In Part 1 of this article series, I talked a bit about the Ghost Gunner 3-S desktop CNC machine. Sold by parent company Defense Distributed, these CNC machines have steadily increased in both physical capability and in practical applications. What was once limited to finishing 80% lower receivers for AR-15’s, the Ghost Gunner series of machines can now finish lowers from “0%” blocks of aluminum, mill AR-308 lowers, 1911 frames, Polymer 80 (Glock pattern) frames and even steel AK-47 lower receivers. Furthermore, Matthew Komar’s “Ghost Writer” program allows you to perform custom engraving on your guns.
As if that wasn’t enough, Defense Distributed has released their Optics Cut Library 2.0, allowing for thousands of slide/footprint/location combinations to be milled into your handgun’s slide, enabling previously inexperienced gun owners to perform a popular modification that would often require the slide to be sent out to a company to be performed.
So now here’s me. I have no machining training. I can’t code. I have used the Ghost Gunner 2 to machine out some 80% lowers before. Defense Distributed sent out a new Ghost Gunner 3-S, along with an Optic Cut Kit. I decided to mill my old Glock 17 slide for an RMR footprint, since I happened to have a Bushnell RXM-300 optic in to review. How easy is it? Did I screw the whole thing up? Follow my harrowing journey.
As discussed in the first part of this series, in addition to the base machine you’ll need the Optics Cut Kit, which has all the jigs, bolts and mills you’ll need to complete many slides. The kit even contains a threadmill, allowing the bolt mounting holes to be threaded.
Getting Set Up
To set up the GG3S, you’ll need to plug it in to a computer. While the internet makes it easy, my shop has no phone or internet access. This isn’t a big problem, as Def Dist includes a thumbdrive with the DDCUT software. I used the same thumbdrive to run to my home PC and download the Optic Cut Library 2.0. With the computer’s DDCUT software, the machine’s firmware and the cut code software all up to date, I moved on.
Getting Started
Milling my first slide went a lot like milling my first 80% receiver, a lot of worry and a few minor missteps, before ending up with a great finished product.
First, you load up the DDCUT software and select the All-in-One optic cut code. The user is walked through the step-by-step process of assembling the jig and installing it into the machine safely. At first it all looks like random pieces. Once it’s together, it’s really easy to see the big picture forevermore.
Once the jig and all related components are assembled, you’ll bolt in your slide. Again, the DDCUT software guides you in baby steps through it. Your slide (or at least a tiny portion) needs to be conductive to allow the machine to mark the slide’s locations. A tiny bit of sanding can do the trick if needed. Glock’s Tenifer coating is said to be conductive. I checked my slide using a handy tip included in the DDCUT software, and yep..conductive. I was all set up.
The DDCUT software that powers the Ghost Gunner machine will run you through a series of questions, asking which slide you’re using, mounting depth (for co-witness), mounting location (rear of slide, or in front of rear sight) and optic footprint.
Cutting Steel
After the slow setup (as I double checked everything nervously), I finally had the mill cutting into steel. It didn’t take long for the basic RMR footprint to be cut. The DDCUT software asks you to fit the optic while the slide is still inside the machine. If it doesn’t fit, the machine will run a pass of the mill to enlarge the footprint by increments of .002 inch, taking just a few seconds. If the next fit isn’t good, it will run again until your optic fits snugly. I needed a total of .004 inch extra before my optic was happy.
The machine ordered me to switch to a much smaller mill, then asked me which thread pattern I wanted the mounting bolts to be. The machine roughed out the bolt holes. I switched the active tool again, this time to a threadmill and the machine threaded the bolt holes.
The Result?
I figured if anything was going to go wrong, the threading of the bolt holes seemed most likely. That’s a pretty delicate operation with a tiny machining tool, cutting through steel.
But…everything went according to plan. The threads are perfect. While the machining marks certainly catch the light for photography, they’re much less noticeable in person. Running my finger over the mounting surface shows it’s pretty dang smooth.
I mounted the optic and snugged up the bolts. The optic sits centered on the slide, the bolts were torqued down tight and after reinstalling the iron sights, I gave a rough co-witness to the red-dot to get me on paper to start my range day.
How did the range day go? Well, with regards to my newly mounted optic, just fine. My RDO was easy to zero and held zero. After the range trip was done, I checked for any wobble or play…and found none.
Bottom Line
Two of the knocks I see online against the Ghost Gunner CNC’s (mostly by people who admit they’ve never used one) are regarding quality and cost efficiency.
Regarding the former, folks seem to think that either these Ghost Gunner created finished products aren’t OEM factory quality or that quality doesn’t matter and an 80% hand jig is “good enough.”
To the latter, people bring up the cost of buying a cheap stripped lower versus the cost of buying an 80%, as well as the Ghost Gunner machine.
Let’s talk quality first. This is the same kind of quality I paid Jagerwerks a pretty penny for and had to ship my slide out for a while. The lowers I’ve finished are far superior to many of the hand-jigged 80% receivers and very near to OEM type quality. That’s not even touching that you can use the GG3-S to engrave whatever art/logo/optional serial numbers you want on your own lower or leave it bare. You can also use the Ghost Gunner to mill the lower to whatever specifications you prefer. There’s more than a few Type 7 FFLs making dealer samples of M4/M16 cut lowers on the Ghost Gunner.
