of Manual, Automatic, and Airborne Repeating Weapons*
George M. Chinn
*(Vol 4 will be most relevant)
The Bolt Action: A Design Analysis
Stuart Otteson
Science and Engineering of Small Arms
Prasanta Kumar Das
National Conference on Advancements in Armament Technology
Various
Small Arms General Design
D F Allsop
Building a Single Shot Falling Block Rifle
Walter B Mueller
Brassey’s Essential Guide To Military Small Arms: Design Principles and Operating Methods
D F Allsop
Principles of Firearms
Charles E Balleisen
Silencers – Principles and Evaluations
Dept. of the Army
Silencers – Patterns and Principles
American Machine & Foundry Co.
Theory of Interior Ballistics of Guns
J. Corner
Submachine Gun Designers Handbook
G Dmitrieff
Sensitivity Study of Rifle Gas Systems
Nathan Gerber
WEBSITES + MINIGUIDES
Buffer Mechanism Optimization Example
Barrel Pressure and Projectile Velocity
Spring Characteristics for Small Arms
Modeling and numerical simulation of semi-automatic pistol dynamics
REFERENCE PRINTS
– Hosted by the Gatalog
Various Antique Prints
– Hosted by McCracken Research Library
A Selection of Sketches from Parts of Firearms
REFERENCE 3D CAD
– Hosted by the Gatalog
General Engineering
Information on general engineering concepts that are critical to success
BOOKS
Design Engineers Reference Guide
Keith L. Richards
Engineering Mechanics and Design Applications
Atila Ertas
Fatigue and Structures of Materials
J. Schijve
Engineering Mechanics 1: Statics
Dietmar Gross
Engineering Mechanics 2: Mechanics of Materials
Dietmar Gross
Shigley’s Mechanical Engineering Design
Richard Budynas
Thermodynamics and Energy Conversion
Henning Struchtrup
Additive Manufacturing Technology
Ian Gibson
Materials Selection in Mechanical Design
Michael F. Ashby
Machinery’s Handbook
Erik Oberg
Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook
Neil Sclater
General Dimensioning and Tolerancing Handbook
Walter M Stites
WEBSITES + MINIGUIDES
Dimensioning, Sizing and Tolerancing Guide
COMPONENT/MATERIAL SELECTION QUICK GUIDES
Welding Electrode + Specification 1
Welding Electrode + Specification 2
VIDEOS / YOUTUBERS
Excellent videos on fits and tolerances, fasteners, and engineering drawings
Presented by Professor Leonard
PROTOTYPE COMPONENT & HARDWARE SUPPLIERS
Communities
Connect with like-minded individuals
“A community dedicated to the discussion of 3D printed guns and related topics.”
“Reddit’s Usermade Firearm Contest”
“Show your gun building skills! Share your pics and experience in gun fabrication, gun restoration, gun cabinets, steel targets or anything else that you make yourself or modify that has anything to do with weapons.”
“information on gun design, gun theory, ballistics, gun modifications, metallurgy, gun tools, gunsmithing, gun-related machining or CNC work, gun-related 3D design, how-to/DIY, or other advanced gun topics.”
Portal to AWCY’s files, community, and products
Requires Account
Not super active, but has good information
Requires account to view
Competition for DIY guns
3D Printed Guns
For those just wanting to print the designs of others – also good to see how others have approached the problem of designing firearms
Made by CTRLPew
Repository of CAD files. Requires account.
Odysee file repository
File repository and community link
Odysee file repository
print2a
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