3D Printed Ordnance

[erannbauer]

Black Swan 3D print files - Huge selection ever growing of top class 3D plans
Used some of these in my lectures as safe, lightweight and low cost
See - https://cults3d.com/en/users/blackswanprints/3d-models?page=1

 

[Rrickoshae]

Although it pains me to say so, having spent the best part of 70 years collecting ordnance, these 3d printed shells are amazingly good. Even the original items stampings are accurately replicated and providing they are painted in correct colours can only be told from the original by the weight. And in the world we now occupy these are things that younger generations or re-en actors can afford to buy and nobody can get too excited about ie are they inert or are they live. I guess the time is near for me to learn how to use a QR code the ringo parking app!

 

[erannbauer]

I am 72 years old with passing few decades seeing the availability and prices of aged ordnance becoming inaccessible for both expert and amateur collectors, therefore using this mazing 3D print technology adds hard to find items to any collection in the hope that sometime into the future you are lucky or rich enough to locate and then purchase the real thing. Even postage costs have risen to stupid levels as real equals heavy - and some countries have ownership and shipping restrictions, therefore this is why I posted this link to stimulate debate and shared opinions. Have a look at this link https://free3d.com/3d-models/weapons as totally legal inert complete weapons can be replicated. Also see https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/ammunition and https://forum.cartridgecollectors.org/t/3d-models-of-projectiles/38773/9 and https://www.printables.com/model/1413063-m18-smoke-grenade-propairsoft-vietnam-war-with-tem with grenade replicas - This guy Stephen Taylor is a top rank 3D manufacturer - https://stephentaylorhistorian.com/2026/01/10/3d-printing-ww2-replica-ordnance/ as his ageing process makes these copies highly realistic - https://stephentaylorhistorian.com/replica-sales/ and prices sensible. He is a 'real' collector and relic hunter digging up lots of interesting stuff.

 

[Davehal9000]

There are items we have wirh missing pieces, pieces we will never find, especially if we have retired from the military and no longer visit battlefields.

Sometimes, the only way to ever finish that project is using a 3D printed part. The first time I did this, the items I needed were plastic parts, so unless you have extensively handled the real thing, you would have no idea it wasn't the original part

 

[erannbauer]

We now have very fine detailed metal 3D which we use in prototyping one-off projects as Proof of Concept therefore using a competent 3D print agency is both technically and financially viable today. I've got a WW2 wooden Mills grenade box and adding a full load of 3D printed Mills grenades looks seriously impressive. The same applies to rare hard-to-find parts such as WW2 Battle of Britain pilots accessories as we have a set of mannequins (see attached) where some missing bits are 3D until we source the real thing. A real early WW2 oxy mask and microphone costs @ £ 1200 at auction yet a really good copy with 3D is only £ 210 - eBay item number:278201511935 and recently we found a top class 3D printed reflector gun sight for £ 380 as real are @ £ 2000-plus Just made a 3D copy of a SAS Browning HiPower to fit a genuine Embassy Siege SAS Holster worn by Mel Parry as leader of front assault Red Team as well as a copy of the HK MP5 torch bracket on top of the weapon as that's our next mannequin. These guys https://www.762mm.co.uk/ ex-vets make lovely weapon copies at sensible money