I have spent some time studying the FAQ to make sure what I am going to post here is allowed. My conclusion is that it may not be prohibited. So I am going to show you as follow. However, if board master think otherwise, please let me know.

Not until the day before the Thanksgiving had I ironed out the legal content of my invention with my patent lawyer, such that the rifle I barely finished this summer is officially patent pending. Now it is time to show the world. Before anything, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped me every step of the way to make this happen. And here you go...

First, a picture of me with the rifle.

http://www.artofwar-tw.org/bboard/download/file.php?id=2659

The video you are going to see was shot on August 8th this year. Only one day before that, the Durocoat I sprayed on the rifle finally dry completely. The whole rifle is still kind of stiff. Some of the parts I make have screwed up tolerance, so you may notice some sluggish during the operation. Believe me, if I have had a little bit more time to polish that out, it should have been fine. That day is also scorching hot, 99F plus heat waves, so I have to use a shop fan to prevent dehydrate myself. So sorry about the noise. I have no choice. The very second day I have to leave the country, there is no time for me to shoot a better one.

I will continue to update or post more of the detail, but now let's start it with the video.

Love the way u can swap ejection on the fly, havent seen this with a bullpup yet.

it's piston.

Anyone can help me to fix the video? I don't know why it is not directly link to youtube.

No ads from unpaid dealers or IPs.

btty

Topic Moved

Your a good man aimless

We need a range video and a better video show casing ejection and the charging handle

I have to say, thats one neat looking bullpup! I hope this doesn't get taken down this is really interesting

Thanks!

If other mod think otherwise, please let me know what level of team membership is required to post this kind of topic here. I think it is right thing to do if I benefit from the site.

This is a prototype rifle that I used to test whether it is possible to do what I want it to do. So everything is designed in a way that I can manufacture it cheaply. So no, this is not going to be sold in the market because it is far from mature. I use AR parts as much as possible to bring the cost down, so much so some system was designed around AR parts instead the other way around. That's been said. The switching function of the rifle is to keep, while the piston system will get heavy modification. Believe it or not, the piston system was designed in the dimension to allow me to use an AR15 A2 recoil spring...

Please ignore the beginning of the last video. I promised to post there first.

Aimless: No I am not in US anymore, but looking for opportunity to come back. I just notice my info is still showing MO, USA. I am in Germany now.

I didn't manage to shoot real bullet in the range. If board permit, I will post the long story of how this project is done.

I did, however, fire a blank case with a fresh primer inside of my friend's "range"

Here is another video.


The reason prevent me go further is the bolt I made has excessive head space. I don't want to ruin my hard work for some uncertainties. A new bolt was almost finished before I leave the country. It is a shame that I couldn't get it done in time.

Just in case the audio is unbearable due to the noise, here is the transcripts of what's in the video.

My friends at XXX forum, as I promised, today I present you my first design, what I called "Longziz #1". As you can see, this is a bullpup rifle, which is capable to discharge the spent casing either from right or left without disassemble the gun. It is long stroke gas piston operated; it has a 20 inches barrel; I built it on top of an AR15 lower receiver, which is housed here (pointing to the stock). Now, I am going to demonstrate you how the direction of discharging the spent casing is converted. right now, the discharge is from the right. Let's see.(pulling the charging handle and released the bolt), one round in the camber; (racking the changing handle)discharge, (one round coming out of the right ejection port), (racking again) discharge, (another round coming out from right). and change to the left. just pull this lever, and flip the check piece. and now discharge from the left. (racking the gun and one round coming out of left port, rack again and second come out). Now if you want to change back, simply pull this lever again, and then flip the check piece. and it went back to discharge from the right. (rack the gun twice, two more rounds coming out of right port, and bolt holds). now you have it, longziz #1. Tell me what you thought. If you are not interested, if you are not impressed, which is OK. But stay tune for my Longziz #2.

The concept is great.

Interesting....

- Clint

I agree.

The reason I don't even look at bullpups is the right-hand only design.  Would love to see something like this in production someday.

