Posted: 5/9/2026 1:42:03 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Romano316][Edited]
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Good morning friends. I would like to print some P226 .22 LR Mags using this template on cults. P226 .22 LR Mags. A friend recommended the Creality K2/K2 combo, using PLA+ or PTEG to prevent the more brittle material from cracking. I know a dryer was recommended on this forum, and this model has one. I care most about product durability, dimensional accuracy, and ease of use. I would be willing to spend a little more for those. ETA: worth noting these magazines are out of production and very hard to find, probably $75 range used. What does the hive think? |
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You'll always likely want additional parts or accessories. Extra nozzles, extra build plates, that sort of thing. You'll need a proper drying setuo and a proper dry box setup. No, PLA+ will deform in direct sunlight and mis also just not great at prolonged stresses, as it fatigues easily. PETG is arguably the worst filament to print 2A parts from. Print them from PA6-CF if you actually want it to last and be halfway decent. |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: X2D or H2D. You want all the things that require a high end setup. So, buy a high end setup. I've heard a million people say they wish they had bought a nicer model printer. I've never met anyone that regrets getting a nicer printer. Food for thought. |
Who, What, Where? Call Sign, Snowball
| PLA+ will be fine for magazines, especially considering it's for a 22. Sure, PA6 will last longer and be more durable, but as a beginner you will be much more successful with PLA+ unless you invest a not insignificant amount of money into a proper PA6 drying and printing setup. For the cost of a high temp dryer and one roll of PA6CF, you can buy well over 30 rolls of PLA+ and print hundreds of mags and replace them as needed. I would prefer PET-CF over PA6-CF for mags because it is far easier to print, doesn't creep like PA6, and does not lose rigidity after moisture absorption like PA6. PETG would work fine in this application as well although it wouldn't be my first choice. |
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Originally Posted By Blob: PLA+ will be fine for magazines, especially considering it's for a 22. Sure, PA6 will last longer and be more durable, but as a beginner you will be much more successful with PLA+ unless you invest a not insignificant amount of money into a proper PA6 drying and printing setup. For the cost of a high temp dryer and one roll of PA6CF, you can buy well over 30 rolls of PLA+ and print hundreds of mags and replace them as needed. I would prefer PET-CF over PA6-CF for mags because it is far easier to print, doesn't creep like PA6, and does not lose rigidity after moisture absorption like PA6. PETG would work fine in this application as well although it wouldn't be my first choice. PETG is far too tacky and far too flexible for maxazine use, even in a 22 application. The rounds will jamb, and swell the body, and the feed lips will flex. Go for it though. PLA+ generally has a Tg of 60C, so it will deform in direct sunlight in summer even without use. Consider a rapid fire 22 can reach up to 90C at the magazine feed lips and I think you'll find that PLA+ will end is frustration as well, unless you fire slowly and keep the mags in the shade. There are enough negative opinions on 3D printing and their capabilities, and printing functional parts out of sub optimal materials with sub optimal settings simply advances this unfair perspective. I at least want to be forthcoming to point out the issues and shortcomings of one's plan before they go and invest nearly a grand on a P2S setup or something along those lines only to find out it doesn't truly meet their wants like they were originally lead to believe. Far, far too many people don't do enough research before jumping in, right or wrong. |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: PETG is far too tacky and far too flexible for maxazine use, even in a 22 application. The rounds will jamb, and swell the body, and the feed lips will flex. Go for it though. PLA+ generally has a Tg of 60C, so it will deform in direct sunlight in summer even without use. Consider a rapid fire 22 can reach up to 90C at the magazine feed lips and I think you'll find that PLA+ will end is frustration as well, unless you fire slowly and keep the mags in the shade. There are enough negative opinions on 3D printing and their capabilities, and printing functional parts out of sub optimal materials with sub optimal settings simply advances this unfair perspective. I at least want to be forthcoming to point out the issues and shortcomings of one's plan before they go and invest nearly a grand on a P2S setup or something along those lines only to find out it doesn't truly meet their wants like they were originally lead to believe. Far, far too many people don't do enough research before jumping in, right or wrong. Ok, so pull the mags out of your range bag right before shooting and then toss them back in when you're done. They don't go tits up from five seconds of sun exposure. I have plenty of 9mm PLA mags that do just fine. PLA+ is not the worst material in the world. One of the products I print for my side business is made from PLA+ and lives inside of an AR-15 upper receiver for use with FRT devices. I have over 1000 units in the field right now and have only had one RMA and even that one was from user error. I have also sold several dozen PLA+ Leber trigger housings with no complaints. Now I'm not saying PLA+ is the go-to for printing everything and that your arguments don't have merit, but I don't believe you are giving enough credit to the material's capabilities. As long as you understand its limitations and operate within those boundaries then PLA+ can be excellent. And like I said, if one does not invest heavily upfront into a proper PA6 drying setup then the inside of the magazine will be riddled with retraction blobs and strings and the magazine will be functionally useless. It will be highly heat resistant yes, but functionally useless. It's not an easy decision for a brand new user to make to spend several hundred dollars on a piece of equipment who's sole purpose is to dry one single type of filament just so they can print a couple of 22 mags. If that's all they want then they should just go out and buy half a dozen factory mags and they'll be time, money, and frustration ahead and they'll wind up with a much better product in the end. |