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I contacted Nikitas and he will certainly contribute his extensive knowledge. However, he is having trouble with the membership process. Until he gets this straightened out he can only read and not post in the thread. Here is part of the e-mail from him:

"In the meantime, if members want to read some more comments, some a little irreverent re traditional ways, there is my site http://www.oplognosia.com/ which is mostly in Greek but has several English articles."

It is likely that your computer will make a reasonable translation for you.

Both Nikitas and I will have completed a project from two different processes in the near future. Nikitas's project is from "concept to finished shotgun" meaning he conceived and designed the shotgun then had a computer engineer create a 3-D file from that. That is quite different than what I have done which was to take an existing shotgun dimensions, create a steel prototype with some changes, work out all the inaccuracies, do a 3-D scan of that prototype (you can see pictures of that on my other threads), utilize the computer to ensure symmetry, then create the CNC machinable file from that that will make both a DR and a shotgun. The fundamental difference is creating a new design vs using the foundation of a known and proven design.

Regarding the fascinating offer from the Editor of Gun Digest, we collectively can do this project if we really want to and are willing to bear a sustained effort and significant cost. Let me first say, that designing a new DR from blank engineering paper (computer really) is a substantial effort that may be beyond the ability of a "committee" to do. The stress calculations to ensure safe operation with large bore cartridges is substantial along with significant liability issues. There is no doubt that the collective knowledge of this group could take the best design features of several DRs and create one. This is a very big design job more suited for a design firm but could be done. However, the fastest and most predictable route to an open source DR would be to take an existing one with recognized superior design, no patent issues, and go through the route I did. I outlined this process earlier in this thread. It would not be a really big problem to incorporate modifications to enhance the design though.

We have not heard from the management of NitroExpress if they support such an effort. I don't think we can go forward without the express commitment of the NitroExpress administrator. Should both the Editor of Gun Digest and the Administor of NitroExpress desire to discuss this with me please PM me with contact information and I would be happy to discuss further.-----------Bill