View source for Finding Tested Gun Designs

{{NeedsWork}}Downloading random files off the internet carries some risk, especially with regard to DIY firearms. For any given model, there might be no indication of how much testing is done, what the results of those tests were, what ammunition is acceptable, what safe handling looks like, how to clear the firearm, etc.

This guide will discuss best practices, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to find reputable firearm designs.

== Best Practices ==

=== Release Groups ===
Many popular designs are published by [[release groups]] who have ensured those designs underwent a minimum of beta testing before release. This does not discount the work of reputable independent designers like Timothy Hoffman or UnseenKiller.

=== Avoiding Betas ===
If a design is advertised as "in [[beta]]," it may be presumed to be less tested (and therefore less safe) than validated and "released" designs. 

=== Known Your Local Laws ===
In most parts of the world, building your own gun is of questionable legality. Many, if not most, 3D gun designs may also be illegal to possess where you live.

Even in the United States of America, there are many states and cities that have criminalized all or some part of the process designing or printing a 3D gun.

== When to Be Adventurous ==
TODO: Document when to eschew the previous suggestions, what skills you should have, what precautions you should take, and how doing so can contribute to guncad

== Finding Files ==
[[File:FGC-9 MkII Index Card.png|thumb|The FGC-9 MkII with a green stamp in the corner, indicating it meets the Index's quality standards.]]

=== GunCAD Index ===
The [[GunCAD Index]] ([https://guncadindex.com/ https://guncadindex.com]) is a guncad-specific search engine and a powerful tool for finding files. As its name implies, the GunCAD Index is an index of designs hosted elsewhere and '''does not itself host or serve any files.''' Instead, each listing at the Index provides links to where the file can be downloaded, such as [[Odysee]].

GunCAD Index has a feature that marks certain designs as "verified" via a stamp on the thumbnail. Verified releases meet a threshold for quality as defined on the Index's "About" page, which includes some amount of testing and good documentation.

Note that not all "unverified" releases are bad. Users are encouraged to investigate files that pique their interest even if they don't have a stamp, especially for low-risk things like furniture.

=== Odysee ===
[[Odysee]] ([https://odysee.com/ https://odysee.com]) is a file hosting website, and is where the vast majority of 3D2A files are actually hosted. In a pinch, it can be browsed directly, albeit without any of the Index's quality-of-life features.
[[Category:Guides]]