As an enthusiast keen on honing my marksmanship skills, I encountered the challenge of finding legal avenues for practice with live ammunition. To address this, I devised a solution: a 3D-printed attachment designed to affix a laser training cartridge to a toy gun.

The Components

  • The .45 laser cartridge, primarily intended for dry fire exercises with real firearms, emits a red laser beam upon activation by the firing pin. Acquired for a mere $7 on Amazon, this cartridge offered an affordable yet effective alternative to live rounds.
  • The toy gun, modeled after the M1911 pistol, was selected for its resemblance and functionality. Priced at $15 and equipped to shoot soft rubber bullets, it provided a suitable base for my project.
  • A custom 3D-printed mount was crafted to securely hold the laser cartridge within the gun chamber.

I opted for a mobile application capable of detecting the laser beam’s location on a paper target. By mirroring my phone screen, I projected the results onto a wall, creating a versatile and cost-effective training setup.

The 3 components: Toy pistol, laser cartridge, and the custom mount.
Assembling the 3 components.

One of the prototypes.