JStark1809 was a firearms enthusiast and innovator who wanted all people to have access to effective firearms. He lived in Europe, in a country where access to firearms is strictly controlled.
JStark1809 was passionate about owning firearms. He taught himself the technology of 3D printing and electro-chemical machining. He perfected the most successful 3D printed/hybrid design thus far, the FGC-9. JStark1809 is no longer with us, but his design lives on. FGC is an acronym for F*ck Gun Control. The FGC-9 is a semi-automatic pistol/carbine designed to be chambered in 9mm.
3Dprint.com has published an article explaining the use of FGC-9 pistol/carbine firearms in the Myanmar conflict. From the article:
In a 2020 documentary by POPULAR FRONT, filmmaker Jake Hanrahan met up with the gunsmith, who told him that “to bear firearms is a human right. The government or the entity that has rule over you has an executive force. The police, the military—they have firearms. To be able to escape that injustice, [citizens] need to have that same force on an individual level.”
Jake Hanrahan has posted a video of the FGC-9 being used by anti-junta guerrillas in a firefight in Myanmar.
The first footage of the 3D-printed FGC-9 gun (JStark’s gun) being used by anti-junta guerrillas in Myanmar against the military. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/DfyaxNBfy2
— Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) July 20, 2022
JStark1809 released his software and owner’s manual for producing the FGC-9 on DEFCAD in 2020. An article about the innovative design was written and published in AmmoLand in 2020.
Improvements to the original design came quickly. FGC-9 MKII includes an enclosed ejector assembly, an improved magazine, an upgraded stock, and a full-length top rail. The original FGC-9 used a fire control system from the AR-15 type platform or a slightly modified fire control system from an airsoft gun. A 3D-printed fire control system makes the design less dependent on firearm-related parts.
Filmmaker Jake Hanrahan interviewed JStark1809 and documented his achievement in November 2020. The next year, German police were able to track down JStark1909. His apartment was raided. He was reported to have died of a heart attack in a vehicle in front of his parent’s home. JStark1809 was 28 years old. The coroner ruled the death was not a homicide.
JStark1809 is dead. His concept lives on. It is being used around the world to arm people whose government prohibits them from having weapons.
The design is a hybrid design which takes advantage of the ubiquity of small welders, existing commercial steel tubing, electro-chemical machining and 3D printers. The detailed instructions produced by JStark1809 allow a person of ordinary intelligence to produce a reasonably reliable firearm for about $600 and a couple of weeks of effort. All the skills needed to produce the firearm can be gained in the process of producing the firearm.
For an individual, several attempts may be required to achieve a successful and functional FGC-9.
In the original AmmoLand article, published in 2020, this correspondent noted a small group could produce FGC-9 carbines in a more efficient and cost-effective manner:
For a small organization or shop, producing multiple copies of the FGC-9 takes minimal organization. One person needs to have basic 3D printing skills. One person needs to be able to produce simple welds. One person needs access to purchase materials over the Internet.
For an outlay of a couple of thousand dollars, and a five-meter by five-meter (16 x 16 ft) space with electricity, a small shop with two or three workers could produce 3-4 complete FGC-9 carbines a week. The limit would be the print time on the 3-D printers. Half a dozen 3D printers would not take up much space and would add flexibility and redundancy. Add another half a dozen 3D printers for another $1,500, and increase the production to one FGC-9 per day. Very little hand fitting is required.
Once mastered, 10 barrels for this application could be produced by one person in a day.
The resistance movement in Myanmar is using this concept to produce the FGC-9 for combat. The FGC-9 is not a perfect combat weapon. It is an effective weapon. It is more effective in most circumstances than a homemade muzzleloader, or a commercial double-barrel shotgun.
Ammunition can be a limiting factor. There are several methods for obtaining 9mm ammunition other than traditional purchases. Ammunition can and has been made by hobbyists. Homemade ammunition is a topic for another article.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
