FGC-9 3D-printed Hybrid 9mm Pistol in Australia: Can’t Stop the Signal

U.S.A.

from twitter video:

Police in the state of Western Australia has seized a fully functional 9mm semi-automatic carbine, made, apparently by an 18-year-old hobbyist, using a simple 3D printer, basic tools, and plans readily available online.

The Australian police have mistakenly called the firearm a “semi-automatic assault rifle,” although it fires the 9mm pistol cartridge. More accurately, it is a pistol-caliber carbine. The carbine uses 3D printed copies of the common Glock pistol magazines.

The short-barreled carbine has been identified a an FGC-9 variant (F*ck Gun Control Nine) by Armaments Research Services, which did an extensive write-up on the firearm.

From armamentresearch.com:

The firearm in question is an FGC-9 with a non-standard fore-end. From the available images, the weapon in question appears to be an FGC Mk II model. The stock and grip are both of the Mk II style, as is the enclosed ejector on the left-hand side (visible briefly in some of the available video footage). The FGC-9 Mk I (see Figure 2) and Mk II (see Figure 3) differ only slightly. The FGC-9 (‘F**k Gun Control 9mm’) is a semi-automatic hybrid 3D-printed self-loading rifle (of a type often called a ‘pistol-calibre carbine’), chambered for the 9 × 19 mm cartridge, and designed by Deterrence Dispensed—an online 3D-printing community focusing on firearms design development. The FGC-9 is arguably the most capable craft-produced firearm one can procure at the time of publication. FGC-9 model firearms have recently been documented in Australia, Burma (Myanmar), Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, numerous countries across mainland Europe, and elsewhere.

Testing of the FGC-9 is reported to show good accuracy, of 2.5 inches at 25 yards. One specimen, described as “not particularly well built” is said to have fired more than 2,000 rounds without catastrophic failure.

Complete tooling and materials to build an FGC-9 are quoted as costing less than $1,000. If a small production facility is put together, as reportedly occurred in Finland,  costs can be reduced to about $200 per firearm.

A  conference on combating 3D printed firearms was held on May 24-25 hosted by Dutch Police and Europol.

The FGC-9 may be the most effective hybrid design yet created for the home manufacture of firearms. It uses existing metal shapes which are easily modified with simple tools. The barrel is a simple high-pressure pipe, chambered and rifled with electrochemical machining, easily done at home with little risk or cost.

The relatively complex feed mechanism and fire control shapes are either commercially available and unregulated or produced on inexpensive 3D printers, where the software is readily available on the Internet.

Thus, the necessary strength is obtained with simple, commercially available steel shapes. The necessary complexity is obtained with 3D printers and software.

The resulting pistol caliber carbine is as effective as some commercially available products. It appears to be on par with a Tech-9 pistol, for example.

The easily added optics, stock, and suppressor may give the FGC-9 the advantage.

9mm cartridges are one of the most common cartridges in the world. They can usually be obtained in the grey and black markets.  Manufacture in home workshops is a bit more difficult but not out of the reach of hobbyists.

Even primers for reloading 9mm brass have been recharged with simple techniques.


About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

Dean Weingarten

30 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MICHAEL J

Any weapon is a threat to an oppressive government.

TGP389

Where one exists, there are thousands. It’s like having one solitary mouse or cockroach in your home; it just doesn’t happen. So much for the Usurper Bidet’s lung destroying 9 mm weapons going away. And high capacity magazines, too. I once read an article about a man who rolled up a metallic toothpaste tube around a form like a pencil, before removing the form. Then he loaded it with powdered match heads and another chunk of rolled tube. This was in a PRISON. When a guard walked a prisoner by his cell, he touched off his homemade arquebus and KILLED… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by TGP389
swmft

they wast so much time oppressing people how about teaching how to get along , then guns become a safety, or sport no more , all tools have some measure of danger proper use mitigates that

swmft

and this one looks fun to build, may even make my own springs
great article dean….have you made one should be in your skill set?

Last edited 2 years ago by swmft
Boz

Governments are NOT interested in people getting along, onIy that people obey what they say. Whatever they say.

swmft

that is why they do their best to keep people from talking to each other too

WeWereWarned

If you want to piss of the conservative socialist sissy’s, just tell them the truth about how they are the liberal’s useful idiots to harm us Constitutional Americans. It is not the liberals who champion just following orders socialist enforcers, that harm us armed Citizens for being armed or using those arms.

The conservatives have made it to where a socialist enforcer can violate the Constitution and harm our Liberty or kill us armed Citizens for exercising our rights. Quit with the party faction over nation garbage, since both factions are who the 2nd Amendment is meant to remove.

