GunLab (KnownHost) » solid modeling

The Mauser 1917 trench carbine receiver

Chuck — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:03:08 +0000

I have reverse engineered most the lower receiver in Fusion 360 and will print the first model this week. This is the first print so I can test my solid model. Using the Bambu P2S printer I will print a 3D model. There are a number of modifications that will needed to be made, but I can check my initial model.

The 3D print is completed and as suspected there are a couple of changes that need to be made.

But the overall model is on.

The issues that I have found deal with the measurements and using photos that were not an exact 90 degrees. Not comes the fun part of making minor changes to correct the issues.

Mauser V9000 trench rifle

Chuck — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:21:28 +0000

While doing research on the 1917 trench carbine I came across a rifle that I have never seen or even heard of. The V9000. There is a video on YouTube posted by LAI Publications. I just fell for this cute carbine.

It also dissembles and the stock comes off.

There was a print of it taken apart.

I thank LAI publications for posting about this rare and interesting weapon. I decided that I need one in my collection. There is no chance of buying one and it is full auto so actually making one that is exact is out of the question. However I can make a semi auto one. As with all of my projects I need to design it from scratch. With that in mind I have started just that, but I am making a few changes to the design. First I will make it in 9mm and not in 7.62×25 Mauser. Second, I am going to make it to use a different magazine. I have never been a fan of the Mauser style magazine. they are expensive, a number of the ones I have do no fit properly and they are hard to fine.

My favorite magazine for my Broomhandle projects is the Finnish M/20 smg magazine. They are available at Apex gun parts.

It is a great magazine that I will cut down to 25 rds.

The first step was to design the lower receiver to use a M/20 magazine. I started this process with using a cut Chinese Schnellfeuer lower.

I was able to make a basic solid model but with the proper dimensions for the M/20 magazine.

There is a number of features missing from this model but, it is just a starting point. So I printed it out on m Bambu P2S 3D printer.

I was able to check to see if my magazine housing was dimension properly, and it was.

The next print will have the magazine release button. The rear of the receiver needs to be corrected. the bottom of the receiver is to thick and it receiver needs to have internal dimensions reduced. I am currently working on the second model receiver and should have it completed by the end of next weekend. I also need to add the dove tail slot in the front of the receiver

1917 trench carbine 3D prints

Chuck — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 23:01:26 +0000

With the new Bambu P2S printer here I decided to start printing out some of the components of the 1917 trench carbine to verify the design and measurements.

The first part that I printed out and checked is the fire control group. I Then used Bambu studio to do a slicing program on it. It was down loaded and printed out

After it was printed out it was checked with actual components to verify proper fit up.

There are a few minor changes that need to be made, but so far it does not look to be out of spec.

The Mauser 1917 Trench Carbine

Chuck — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:47:40 +0000

I happen to like the Mauser broom handle pistol. I know it is not well balanced or comfortable to shoot, but it is an iconic and historical weapon. I have a small collection and I am always looking to add to it.

One of the pieces that I would really like to get is the 1917 Mauser trench carbine, as well as a slab side, a 20 shot pistol and a Schnelfeuer. However due to the cost of these pistol it will probably never happen. But the 1917 just might.

It is a classic design

These are a couple of pictures on the internet that I found from an auction site and a web page. This is just a good looking gun and one that I have never seen in person or will ever own. In fact the only way I will ever own one is to make it myself. This will be a long and interesting project. Most of the parts are not interchangeable with the normal C-96 pistol, but some are close and other are basically the same. To accomplish what I want to do I started by obtaining all the photographs that I can find from books, videos and pictures on the internet and from friends.

I have also located patent drawings that has helped with some concepts and line drawings.

There is also a c-96 cut away in my collection which allows be to study the concept and method of operation

Then I take pictures from the C-96 parts that I own.

To be able to obtain accurate measurements the pictures need to be as close to 90 degree as possible to eliminate distortion.

