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This homemade railgun can fire bullets made from different materials at speeds of 560 mph -- and it was 3D printed.

The railgun fires "projectiles" using electromagnetic energy rather than gunpowder. Reddit user NSA_Listbot is behind the DIY gun and has so far tested it with carbon, aluminium, teflon and copper-plated tungsten bullets.


NSA_Listbot/Imgur

The gun is powered by six capacitors and a battery that together can produce 1,050 volts and over 3,000 joules of energy per shot. The capacitors and other electronics are held together in a 3D printed frame that includes an emergency discharge, power resistor and a discharge button for any leftover energy after a shot. "I have no idea what happened to that piece of carbon -- probably just vaporised," YouTube user xtamared writes in the description to one of the test shots with the gun after the carbon bullet doesn't reach the plywood target.

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Railguns are more commonly associated with military operations and Nasa. The 3D printed railgun is far less powerful than military-grade prototypes. In 2012, BAE Systems tested a railgun that can fire at 5,600 mph. The most powerful railgun on record -- created by the US military -- produced 10.64 million joules. "It isn't likely lethal, but it would definitely hurt," NSA_Listbot said on Reddit about his homemade version.

NSA_Listbot/Imgur

The railgun design was so complex that it required a CAD mockup. The parts in grey were 3D printed.


The claim that the railgun is "handheld" is dubious -- the capacitors alone have a combined weight of 9kg. And the gun is almost as long as the user is tall.

The YouTube channel behind the videos describes itself as "A channel for makers, inventors and diy-ers. Practical applications for the junk they throw at you in school."

Full workings of the railgun can be seen here.