Make a Real Gun

Because of strong gun laws, many enthusiasts are interested in the possibility of making their own guns. A firearm may be made by a non-licensee provided it is not for sale and the maker is not prohibited from possessing firearms, according to the ATF. Building a primitive firearm is as simple as putting a bullet in a pipe, and building more complex firearms is a possibility for those willing to invest the money and effort. Always use extreme caution when handling or assembling firearms. See Step 1 for more instructions.

Steps

Making an Improvised Pipe Gun

  1. Get the necessary parts. The United States Army provides literature about improvising small arms with a minimum of readily-available simple parts, for use in emergency combat situations. To build a basic 9mm gun, you'll need:
    • 4-6 inches of quarter-inch nominal steel pipe, threaded on each end
    • Two steel pipe couplings
    • A quarter-inch pipe plug
    • two rubber bands
    • A thin metal strap at least 5 inches long
    • A nail
    • Two wood screws
    • A drill
    • Please note: If you attempt to fire a bullet from a piece of pipe that you're holding in your hand, and that bullet doesn't fit snugly in the piping, or the pipe isn't thick enough to withstand the pressure of the expanding explosion you're creating by striking the bullet, the pipe is going to blow up in your face, injuring or possibly killing you. Use extreme caution.
  2. Use a 9mm bullet as a guide. Casings come in different sizes or calibers, and you need to use the size of the bullet to measure the opening in pieces of prospective pipe. 9mm is a common round size, and it's 0.38 of an inch (38 caliber). If you want to fire a .38 round, then, use a 0.38 caliber round as the source for all measurements. Find a suitably-sized drill bit matching the diameter of the projectile or a pre-drilled piece of piping.
  3. Make sure that there are no cracks or other flaws in the pipe or fittings. Check the inside diameter of the pipe, using a 9 mm cartridge as a gauge. The bullet should closely fit into the pipe without forcing, but the cartridge case should not fit into pipe. The outside diameter of the pipe must not be less than 1-1/2 times bullet diameter (0.536 inches; 1.37 cm).
  4. Drill into the coupling to remove the thread. Make a 9/16 inch (1.43 cm) diameter hole 3/8 inch into one coupling to remove the thread. This drilled section should fit tightly over the smooth section of pipe.
    • Next, drill a 25/64 inch (1 cm) diameter hole 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) into the pipe. Always use the cartridge you intend to use as a gauge. When a cartridge is inserted into the pipe, the base of the jacket should be even with the end of the pipe. Thread the coupling tightly onto pipe, drilled end first.
  5. Drill a hole in the center of the pipe plug just large enough for the nail to fit through. The nail must be centered in the plug. Push it through until it's even with the squared-off end of the plug and round it off if necessary, using a file.
  6. Bend the metal band into a "U" shape. Drill two holes in the flaps to fit diameter of the wood screws you're using. This will be used as a basic hammer to spring forward and strike the bullet, using the rubber bands to create tension, so you might also notch some small notches into the metal to keep the rubber bands from slipping.
  7. Fashion a basic stock and handle from wood. The design is up to you, but it needs to be roughly an inch thick after being drilled and at least two inches longer than the assembled length of the pipe you're outfitting. Drill a 1.43 cm hole through the stock, about 1/2 cm from the top.
    • Slide the pipe through this hole and attach the first of the two couplings to the front tip and screw the drilled plug into the back end of the pipe, the end closest to the handle.
  8. Fix the metal bracket to the back of the gun. The idea is to position the nail in the metal bracket so it will swing forward and strike the bullet. When you've got it placed, screw it into the wood using the wood screws. To create tension, attach your rubber bands between the front coupling and the notches on the metal bracket.
    • This basic design can work for ammunition of any caliber, as long as you change the measurements to correspond to the specific size of the bullet you're trying to fire.
  9. Fire the gun by pulling the bracket back and releasing it. Remember: this is extraordinarily dangerous if it hasn't been measured properly. To try to ensure your safety, hold the pipe with a rag or welder's gloves, and place your shell or bullet in the pipe. Aim it at an Shoot a Gun Accurately and Safely and strike the bullet squarely with the firing pin.

Testing an Improvised Gun

  1. Always test your gun before firing it from your hand. With a little planning and extra effort, you can make sure your gun won't explode when you try to fire it.
  2. Create a barrier. Stand behind a stone wall or large tree and fashion a simple rope-pull to activate the gun from safety. Mount pistol solidly to a table, bracing it in a boot or between two heavy books, or some other rigid support, at least ten feet in front of the barrier.
  3. Attach a cord to the firing strap on the pistol. Just tie a string, elastic band, or some other cord to the metal bracket to pull back and release.
  4. Release the cord to fire the pistol. If pistol does not fire, shorten the elastic bands or increase their number. Fire at least five rounds from behind the barrier and then reinspect the pistol before you attempt to hand fire it.
    • There's the serious potential of injury in the making of homemade weapons. Take this seriously and use extreme caution.

Using a Parts Kit

  1. Familiarize yourself with gun laws regarding parts kits. Commercial parts kits include all the hardware necessary to make your own gun. Often, the kits are for a restricted non sporting or semiautomatic "machine gun," but also black powder rifles and other niche weapons are sold in kit form for you to build yourself.
    • Often these parts kits are compiled from guns like AK-47s that have been deconstructed in demilitarized regions and legally imported as parts. To be legally acceptable, such a gun must be sufficiently redesigned. Basically, the receiver must be incapable of accepting the original fire-control components that are designed to permit full automatic fire.
    • An acceptably redesigned semiautomatic copy of non sporting firearm must be limited to using less than 10 of the imported parts listed in 27 CFR § 478.39(c). Otherwise, it is considered to be assembled into a nonsporting configuration per the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 925(d)(3) and is thus a violation of § 922(r).[1] The parts list includes:
      • Frames, receivers, receiver castings, forgings, or castings
      • Barrels
      • Barrel extensions
      • Mounting blocks (trunnions)
      • Muzzle attachments
      • Bolts
      • Bolt carriers
      • Operating rods
      • Gas pistons
      • Trigger housings
      • Triggers
      • Hammers
      • Sears
      • Disconnectors
      • Buttstocks
      • Pistol grips
      • Forearms, handguards
      • Magazine bodies
      • Followers
      • Floor plates
  2. Acquire a parts kit of the kind of gun you'd like to assemble. These can be somewhat difficult to find and you might not be comfortable ordering such a package online, if you don't know the source or the location of the seller. Use your judgment. You don't want ATF agents coming to your door for ordering illegal parts.
    • Consider attending a gun show in your area and asking around if you want to purchase a parts kit. They may be available (most owners of semiautomatic weapons purchase them at gun shows), or they may be able to instruct about safe and legal retailers of kits.[2]
  3. Consider attending a "build party." It's common for gun enthusiasts to hold build parties, sometimes making kits available to attendees for the right price. Generally held at gun clubs or private residences in many areas, build parties will have all the hardware available to build your gun in the span of an afternoon.
    • At a build party, you'll generally have to sign a safety waiver and a non-disclosure agreement, making information about these types of "parties" somewhat difficult to come by. Your best bet is to visit your local gun retailer, gun event, or just to ask around.

Tips

  • It would be desirable to have a spring loaded "hammer" to be cocked and released to strike the firing pin sharply if you want to make a gun from a pipe.

Warnings

  • In some countries building guns is illegal or a weapons license is required, please check your country laws about guns.
  • Attempting to build your own gun and fire it is extremely dangerous and not recommended.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/firearms-technology.html#commercial-parts-assembly
  2. ↑ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/05/ak-47-semi-automatic-rifle-building-party
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