Having assembled everything I can on a part or assembly I then check for common measurements then I down load pictures into Fusion 360 and using the known dimensions I calibrate the photo and start a basic drawing of the part or component. Frequently it takes a number of different solid models to finally come up with one that has what looks like proper dimensions. This solid model is of the fire control housing and is close to being complete.

When the rest of the fire control are completed then an assembly will be made showing all the parts as a completed model. I will then perform an analysis to check proper fit and alignment. Once I am at this point of the design I will make a 3D print of everything and actual do a physical inspection. This is a Schnellfeuer frame I did a while back.

When the plastic model is complete I will start the process of making a cut away steel model and check everything again prior to making a complete and functional weapon. Currently I have approximately 60% of the project in a solid model. If anyone knows someone that owns a 1917 trench carbine I would really like to chat with them. I could use some specific pictures and measurements. If I am unable to find a person with one then it will just take a little longer to work through the problems.

Update on the VG1-5 project

Chuck — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 08:00:41 +0000

We have been working on the fire control group and once again have made a few changes for more reliable operation and safety. We continue to have issues with the disconnector operating properly. There were issues with the hammer spring improperly contacting the disconnector. An additional problem came about with insufficient spring pressure to hold it in it’s proper position.

This is the old style of disconnector compared to the new style.

The old version of the fire control group. There was a great deal of problem to get the disconnector to work properly.

The part as laser cut

Solid models of the fixture.

fixture for machining the disconnector.

After the first machining operation

The finished part with cut outs for the hammer spring and

From start to finish now to de-bur and heat treat.

This is the fire control group with the problems worked out.

3D Printer

Chuck — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 08:00:30 +0000

After seeing what Orin, a friend of gun lab, was able to accomplish with his printer I decided to take the plunge and obtain one for myself. I had previously look at this same model of printer a couple of years ago, however at 2500.00 it was out of my price range. At a cost of 270.00 plus shipping it was now in my price range and cheaper then the build it yourself models. Is it perfect no, but it does make a nice product.

It came package in a big heavy duty cardboard box.

With lots of great packing inside.

And with more boxes inside to hold the misc items.

Yet will all this careful packing some of the plastic parts were broke.

Saturday and part of Sunday morning was use to make new aluminum replacement parts. A quick drawing was made in solid works and it was out to the manual mill to make them.

Now this is a simple part to make , the base took a little more effort. It actually took longer then it was suppose to because I lost the first set I made. We spent a couple of hours this morning looking for them. So I now have spares when I find them.

The first action was to make a new base and install it.

In the process of doing that I managed to break another plastic part. It was not worth using any of the plastic components so everything was re-made into aluminum.

I am now back on track to getting the printer to work.

Hotchkiss feed strip ammo box

Chuck — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:00:41 +0000

I happen to own a Hotchkiss portative light machine gun. Now that I have it working, with the help of my friend John, I find it one of the more fun guns to shoot.

So since last December I have been working on a couple of accessories for it. Well it happen that on Sunday I had a little Chuck time and went out and finished one of the accessories that I have been meaning to build. In this case it is a feed strip ammo box for the gun. I have looked at the original design and want to make something that would at least look time period correct.

I did not like this style of box.

A couple of pictures of an early American feed strip box.

Another view. This basically the style I wanted.

A Japanese ammo box. I found this one to be to basic.

In my collect of old ammo boxes I had a couple of Czech 8mm wooden boxes that were almost perfect in size.

A quick check with a few strips of 303 showed that this box would be excellent.

So some measurements were made and a solid model was made to allow be to design the spacers.

Then it was out to the wood shop to have a little fun. Now on to finding material from the pile of scrap stuff that I have. The side panels came from some material that Axel, a friend of gun lab, found on his last trip out to Arizona.

The dividers were already in my scrap pile from some cabinet building I did a while back. As is always the case nothing was the correct thickness, but a trip through the planer solver that problem.

Once it was the correct thickness it went to the table saw for the width then off to the radial arm saw for length. Cutting the groves was a little bit of a challenge as I don’t have a router table. A little changing on the radial arm saw and we got the dado blades from the table saw to work on them. Next a real basic fixture was set up on the saw and we cut all the groves to the proper depth and spacing.

