Project Status and Musings (Patreon)

A lot has been happening as of recent. I managed to push out my first YouTube video (just a talking head kind of thing), but am still brainstorming for scripts of sorts. I also have abandoned a move to another county locally too, staying in town where I am now. In short, I'm consolidating and sharpening my focus and energy- which means I'm going to close out some projects so they don't languish on my backlog!

I'm thinking of doing a "project overview" sort of video for some upcoming releases. Speaking of which, here's a small breakdown of project status-

SWMP-9

We are nearing release for this frame, which makes uses of the M&P 9 pistol part kits. Not only are original M1.0 kits compatible, but M2.0 kits are as well. This also includes the Girsan MC28 SA kits, which is a little more obscure. Not only is magazine fitment excellent, but the frames also come in a combination of sizes for people looking to experiment.

The documentation is complete for it. I hope to have it out in the coming weeks, likely sometime this March.

FNX940

I've had successful test fires for both .40 S&W and 9mm. We dumped a brick of each, with the .40 exhibiting slight hangups on return on an older frame (now addressed) and the 9mm performing flawlessly. I just happened to finish documentation for it too. This is exciting- it's one of the finest pistols for its price, and among the few hammer-fired guns that can be printed. I only regret that it's not a common part kit.

It should be out sometime in April at the latest.

KAP9

Finally, a frame is designed for this familiar tube thing. The Kimel AP9 is a close cousin to the Intratec Tec9/AB10, but is quite different- it uses a trigger pack rather than the agonizing individual components on the Tec9/AB10. It's been at a standstill as I was trying to diagnose magazine fitment issues- but I think it's ready for release. I will try to get some more rounds through a new print (now printing) to get it out the door. It's been languishing so long, and it's time for those that accidentally bought this kit to get some reprieve on their mistaken purchase.

Pending release before Q3 2022.

MERP

PrintShootRepeat put my kit (Sig Sauer MPX 9mm) and print through some use and abuse in his video- and it held up well! I need to address the small gap at the back of the receiver (and the pesky radius) before I get into documentation. Some testers have appeared also, so this will be enticing to finally put through to release. Unfortunately, this is one of the kits which are enormously difficulty to obtain.

Pending release in Q3 2022.

PS522

Not much has changed on this model, actually! The only thing left to do is make documentation for it- but I am reluctant to do so for a few reasons. If you remove the barrel nut- you destroy the receiver. In fact, assembly is precarious- you have to boil the print in hot water for a moment and immediately torque on the barrel nut! I suppose I could widen the diameter of the retaining hole, but doing so might have the barrel shift ajar. I'll see. Worst case, I release this on my "Vinh's Seconds and Experimentals" Odysee.

No release date yet.

TMS509

I haven't worked on this lately. The magazine base plates need some reconciling, and I think magazine seating too- FN 509 magazines need to sit higher up somewhat for the round-hold-open to engage.

The completion of this frame will let people who have an FN 509 or FNX-9C/40C kit make a functioning gun. It's definitely an evolution of the FNS-9/40 with a number of critical changes, but shares many similarities in terms of function.

No release date yet.

DD43.1

I'm excited to share a few details about the DD43.1 frame. We'll be having a "launch party" of sorts this Friday evening with Aves Rails and PrintShootRepeat, IRL! (Yes, IRL!) I'll send out stream links later, but I'm immensely happy to finally get this in the wild.

While this will be announced in the stream, I'll tell you guys ahead of time- we will immediately launch the DD42.1 and ChairmanWon's 43X frame into beta as well after the DD43.1 frame and rails are released. The best part is- the rails are compatible with these models, so no custom fabrication needed.

This is really neat- it's basically a three-punch combo sending three different models into existence that can be built. While the 42 is less common than the 43 or 43X, all three options will be available for all to enjoy and build for their use-cases.

Musings

I've been putting more focus and energy into the 3DPG community and building up my content backlog, in addition to putting more time towards family. If there's one thing that taught me during the Plandemic, it's that many organizations will bend over backwards and won't look out for their staff in the face of adversity. While I wasn't laid off or fired over a mandate, many I know weren't so fortunate and some have even departed out of their own volition. Many are now skeptical, knowing that these big corps have shown their hand on what they will do when faced with government overreach or even social pressure. Chatting with folks at other companies made me realize: even if you and your local team and home department might be the best folks to be around and share the same opinions, it's still possible to get steamrolled by corporate governance or shareholders into compliance (or departure).

Life is too short to be constantly working and not putting the right amount of time into the things that matter. In my case, my passion for open-source firearms and commitment to family are what's important. No one lays on their death bed wishing they worked more at their 9-to-5, but people do wish they put more into their passion or spent time with their loved ones.

In any case, I am very fortunate to have you guys along supporting me and my contributions to the movement. Thanks to y'all, these exciting projects can happen, and can provide hope or hobby-fun for many.

Stay tuned for this week's digest, and upcoming info about the stream on Friday!

Cheers,

Vinh