Great ingenuity, however to play devil's advocate for a second here.. in practical operation, you may be switching shoulders on the fly (poking through doorways and down hallways from different sides - you want to minimize how much you expose yourself).  This design would make that harder actually because of where they eject..

It's a bullpup.

The whole idea started at the beginning of 2008. I was a Mechanical Engineering student in St. Louis, Missouri, facing graduation but holding no certainty of the future. The economic is not great, people around me were more or less killing time not thinking too much about it. I was more or less the same. Although I never consider myself a person the satisfying commonplaces, I wasn't clear where should I start then. Although I had long working experience before, but they were not related to the major I was studying. Even though I consider myself a good mechanical design engineer, I have no experience to back it up.

Playing firearm for many years, I start to develop the idea of doing something in this business. Firearm is considered as an amazing mechanical product in my mind. On the one hand, it is big enough to demand every aspect of mechanical engineering principles, yet small enough to be tackled by a single person. There are numerous forerunner in this business have done that, why not me? On September 2008, when I saw the wall street collapsed in front of my eyes in a single days, I know I need to do something.

Picking Bullpup as the subject to tackle was based on two factors. From a history point of view, this counter intuitive approach was having criticism starting at the day it was born. That is, you can only satisfy a left handed or right handed shooter, but not both. While right handed person are taking the majorities, left handed shooter found themselves distant from this kind fire arm. While the Chinese, French, and Great Britain lefty soldiers are forced to fire their issued weapon with right hand, other counties, such as Israel and Austrian managed to make their military bullpup with ambidextrous design. However, to change the spent casing from right to left involves at least the disassemble of the gun, Tavor even needs its bolt to be replace to achieve that. So if I can design a bullpup rifle that allows the discharging switch while not needing disassemble the weapon, it would be a great improvement for this species. At the time, I had aware the existence of FN2000. However, discharging through the front is kinda new and not accepted by the main army forces, including its home countries army. Although it did find its home in my countries' special op forces.

The second reason is that, by then, I had purchased an AR15. The axial symmetric design of the AR bolt gave me an idea. If I can turn the bold head 135 degree, the direction of discharge can be achieved. The shape of the bolt head (together with the extractor head) is also like a straight tooth gear, if somehow I apply another mate-able gear to turn it, turning the bolt head is then possible. At the time, I have another AR15 lower with no use at the time, why not use it to build a bullpup? There are many AR part available in the market, going this way will lower the amount of machine work needed to complete a rifle. Isn't that great?

Since it is a bullpup, then the DI system must to go. Although there are many piston system or even revised DI system available in the market, since apparently I have do design a new bolt carrier, which is by no means a small scale project, why not design a new piston system of my own? When AR changed from DI to a piston system, the accuracy of the rifle suffers. This is almost considered as norm. If I design a piston which does the same or worse, why should I do it? So I set my aim to design a piston system that would maintain the DI accuracy, if not better.

Nice work.

very nice

I like it a lot

I think you've got a really good thing going. Keep up the good work.

And hopefully you can keep us updated.

Looking back, I consider myself was a dumb ass with first degree. If this is not shooting the moon, I don't know what is.

I had this idea at the beginning of 2008, started to play around with some CAD model in July and August, after September, I started the detail design for real. It took me about two month to finish the draft design, and it was almost Christmas time. In January I have to travel to Germany for three month. I married the woman of my life and she lives in Germany. I did try to convince her to come to the States, but been a poor foreign student with slim hope of find a good job in such a harsh economic environment, it is not hard to choose what was the best for the family. However, I couldn't give up my dream here just yet and hoping by doing this, I may achieve a better bargain to change my wife's mind. So even with only two weeks left, I decided to start manufacturing. Needless to say, I was way overestimate my capability of machining and way underestimate the challenge. If I knew what I know now, I probably wouldn't do it. However, the backside of the coin is, when people are cornered, it may inspired the inner energy that they themselves may not realize that it is there.

