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AR15.COM
7/28/2026 12:50:40 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Rat_Patrol][Edited]
If you printed an FTN Rifle, did you build it to specs, did it fail, where and why?

Do ALL Rifle series need the aluminum tube?

I'm trying to determine where the failure point is, can it withstand limited FRT time, if so how much... will it survive a Carbine Class style usage, only a slow range day, 1-2 mag dumps, a small bit of brrrrt-brrrrt of FTR and then allow to cool for a moment or two

Also working to remove some weight by using thinner alu. tubing (there is some that's 1/2 the thickness of the specified tubing).
7/28/2026 6:09:57 PM EDT
[#1]
Originally Posted By bmarshall1:
If you printed an FTN Rifle, did you build it to specs, did it fail, where and why?

Do ALL Rifle series need the aluminum tube?

I'm trying to determine where the failure point is, can it withstand limited FRT time, if so how much... will it survive a Carbine Class style usage, only a slow range day, 1-2 mag dumps, a small bit of brrrrt-brrrrt of FTR and then allow to cool for a moment or two

Also working to remove some weight by using thinner alu. tubing (there is some that's 1/2 the thickness of the specified tubing).
View Quote


The most likely cause of failure is probably going to be from poor layer adhesion caused by incorrect printing or settings: wet filament, underextrusion, low nozzle and chamber temps, print speeds too high...

I personally would not consider a rifle can that was not printed horizontally and then sleeved. There's just too much pressure acting perpendicular to the layer lines on a vertically printed can. All the FTN.5 rifle cans are horizontal prints already.

The neat thing about $0 stamps is that you can experiment as much as you want and you're only out the small cost of material.

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