Open Source Guns?

[1006]

$ for $, the AR 15 is a very accurate.

Rock River Arms factory gun, cost today less than $1400.

Result of 20 shots at 600 yards with a rest and a good scope. Powder loaded on a progressive press-no hand weigh.

[dbosman]

I nominate the British Sten. Parts were manufactured in small shops and garages so there wasn't a factory to bomb. Distributed manufacturing.
One used to be able to purchase parts kits at gun shows forty or fifty years ago. The barrel seemed to be the only difficult part.

[lksmith]

where they pointed out that the AR-15 platform is a de facto open standard. I will be honest, I don't like ARs, but I have never been more intrigued by them as I am after having them described that way.

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Ar15 is like a grown man's erector set. The popularity of them is the near infinite variations that can be made by even a minimally skilled person and one of the widest ranges of compatible "calibers". you can get uppers from 22lr to 50BMG that fit the same lower so you can have the same trigger on multiple calibers, even cross bows. Pretty sure you can also get muzzleloader, shotgun and airgun uppers for it, I just haven't run across those