So you’re coming here looking for answers, lucky for you that I’m an obsessed launcher nerd that is willing to sit here and type leagues of info down just to get you up to speed on how MILC has changed DIY launchers.

First off, what does it mean? MILC is an acronym for “Methematics Ingenious Lift Charge”. Methematics is the online handle I use in the launcher rooms and in most chat rooms. You may find it stupid but the name will grow on you after awhile, promise.

How did it start and what is it? To get the full story on how it all started I would suggest you go to the Out Of Battery Live YouTube channel and watch the video featuring me speak on some of the history of DIY Launchers, again using the name Methematics…here. It’s a long story but to keep it brief, in the early days of our launcher experimentation we primarily used black powder and 209 primers. If you have even the slightest experience with black powder, you’ll know it is very corrosive and smells like ass, literally. It wrought havoc on the interior of our barrels and any bare metal components. Being also a reloading nerd, I knew I could devise something that could utilize smokeless powder and not be overly complicated. A High/Low chamber is what we needed. With some good friends that were willing to listen to me ramble about powder burn rates and case density we eventually released MILC into the world. A device simple enough to build yourself (although you no longer need to, see products page), but potent enough to demand respect. In its earliest form it was a hollowed out M14 bolt that had a chamber cut in it to fit a homebrew 38 blank, along with four vent holes and a threaded portion in the tip to house a grub screw. The MILC was capable of sending 3DP 37mm projectiles at serious velocity, having some rounds chronograph near 900fps while also burning cleanly and efficiently (Shout out to CopperShop). Since those earlier days the design has seen a slight facelift along with a new caliber to exist within. Moving the MILC system into 40×46 has opened a lot of doors to really let this thing stretch its legs and push the limits of what’s capable within the DIY realm. Having a registered device gives the user more freedom to wonder into spicier ammunition without having to claim “signaling device” and potentially wondering also into trouble.

With the help of Easton Machining LLC we have came together to create the newest version of the MILC that I very unoriginally called MILC 2.0. The difference between the old and the new is subtle but has some great benefits foremost being the Gas Directing Nut Easton so creatively came up with. The original design used just a nut to secure the chamber in the shell, but the newest version is a machined cone with threads that will force all the gases directly upwards instead of outwards into the shell walls. It does an amazing job of sending you projectiles with serious haste. Another added benefit is the quality of the work. Made from 17-4SS and machined to 38 spec the fit and finish is beyond perfection. I could not have been happier with the quality of these chambers and they exceeded my expectations 10x over.

Why MILC? There are plenty of Hi/Lo shells for launchers out there already so once again, Why MILC? MILC isn’t limited to one projectile type, one shell type or even one caliber. It can be adapted to anything you’d like to have launch something fast and far. The glory behind the chamber lies within its ability to fit in any shells you could think to devise and swap out as easily as unscrewing a bolt and screwing it back in. Having one MILC chamber could easily be used in a shell designed for Zinc pushers, printed pushers, PD rounds, batons and so on with zero effort. No longer would you need an expensive shell for each type of projectile type and be limited to what’s available. You want to make a shell that is made specifically to launch Twinkies into space? You can do that and screw a MILC chamber in with no effort and be sending cream filled cakes into the next county within minutes. Your own imagination is the only limit of how the MILC chamber can be utilized.

What shells does it use? With the development of hybrid 37mm shells happening many years ago (3DP bases with Metal tubing walls) its only natural that 40×46 follows suite. Having the ability to manufacture your own shells is huge for the hobbyist launcher boy. Make the shell any size and shape you like designed for whatever purpose you choose for cheap. If you happen to break a shell all you have to do is warm up the shell with a blow torch and push out the old base, then glue in a new printed base. It really is that simple. Hybrid shells can be constructed with steel, aluminum or if you want to look slick as shit, brass or titanium. Recommended hybrid material size for 40mm is 1.625″x0.049, or 1.625×0.065. The First suggestion fits Zinc pushers almost perfectly and the second is good for printed projectiles. For 37mm the size should be 1.5″ pipe that is 17ga thick, or something close, there is a lot of info to be had on the 37mm hybrids available from the “Are We Cool Yet” Odysee page…here. Hybrid shells are not indestructible, but they are infinitely repairable. The only caveat to 40×46 hybrids is that a majority 40 shells are tapered having a narrower outside diameter at the mouth than at the base, so a bit of work is involved to profile the hybrid material before assembly. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Some sandpaper and files make quick work of it. With the added help of the Bar End tools provided on my Odysee page you can chalk them into a hand drill and get them profiled quick as ever. All my files can be found…here

