With increasing crackdowns and re-interpretations of existing law, we all feared that the 80 percent frame market would dry up. Polymer80, for one, didn’t give up. Though maybe now they’re more like Polymer69?

ATF decided that a P80 frame blank was too easy for the end user to manufacture into a firearm, so tweaks were made and the current blank design, whether it’s now “80 percent” finished or 76 percent or 69 percent finished or what, has been given the stamp of approval.

Fins were added to the trigger housing pocket, which prevents a trigger housing from being installed until the fins are machined away.

Areas for pins, some of which were previously holes, now have to be drilled out by the end user.

There’s some material in the frame where the locking block goes, too, that now must be removed.

Ultimately it’s the same concept and the same P80 frame you know and love. There’s just a bit more elbow grease required before you can manufacture it into a functioning firearm frame.

We may not love that, but we’re thankful that Polymer80 has stayed in the fight.

 

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35 COMMENTS

  1. The ATF succeeded because the average gun owner is not very mechanically inclined and after he pays for an ruins his first hair brained project he is unlikely to sink more money into another failure.

    • Your incompetence is not indicative of the rest of us. Wallow in your own sorrow, we don’t need to be a part of it.

    • “…the average gun owner…”

      Who gave you the ability to determine anything about “the average gun owner”, or his/her/its abilities?

      Credentials, please…

    • Or you could simply 3D print firearms parts using a carbon fiber infused filament of your choice.

      My kids successfully 3D print all kinds of parts – gun parts aren’t that tough.

      The technical abilities of the population increase with time – kids today understand far more about CAD/CAM/FEA than many “engineers” from a previous generation.

      The ability to manufacture your own firearm will be stupidly easy in a decade – or sooner.

  3. I am glad they did.
    So its a little more work. I still think it produces a perfectly good firearm.

  4. Still not legal to buy in Los Angeles County and several other areas of California. I’m wondering if this join the list of proceeding court cases to be overturned.

    • Been following the case myself as I have an interested in the FOSSCAD community because some of those guys are making really amazing designs specially made to be easy to make at home.

      Basically the califonia judge that’s handling the case in the 9th circuit ruled that the 2A doesn’t cover at home manufacture of arms. But there’s two cases going through the courts, one out of nevada and one out of deleware, that argues that it does. Not to mention that the child sniffer admin trying to outlaw it with an EO. So it seems pretty prime for a SCOTUS case.

  5. the fact that they’re no longer simply ‘uncompleted’ but now looking to actively add material in spots for the purpose of it being removed really showcases the absurdity of the whole process

    • I find it interesting that the AFT provided Polymer80 with written approval for the original “80%” version, then later rescinded it based upon the current political winds. Now the AFT has approved this new “76%” version – confirming the longstanding jokes about the line simply being moved to a 75%, 60%, 50%, or less completed version to keep in the game – so how do we know the 2A-hating AFT won’t simply come back it, too, is now illegal because people are still assembling their guns too efficiently for the AFT’s liking?

      Anyone ready yet for that proverbial solid block of polymer in the general shape of a frame and having the stainless steel plate, but now needing *all* the internal millwork done?

      The AFT’s bump stock rule was slapped down. The pistol brace rule is encountering fierce resistance to the point where Rep. Matt Gaetz just introduced a bill today to completely dismantle the entire AFT and abolish it. The rule against these unfinished frames will hopefully be knocked down, too.

      • Shame there aren’t more like Gaetz. I watched him on Timcast last week and Warroom months ago and he seems to just be an ordinary, intelligent guy with rock solid principles.

        • “Shame there aren’t more like Gaetz.”

          Agreed – it’s a shame Republicans only find their balls when they don’t control the White House and the Senate.

          Republicans controlled all 3 branches twice in my lifetime – and what do we have to show for it? Medicare part D?

  6. The argument against a non serialized frame is that authorities can’t trace back a specific firearm, right? My question is out of all firearm related crimes, how many have actually been solved using the serial number? I’m guessing that it is a rather small percentage. If this is so, doesn’t that negate the argument against diy arms?

    • It is not about solving gun crimes, it is about having control and forcing people to license and register their firearms, just in case they want to come round them up.

    • Or approaches zero.

      If a hood is arrested with a firearm (w/serial number) how does the chain of possession (as historically listed mean ANYTHING? Either the gun was sold every time it changed hands or, at some point, it was stolen from someone who had purchased it. In either case the S/N means nothing. IF you believe the fiction of tracing cartridge cases or bullet tracing perhaps that gives you an “name” to use in categorizing. But could just as well assign some other alphanumeric “code” when 1st “type” it. All a fiction in any case.

      It’s all moronic prog BS.

  7. Artificially upping the difficulty is just more gate keeping. A sort of IQ test to exercise a right. The presence of jigs and tutorial videos will make even this “too readily convertible.”

    The proliferation of affordable desktop CNC machines will no doubt make solid ingots “too readily convertible” as well.

    Can’t have the stupids and the poors doing this sort of thing dont’cha know. This “democracy” isn’t for them. It’s for the seven figure crowd. We’re all just holding up progress what with our anachronistic notions of rights and privacy.

    • the ATF thing will eventually be struck down. its already started with the bump stock ban thing, with the court very clearly telling them they do not have the authority to reinterpret terms in law and make law and that their action are unconstitutional.

      • Your lips to God’s ears.

        The shot across the bow was WV vs EPA – SCOTUS ruled that the EPA has advisory powers only.

        ALL 3-letter agencies not specified in the 18 enumerated powers should ONLY have advisory capacities to the states. In the best case, they should be eliminated entirely.

  9. I just mill my own with the Ghost Gunner and the right stuff. I guess you could call it a 100% thing.

  12. I wonder if there might be a market for a universal metal CNC-machined jig for projects like that.

    I kept my poly jig after I completed mine, but it now has a few minor ‘dings’ in the plastic that I wish weren’t there…

  13. let’s be honest – a p80 is laughable when you consider most people pay with cards online directly from the manufacturer. Everything you do can be traced. Even when you meet someone after finding a listing on a gun trading site and pay cash, you just incriminated yourself basically though emails.

    But ok, it’s a nice feeling to think the lack of a serial number means much at all. Are there work arounds, sure, with great lengths and even then, people snitch.

    • C’mon man – give us some credit.

      I paid cash for mine – out of state. The seller doesn’t know who I am and I couldn’t pick the seller out of a lineup.

  15. this reminds me, gotta order some more polymer and aluminum blocks to mill into lowers and frames and also replenish my hardcoat III anodizing supplies. got some birthdays coming up, wanna give pistols and rifles gifts.

  16. Nylon carbon fiber 3D printed lowers, electro chemical machining using a wire and power supply to create rifling out of a tube, Hilti powder actuated blanks from home depot. Gun control is dead and gone. Most just don’t realize how dead and gone it is. We already have 3d printed belt fed autos in beta testing right now…

    If you want to ban guns you have to ban tools. If you want to ban tools you have to ban raw materials, and books.

    Anybody who says he “supports the Second Amendment, but…” has let that abnegatory but start him on a path that ends in a pile of blazing books.

    Or blazing people.

    Take our guns, we still have our tools. We will make new guns and take them back.

    Take our tools, we still have our books. We will make new tools.

    Take our books, we still have the knowledge in our minds. How do you propose to take that?

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