Paranoia question: Will a small chip on a forged upper turn into a crack?

[Yama Arashi]

I put a good knock on my upper coming around the corner of a concrete wall, and it put a small chip on the very edge of the rail, in between the slots. This is where it comes to it's thinnest point right on the edge.

This is a forged upper. Is there any chance something like this could potentially turn into a crack? I don't care about the aesthetic issue, and obviously it doesn't affect function.

Thank you.

Example of aforementioned area:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2agvyft.jpg

[markm]

Nope. A ding like that won't alter the structural integrity. Take a black sharpie to it and put it behind you.

[scoutfsu99]

Its going to take A LOT more than that to negatively affect your weapon

[SpankMonkey]

No your rifle is fine.

[nineteenkilo]

Won't hurt a thing. Go forth and shoot.

[FeltaDorce]

You will be fine. There is virtually no chance that will become a crack. That Aluminum edge is "mashed" but the part integrity has not been compromised.

My experience: I build robots out of multiple grades of Aluminum all day long.

[Yama Arashi]

Thank you kindly for the replies.

I really couldn't care less about having a ding/chip - just don't want it turning into something that could compromise the structural integrity.

FeltaDorce, would that also hold true if it weren't "mashed', but had been chipped from something akin to a glancing blow, or prying motion, on the edge? The wall corner was finished to a fairly crisp point, and not rounded.

Thanks again.

[Stickman]

It isn't an issue at all, if you saw all the things my duty weapon had struck, you would be appalled. Well actually, some of them you would find enjoyable.... but the marks, scratches, dings and gouges don't bother it at all.

[lethal dose]

Honestly, I can't even see anything.

[Yama Arashi]

Thank you Stickman.

And sorry Lethal, that's just a photo showing the area I'm referring to, not the actual rifle.

[seb5]

Congrats, you just added the first character mark! Now, shoot a lot more and ding the crap out of it. Some of my carbines really have a lot of "character"!

[MrCleanOK]

It's totally fine. If you want to mount something there and the rail is too messed up, clean it up with a file and give it EVEN MORE CHARACTER!! Wooo!

I understand your concern, but even if you put that upper into a specially designed repetitive stress testing fixture to intentionally break it, I strongly doubt it would break where you dinged it.

My background: Mechanical Engineer and soldier.