I've got several gun designs I want to play around with when I have my workshop set up. The simplest is a slam tube/guerrilla shotgun, improved with an ejection mechanism and a shell side-saddle. Tube-in-tube simplicity, that can be fired as fast as you can single-load a pump shotgun. The next is an intermediate carbine that brings Uzi level simplicity to 5.56. It'll trade accuracy for simplicity and ease of manufacture, but it'll also make things like the AK look needlessly complicated for doing the same thing.
But the first, real project I have, full complexity and capability? Going to pretty much be a pistol(?) carbine version of the Moon Marines SMG. .30 carbine, mp5 style collapsible stock, feeds off M1 Carbine mags out of the grip. Having an S2k, I can attest to just how handy a carbine with the magazine in the stock is, but I want one that hits with some oomph, because nobody makes carbines in 10mm auto or other such magical calibers that I"d never be able to find to feed to the gun anyway.
Probably be a while before I've moved on to somewhere that I have a proper garage to turn into a workshop, but you'll be seeing progress when things get started.
Bet you're going to find that most of the complications are there because it's possible to be too simple.
ReplyDeleteBe aware that some simplifications, like fixed firing pins, are considered machineguns in repeaters.
I'm well aware. Despite the impression my half-awake, half-assed, off-the-cuff may give, I'm actually fairly knowledgeable about guns, and have a few friends who are gunsmiths.
DeleteThe basis of my plan for simplification is in the locking mechanism, and designing the thing to be assembled from tubing of various varieties with as little machining as possible. What machining is needed will only require hand tools, or maybe a drill press and a dremel tool if you're feeling fancy (or want to go faster without having actual proper tools to make it take even less time).
The main place for simplification will be using a locking mechanism like that of the TMP/MP9, with a telescopic bolt with lugs that match guide rails on the barrel. Trade a little accuracy for a locking mechanism that's just barely more complex than an uzi bolt. Trigger group and stuff, I'm going to just take an AR-15 setup, because it's like $15 for that and just pins in place and then I don't have to screw with it.