science

Zig Zag revolver

Zig Zag revolver is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Zig Zag revolver rather than just read about it. In short: The Zig Zag revolver is a 3D-printed .38-caliber pepperbox type revolver made public in May 2014. It was created using a $500 plastic 3D-printer, however the name of the printer was not revealed by the creator.

Key takeaways

Zig Zag revolver belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Zig Zag revolver to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Zig Zag revolver from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Zig Zag revolver is a 3D-printed .38-caliber pepperbox type revolver made public in May 2014. It was created using a $500 plastic 3D-printer, however the name of the printer was not revealed by the creator.

History It was created by Yoshitomo Imura, who hails from Kawasaki. He was arrested in May 2014 after he had posted a video online of himself firing a 3D-printed Zig Zag revolver. It is the first known 3D-printed gun design from Japan. After Imura's arrest, a gun called the Imura Revolver was designed and printed by FOSSCAD members and was named in honor of Yoshitomo Imura.

Design It holds a capacity of 6 bullets and can fire .38 caliber bullets. The grip of the weapon is based on the Mauser C96 and the fact that the weapon fires from the bottom barrel is based on the Mateba Autorevolver.

Name The creator decided to call it the Zig Zag, after its ratcheted barrel modeled on the Mauser Zig-Zag.

Assembly According to the Wired Magazine "Imura assembles the handgun from plastic 3D printed pieces, a few metal pins, screws and rubber bands, then test fires it with blanks".

Operating cycle To fire, the operator loads the rounds into the barrel, and re-attaches the barrel to the rest of the weapon. Once reattached, the operator pulls back the slide where the firing pin is attached, pulls the trigger, which releases the slide into the round, firing the weapon.

See also List of notable 3D printed weapons and parts Liberator (gun)

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Zig Zag revolver

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Zig Zag revolver claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Zig Zag revolver before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Zig Zag revolver ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Zig Zag revolver

In research: Zig Zag revolver appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Zig Zag revolver in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Zig Zag revolver is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 3D printed firearms, Fused filament fabrication, Revolvers of Japan, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Zig Zag revolver outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Zig Zag revolver in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Zig Zag revolver means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Zig Zag revolver out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Zig Zag revolver in simple terms?

Why does Zig Zag revolver matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Zig Zag revolver?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Zig Zag revolver.