Okay, I Have Questions

What is Shirley?

Shirley is a .22 caliber, single shot pistol that uses approximately $4 of common materials, and it can be built in half an hour using a CNC router. Shirley can be build from a variety of materials, such as MDF, plywood, HDPE, aluminum– basically any reasonably strong 1/2″ material, along with a handful of common fasteners.

What about Shrly?

Shrly is essentially the same firearm, but its geometry has been optimized for straight cuts made with a common saw.

Why do this?

Building firearms for personal use—which have been slyly branded as “ghost guns”—is a right we must fight to preserve. Historically, this process has been complex and difficult, and, consequently, hard to comprehend. Simplifying the process allows everyone to better understand exactly what they’re giving up.

The plans fit on a single sheet of paper

Yes. Find them here.

It’s made of wood… doesn’t it just explode when you shoot it?

Not in my experience, no. Remember: the purpose of Shirley is clearing the “legal firearm” bar with minimal cost and effort. It is not designed to be durable, and should only be used as an absolute last resort.

What about X law?

Gun laws in the United States are an unmitigated disaster. The amount of asinine minutiae that can send you straight to jail is downright embarrassing, and it requires a conscious effort to believe we’re in this situation because of incompetence rather than malice. All this to say: I’ve made a genuine effort to work on this project without running afoul of any state or federal gun laws, like Tom Frickin’ Cruise navigating a hallway of laser tripwires. If I’ve somehow missed something, kindly reach out and let me know. It shouldn’t be this hard.

Do you have more projects in the works?

I do! Stay tuned.

I have a question you didn’t address.

Feel free to reach out!