Taking a crack at the discourse on cost, it’s true, there are some really cheap stripped lowers out there. If you’re looking at this as a strict cost analysis of ‘poverty pony’ stripped lower vs Ghost Gunner machined lower, it’s not a contest. The Ghost Gunner CNC isn’t designed to compete with the lowest cost options though, it is designed to drastically lower the bar of entry to citizens who want to build, customize and modify their own guns, parts and accessories. In that vein, it succeeds. If someone wants to finish one or two lowers, the Ghost Gunner would be an expensive proposition.
The crew at Defense Distributed however, keeps adding to the list of boxed up kits available for the machine, not to mention third-party support. The long-term value does add up quickly for someone who wants more than a fleeting hobby. More important than cost per unit though, is the ability of a free man (or woman) to enact the rights inherent to citizens, no matter what the government’s ever-changing opinion might be.
Finis
The Ghost Gunner 3-S runs $2,500. The Optic Cut Kit, $390. Check em out!
Check out more articles from Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer or visit him on Instagram @Rexnanorum.
This is what Karl Marx was talking about. The workers taking control of the factory.
Of course this is not the exact way he thought it would happen.
In the he future I expect a complete long gun, can be created inside your home. Just push the button.
And they have been experimenting with creating complete ammunition this way.
Hi Points are for those with limited resources. I own one and I’m happy with it.
This “Star Trek” replicator is for anyone who can afford one. And they don’t cost that much money. It seems 1966 came back again. Who would have thought that a “failed” TV show was telling us the future. I was a kid when that show was first on the air!!!
This gives a new meaning to The fascists who really do want to control the means of production.
Star Trek didn’t “fail”. It cost too much to produce but had reasonable ratings. And spawned an endless stream of movies & memorabilia. It made Bill Shatner & other’s rich too. Unique in cinema history. Besides Dick Tracy had a 2 way wrist watch radio/TV. I can view the whole world in my cheap LG smart phone(& they quit making phones). Anyway Matt Hoover went to prison for a freaking drawing of a key card. Not metal. I betcha the feds keep tabs on THIS🙄
Looks like a great investment for a gunsmith looking to branch out. Defense Distributed should offer to list a directory of owners who are open for business.
“Defense Distributed should offer to list a directory of owners who are open for business.”
Sure, make it easier for the ATF to self-interpret again to show up with a tac team and murder someone.
Doesn’t look like it is capable of milling the small front bosses for the RMR footprint… that’s too bad.
it is capable of it, but whoever wrote this particular code didn’t include them
where did my post from yesterday go?
anyway…
I love my Ghost Gunner. Turns out some great lowers and over time have done about 40 of them for different variation rifles and never a problem with any of the lowers, with the right files it does some great frames too for different pistols and I’ve done some of those too, and other non-gun related stuff. Done engravings with it too not only for gun related, but on other things as well.
Mill marks, yeah you get some depending on what you are doing but they are easy to take care of or just ignore if you want. But aside from my screw ups in the beginning when I first started using it, its turned out pretty darn close to OEM type quality items.
Yeah, if you are going to only do one or two then its not so cost effective even though you get your one or two, say, lowers. But it also depends on your use purpose.
For example, originally I got mine to do lowers and frames and could have stopped there at a few. But I also wanted to do lowers and frames in variations not available in the market and getting files together to do that was a bit of a pain but design programs are available so you can do your own CAD designs or modify existing ones and there are tons of 3D printer and commercially based CAD designs already out there that can be adapted for your needs, plus I also wanted to do some accessory stuff and some non-gun related stuff, so for me its been cost effective.
So if you are interested in doing your own ‘what ever’ but you only want one or two then its probably not going to so cost effective for you unless its a unique one-of-a-kind item you simply can’t get any place else and you have money to spare. But if its going to be an on-going hobby thing for you them its well worth the money.
“Hello sir”
“I and my associates are from the government. I understand you are operating, “a factory”, in this residential neighborhood.”
“We are here to inspect this “inside your home” factory, it’s operations, and employee safety standards.”
“We need to interview a random number of your workers and management team.”
Do I have a wild imagination or what!!!
you understand wrong guys, but sure come on with your warrent-less selves (because reading it on line is not the same as you having proof and this is personal use and I don’t sell it although I have gifted a few pieces which is not illegal)…and if you can get through the dogs and us and our 100 or so defense-pact heavily armed neighbors I’m going to call on which will show up, to knock on the door and ask I will give ya a heart felt “go pound sand”.
This is not my wild imagination. We don’t play the game of criminal tyranny around here especially when that criminal tyranny called the ATF is known to want to kill you because they self-interpret something cause they say so.
“your warrent-less selves”
Correct! And I hope all Americans refuse to allow any government representative into their home. Without at warrent.
De-centralized manufacturing will become common place in the future.
btw
There are some children’s toys from the 1950s and 1960s I would love to 3D print.
Isn’t a TAIG cheaper and comes with the added benefit of not supporting a child-sex offender that fled to Thailand to avoid the prosecution?
This hands-on review of the Ghost Gunner 3-S and Optics Cut Library 2.0 showcases its user-friendly features and impressive results. Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer effectively highlights the ease of milling a Glock slide and addresses common concerns about quality and cost, emphasizing the value of customization in home gunsmithing. A great read for firearm enthusiasts!
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