Final Report = "Fire To Destruction Test of U.S. M4A1 Carbine & M16A2 Rife Barrel(s)"

[dpast32]

Hello Guy's,

I happened across this, Final Report = "Fire To Destruction Test of U.S. M4A1 Carbine & M16A2 Rife Barrel(s)" .pdf document recently, & thought that others may be interested in reading it. Being from September 1996 it is somewhat dated, though still interesting nonetheless.

Regards, dpast32


http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc...f&AD=ADA317929

[whiterabbit05]

Thanks. Wish the pictures in the document were clearer.

[Complication]

There's video here:
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...and-m4a1-guns/

Part 1of that 2-article series is here: http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...standard-arms/

And, for those interested, another 3 NYTimes articles on the M16/M4:
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/...he-m-16-rifle/
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/...eats-up-again/
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/...e-reliability/

[Complication]

Yes, in the above video the barrel turns red hot, wilts, and explodes.

Yes, in the above video the range catches on fire.

Yes, it's freaking awesome.

[pilotguyo540]

That was totally wicked!!!

It was really cool to watch things progress in the second video showing colts new heavy barrel.
smoking,
erratic ejection pattern
fire (foregrips)
more fire
serious pitch change
bolt action operations

[wake.joe]

It's interesting to me that the M203 notch did not cause any issues in the second test.

[bkb0000]

It's interesting to me that the M203 notch did not cause any issues in the second test.

the barrel gets the hottest about 3-4" from the bolt face. add to it the fact that this is where the barrel is thinnest, and that it's bearing all the weight of the rest of the barrel assembly, and the fore of the barrel wont ever get a chance to blow.

[Bob Reed]

the barrel gets the hottest about 3-4" from the bolt face. add to it the fact that this is where the barrel is thinnest, and that it's bearing all the weight of the rest of the barrel assembly, and the fore of the barrel wont ever get a chance to blow.

And that is 100% proof why the Government Profile is ass-backwards!

[bkb0000]

And that is 100% proof why the Government Profile is ass-backwards!

either that or its proof that it's not wise to ram 18 magazines through your weapon full auto without pause... i havent decided which im going with, though.

how many more full auto magazines can you get through an hbar before failure? you're well past the point of cookoff by that time.. and it seems to me that the mark of "too much" should fall somewhere below cookoff. the weapon is out of the fight at that point either way, so what difference does it make if it can handle another three magazines before kB?

[Bubba FAL]

Do enough mag dumps and you'll blow the barrel of any firearm not equipped with auxiliary cooling. I know a Marine that did this (unintentionally) with a BAR...


...at Chosin - trying to keep the Chicoms at bay.