The bolt was naturally the most important part of this concept. So it is also the first to be manufactured, and soon I hit the first stone. Just before Christmas I ruin the only 3/32 mill bit I had in hand, only after milling out the first lug on the bolt. This is a must-have tool if I want to finish the rest seven lugs, but around Christmas, there is no way I can find a store that I can just walk in and pick it up. Online purchasing was the only way, but the delivery will last over the new year. So I start to make some parts that does not demand this drill bit. I did make some parts for the piston system. However, been a green mechanist, I just screwed up in every possible way. Judging from a few pictures I managed to took by then, I only made a few parts like gas block, piston, and some parts of the bolt assembly. The bolt head was made, but it was in such a bad quality it won't fit into the AR15 barrel extension just by looking at it.

I left the States on January 2009 with a broken heart, not only that I almost had nothing to show, I was also facing the challenge of finishing my dissertation  paper in three month if I want to graduate in May. Before that I almost didn't write a word. Long story short, I wrote three paper in that three month. And together with other paper I published before, I managed to finished the dissertation paper before April, so a defense either by the end of April or early May was possible. In between all these academic obligation I had to stick with, I kept thinking what I did wrong in that two weeks. Looking back, that two weeks were not a total loss, simply because I screwed up every possible way. I was start too much in a hurry so a lot of things I didn't think straight before I did it. In those tiny biddy spare time between writing papers, I figured out the right sequence, tooling and setups that would help me have a clean run of manufacturing. So when I landed at Chicago ORD, I was pumped. I am going to get my goal. I am going to get my Doctor degree, and I am going to get the rifle done!

Neat, hope to see more.

I completely disagree, he's showing us a fascinating AR-15 related product, he's not selling anything. (right now)

Can we have more details of how this works?

Very interesting.

Quite innovative!

I look forward to seeing #2!

OK, too much story telling and too much texts. We need pictures!




This was the only two pictures I took during manufacturing period of the Christmas 2008. Believe it or not, the thing in the picture is the basic for the bolt head, with the firing pin hole just finished. The second is gas block, in 90% finished shape.

From now on the picture was taken between April 2009 to May 2009.


This is the 20 inch barrel before Christmas 2008. You can see it in the video, except this is before it is machined. I bought it cheap from an online retailer. When I first checked the barrel, I found the gas part bur was lodged inside of the barrel, and I couldn't push it out with a cleaning rod. I called to ask how I can deal with this. The guy said you can just shoot a round it will be out. I was skeptical but by then I was planning to work on it right away, so I didn't ask for a exchange. I shot two round out of it after I mounted it on my 7.62X39 AR15. It did DE-burred, just don't know if the barrel was scratched inside.



Billet used to make the upper receiver, 7075-T6 Aluminum. On Mcmaster it asks for $120, bought locally from Saperal (sorry if spell wrong) for just $40.



Some half done parts. Some of them didn't make it to the rifle you see. In it, there were piston, gas block, op rod interlink, upper receiver with barrel nut on it, and a locking ring to be the first one I discarded.

Huh. That's interesting.

wow very interesting.

Locked again, pending staff review

Who knows.... definitly an ad

more picture.



Setting up to machine the barrel.



Start to turn down the profile. In my commercial design of the future (if I go that far at all), this is not necessary. I did this just for using the one AR15 A2 recoil spring I had in hand. Long story later.



Almost complete piston system.

You may notice the lathe I used in this picture is different from the one I used in previous two picture. There is a story behind it. The loathe I used in previous two picture belongs to my dear friend John. I also took my video shot in his garage. The lathe he has, compare to the lathe in my school, has better quality. This was why I do the barrel job in his shop. However, the shear pin that interlock the head with the cutter table was broken, so I can't cut thread on the barrel with his lathe. I don't trust the the lathe in my school to do the job (not a good judgement really), so I bought a die to cut the thread instead. This was one incident that showed I was an amateur. I didn't press the die before I turn it. It started with an angle and I didn't realize it until I couldn't turn it. The thread bite deep into the barrel and the thread cut looks like a snake. I thought this barrel is wasted.

My another friend Steve, who is also a friend of John, came to the rescue. He convinced me that any turning lathe is a good lathe and in terms of thread, as long as you have enough material left, it will do the job. We went to our school and I, under his instruction and supervision, got the correct thread back. Steve used to be a tool maker for McDonald Douglas and later Boeing. Like John and many other seasoned manufacturing expert, they lost their job due to various direct reasons, but nevertheless all accumulated to the fact that the manufacturing job in this country were shipped aboard. After several layoffs until 2006, Steve gave up his career as a tool and die maker, and find himself a prison cop job. He is still do it today...