Last edited 2 years ago by WeWereWarned
nrringlee

All too often folks are fooled by the labels. The current Republican Party is a progressive party much along the lines of TR and Woodrow Wilson. Then once-Democratic Party is a New Left Progressive party along the lines of the Frankfurt school and the social democrats of Europe. No party of any consequenceserves as the Constitution party. If you understand that central fact then you understand why 14 Senators, Republicans all, NRA top rated recipients of YOUR NRA-ILA and NRA-PAC money all stab you in the back when the consultants tell them the winds have shifted and they must ‘do… Read more »

jj

Democrats thrive on conflict. That’s why they’ve done nothing about antifa and blm riots. That’s why Barry Obama incited racism. That’s why the defund the police movement. The more conflict, the more people want govt to ‘save’ them making it easier to create a police state.The left is pure evil.

Jaque

FREEDOM IS HELL TO OPPRESSIVE GOVERNMENTS. THE CATS OUT OF THE BAG. OLD CIA MANUALS INSTRUCT ON RELOADING DISCARDED CASINGS, BLACK POWDER FROM ASHES AND FARM SUPPLIES, AND MATCH TIPS FOR PRIMERS. HELL, AN OLD CAR HAS ALL THE MATERIALS FOR A SMG BUILT USING HAND TOOLS. BIDEN COULD CONFISCATE EVERY ARM AND AMMO IN THE US AND IN A WEEK A THOUSAND MACHINE GUNS WOULD BE BUILT IN HOME GARAGES.

swmft

drive shaft or differential tubes make a mortar

The Crimson Pirate

Or picked up from dead cops……

swmft

like in ww2 makeshift weapons are to kill and take better weapons from oppressor. liberty pistols stern guns all easy to make mostly stamped parts like an ak47

Watch um

Send it to me, I love it. If I wasn’t 80 years old I would buy a 3D printer

Last edited 2 years ago by Watch um
swmft

why is that stopping you, unless you have some grave illness live your life and have fun. It is better to be a crazy old coot ,than a grumpy old man

Oldman

I resemble both of those examples. (grumpy and crazy)

Oldman

Very well,Ope…..and how about you?

USMC0351Grunt

It takes great patience, practice and vigilance to achieve that level.

DDS

I’m 70 (mumble) and enjoy the heck out of my 3D printer (an Ender 3 Pro). The only downside is it presents you with another time absorbing hobby.

I say go for it.

Last edited 2 years ago by DDS
USMC0351Grunt

Yet another talent that we can pass down to the younger generations.

USMC0351Grunt

There are women in their 80’s and 90’s that have high-tech embroidery machines that cost upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 that are embroidering and making all sorts of cloth items and designs. Pricing of a 3D printer has dropped into the hundreds.

swmft

make jackets and hats for local clubs , one near me is in her 70s, her mother sets up the stitch patterns in the computer 27 head machine . I also know an ex cop that has one in his garage and a cnc cleanest working garage I ever saw

swmft

think of all the improvised guns in mad max , these were just what they could come up with, and prop department could make cheaply and are realistic (would likely work) I think they are just trying to determine who they will be fighting. What they seem tto forget the “army” they are building will run and hide the drones are to keep war like a video game ,they even have ground attack drones ,but when they see blood they will freeze

Bruce

Notice how over the top and biased the new report is. Pravda reborn. It reminds me of our news media.

JDT

Governments can ban guns, but can’t stop technology. That looks much better than the homemade shotgun used to kill Shinzo Abe last week.

Wass

Provided 9mm ammo is available, this firearm could see good use by Ukrainians, in their present conflict with Russia. As for those Aussies, there’s no teaching them on individual rights. Like the more authoritarian countries, applying collective punishment for the criminal misdeeds of the few, is de rigueur.

Roland T. Gunner

Nice.

Courageous Lion - Hear Me Roar - Jus Meum Tuebor

When will the psychopathic control freaks world over start dealing with REAL crime instead of THOUGHT crime. WHO WAS DAMAGED by the 18 year old making a functional 3d printed gun? WHO besides him? We need a WORLD revolution to oust these pieces of human garbage everywhere.

Cooter

It is not about gun control its people control and they know they can’t do that until they figure out how to get the guns… good luck with that

Chuck

Pandora’s Box was opened many years ago. Methinks the Governments attempts to close it will fail, but not before there’s a great loss of life on both sides.
When only the Police have Guns, you’re living in a Police State.