What’s the lifting charge? This system utilizes 38 blanks of multiple flavors. The chamber will fit 38ShortColt, 38S&W and 38LongColt. One of the most enjoyable parts of using a MILC is doing load development and finding out what powder charges you most prefer. My personal favorite is a 38SC star crimped with 7gr of Bullseye. Has a nice thump but isn’t overkill. Sticking to the DIY roots of this project its largely encouraged to roll your own blanks. I made a fairly thorough reloading manual included in my MILC release that lists all types of trialed powders and reloading techniques. I also did a reloading video featured once again on the Out Of Battery Live YT channel…here. You don’t need a lot of expensive reloading equipment to make your own blanks. A punch to knock out primers, a grip of brass, SP primers, hand priming tool, powder scale and powder is really all you need. Getting a blank crimp die is a bonus, but you can seal a blank with something as simple as some tissue if you don’t want to shell out for a press and dies. Once you have some brass primed and powder poured either crimp with a crimp die or stuff some tissue in there to keep the powder in its proper place. Making your own blanks is far more cost effective than buying them pre-made. Speaking of pre-made blanks, if you choose to buy the Gas Check style blanks you can still use them in a MILC, just be certain to remove the grub screw in the tip before flight. Having both the gas check and sealed chamber can create some unsafe high pressures. Getting out to the range and testing all the different types of powders and powder charges with all the types of projectiles is extremely satisfying and tons of fun.

The real deal maker in the system is the Burst Tubes. Without the burst tubes your blanks will just make a pop and a puff. A 10x35mm rectangle of basically any material rolled into a tube is all it takes. Make them from soda cans, 0.2-0.4mm sheets of copper or Oreo Cookie wrappers if you feel so inclined. Cookie wrappers work don’t ask me how I know. Once you have your desired material cut to size, you merely roll it into a tube and slide it into the chamber making sure that it is covering the vent holes. When you fire your blank the gases inside have to overcome the burst tube material before leaving the high pressure chamber, therefore creating a more efficient burn and more power out the business end.

Along with the all the major advantages mentioned above there is also the matter of this being created by a launcher boy that despises the launcher gatekeeping and gouging. Charging stupid amounts of money to buy their proprietary burst disks or being held hostage to what their shells will work with is dumb as hell. Gloating over how much this costed and that costed, toating around a $2500 launcher while simultaneously wracking up credit card debt is even more dumb. I will always stand up and preach to anyone that hears me that DIY is the way. You don’t need to buy burst disks or tubes from me, make them yourself. You don’t need to buy shells from me, make them yourself like the hybrids I spoke of. You don’t need to buy blanks, just roll your own, the information to do so exists extensively in my MILC guide or anywhere on the internet reloading info exists. Hell, you don’t even need to buy the MILC Chambers from me since it is possible to make your own, but I’d appreciate if you did. Developing the new chambers and going through the process of making them has been expensive and a labor of love so the sales of any chambers goes right back in to helping progress launchers and build cool shit. We at LauncherPope strive to make launchers obtainable by any and all for a fair price. The poors deserve big bore fun.

So this has gotten much longer than anticipated. If you’ve made it this far I thank you. There are just a small point I would like to touch on before I wrap this up. I’d like to touch on some information that wasn’t as clear to me when writing the guides. That information being that Case Density is far more important than overall case volume. To elaborate quickly I will put it like this, having 7grain of powder in a long blank will not perform nearly as well as 7grain in a short blank. Case Density is the amount of powder in a given space, so you should try to use a blank only as long as it needs to be. The higher the Case Density, the less air space is left in the cartridge, the better the performance. If you desire 6-8gr a 38SC will do fine. If you desire more just move up to 38SW or 38LC. Bigger is not always better fellas.

So once again I would like to thank any all of you that have made it this far. I hope this article was not a total bore. I can get a bit long winded when talking about nerdy launcher stuff. Everyone out there keep sending the signals and keep building cool shit!

Much love, LauncherPope