I like it.

Interesting.

What caliber is it?

What changes are you planning for future versions?

OK, I just realize that I am still under probation and the post was locked and then unlocked again. I am typing the story letter but letter and post some once I finished some. I also save it in a word file but sometime I forgot. It is not a good feeling that fearing my post would be deleted again without any warning. So I am willing to pay what is necessary for me to be here and go on. I have registered as a member long time ago, but I really don't have many time to study here. Believe me, if I could I would. I have a daytime job that has nothing to do with firearm. All my spare time were largely spent on designing my dreams, if not performing my family duty. I really don't know what qualifies as ad here. I know I may be on the board line so either way is possible. If you are accusing me selling something here, then I couldn't reject that notion totally. After all, having done all this, I am at least trying to sell myself here, for the fame or whatever. But this rifle, as well as the future Longziz #2, is not and will not for sale. And quite frankly I doubt anybody can afford it either.  I don't have a company, not yet. Nobody have ever contacted me to make commercial product out of it, not yet. I don't know how much you charge for dealer here, but compare to them, I don't have any tangible product to sell, not yet.

So please, let me know what I need to do to go on. I checked the team member policy here, http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=2 I didn't see those privilege includes any advertising. I am willing to pay anything necessary to get my goal. I don't know how much you charge for a dealer and quite frankly I don't know if I can afford it right now. And if posting here turn out to be such a hassle, maybe I should stop right here.

C'mon mods/staff, he isn't selling anything here so it can't be an ad. It's no different than members posting pics of their project firearms. All of them may be for sale someday, but if someone isn't trying to sell something in a post, it isn't an ad. This kid doesn't even know if he'll ever try to commercially make and sell these things. This is interesting stuff and it is kind of nice to see a fresh mind with fresh ideas. Would you guys have locked John Browning's original pre-commercial works if he wanted to share them and get input?

I'm with the Penguin––let the guy share his stuff with us.

Agree this shit is cool!

I like it reminds me how much i want a bullpup.

I wish i was that mechanically inclined.
Good luck with this project.

This.

He's not selling anything, he doesn't have anything to sell right now.

He's telling us about an idea and a prototype he's developing.  If he decides to market it, it would be appropriate for him to buy a dealer's membership or whatever it's called.

Love the design!

Good luck!

Nice work....I appreciate innovation.

Dude, you're on to something, I would possibly try to rework the cheek piece, make it to where it stays in place and has a slope on both sides like a SOPMOD stock and have the lever that changes direction be all that you need to operate. Just a thought.


Daniel

Count me as interested.  I clicked on the thread to find out what a "Long Zeez" was - glad I did.

Longziz - is the AR lower actually housed inside or have you replaced it with what we see?

Interested. This is a nice design and it is nice to see some innovation in a stagnant market.

Inspiring!

.

Daniel, I thought the same thing watching the vid.  However, I do see that the cheek piece fully covers the unused (shooter's side) ejection port because of course that's where your face will be.  His design might be the best way to make sure you don't end up pressing your face onto a cycling bolt.

This is a very interesting design and thread.  Even if the OP never gets the rifle to production, this sort of thinking is how innovations are made.  We need more folks like this willing to try new ideas, many of which won't work out, but some will.  If nothing else it is a very neat looking rifle.  Were it to go into production in a form legal in the US, I'd buy one.

I also agree that this post is not an ad.

Keep up the good work and keep running with those ideas!

I would say if  the longziz rifle develops beyond the prototype stage.  Any storage space would be in the buttstock area like an AUG.

Concur.

I agree.  Real neat concept.   Would like to see it go further.
And I to do not believe this is an add.
An add is an action that states theya re selling something, item or idea to make money.
This guy is letting us know his dreams.
Or should I say alot of our dreams.
If he gets it working and puts a price tag or takes orders then it's an add.

Good job longziz, keep it going forward...