So now this is the final product. I need to add a felt pad on the bottom of the trays as soon as I find enough. I have a few pieces of felt from 303 Vickers ammo cans, just not enough.

A fun project and it will definitely make it easier on range day with the Hotchkiss.

More on the VG1-5

Chuck — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 08:08:09 +0000

You have now seen the first series of spot welds necessary to put the strengthening plats in and putting then together. With this accomplished it is time to do the first machining op on the receiver. This operation cuts out the trigger opening and also the holes necessary to weld in the front barrel support. The magazine housing area is also machined out to the rough shape necessary to install it.

here are a few solid models of the fixture we used.

The individual components use in the VG1-5 lower receiver fixture.

This is the Master Cam simulation for machining the VG1-5 lower receiver for op1.

This video is showing the machining of the VG1-5 lower receiver op 1′

this is a picture of the part after machining but still in the fixture.

AR-180b upper receiver

Chuck — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 08:00:41 +0000

Here At Gun Lab we actually have a number of projects going on. While we are waiting for our heat treating to come back for the VG1-5 and AR-180b parts we started on the AR-180B upper receiver. This receiver is design to fit on the Nodak-Spud lower as well as the AR-180B lower and the original AR-180.

The project was started July 20th when a friend sent me a original flat for the AR-180. That evening I sat down and started the solid model drawing for the upper receiver. It was not a priority project here and was put on the back burner until the projects on the mill were completed. However, by July 30th I had completed the solid model and had completed the first set of basic modelling for the stamping die.

This first picture is of an original AR-18 flat that has had ribs pressed in.

This picture shows what it would look like after the next stamping. The basic shape is cut out.

The next step that was performed was to bend the bottom tabs.

The next step was then to punch out the ejector port and cocking handle opening.

With the advent of technology we have made a few changes to the process in which this part will be made.

In looking at an original AR-180b upper you can see a few of the manufacturing changes. Looking at these pictures and at the actual part you can see that a laser cutter was used versus stamping them out. The cost difference is huge.

What we have done is drawn up the receiver then changed it into a flat design then had that laser cut out of the proper material and thickness of sheet metal

Next we started working on the stamping design.

Once the basic design is completed we start working on each component of the design and changing the parts and assembly as we go along. Finally we come up with a working model.

Then every part and component is accurately located and attached.

Down to the pins and screws.

Once this is done we start making each of the individual pieces. Starting with the basic stock.

To the final products.

The next step and post will be the assembly then off to testing.

This is were we stand now on 8-17 and starting from 7-20. Less then 30 days from concept through design and modeling to programming and machining.

Not bad.

Gun Lab update

Chuck — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 02:15:58 +0000

This is an answer to a friends question about a particular project.

It is good to always keep checking with me. Things can get a little hectic around here. This is the status of the projects here.

1) the MP-44 trunnions test pieces have been completed and sent to the buyer. A few changes need to be made and we are correcting the drawings now.A post coming up about that next.

2) I hope to have the parts to fix the wire edm in this week and have it back up and getting it operational, this is for the mag wells on the AR-10.

3) we are finishing the tooling for the VG1-5 project so spot welding can go on in mass next week. While on the subject of the VG1-5 a new trigger guard stamping die has to be made, to look more like the original one. Still waiting for the heat treated parts to come back. The parkerizing set up is ready to start parking parts.

4) The cetme receiver has been solid modeled and the stamping dies are currently modeled as well, need to finish up the final oddities.

6) The AR-10 lower receiver has been modeled and half of it has been programmed to machine.; The work on the AR-10 lower will start again as soon as I can get the VG1-5 off of the HAAS machining center, need to change all the tooling out to aluminum cutters.

7) The AR-180b upper receiver stamping dies are 98% complete and hope to have them finished tomorrow. We are still waiting for the parts to come back from heat treat for this as well. Then we will start parkerizing them also.

So far That is about it. I am still working on the cnc router, made a new panel this weekend.