Build an AR I can trust with my life, literally.

[taliv]

http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2006smallarms/taylor.pdf
pg 44

i'd be very curious to read material you have on the topic, especially showing different testing results.

 

[Jeff White]

That material is for the M4A1 and talks about harsh firing schedules which means a lot of full auto fire and all of the heat that goes with it. IIRC the heavy barrel for the M4A1 came out not too long before that report was made public.

I also heard a rumor about the time this all became public that the furor over the wear out issues on the M4A1 was brought on by one unit that was literally burning ammunition so they didn't have to turn it in.

I don't think those numbers are really applicable to a semi auto carbine that will never get as hot as an M4A1 gets when used in a sustained fire role in a training work up.

 

[taliv]

it's possible i suppose, but given the lack of other studies you mentioned, i am still surprised and still plan to replace mine much earlier than that.

that was literally burning ammunition so they didn't have to turn it in.

everyone i've ever asked said their units did that

 

[Jeff White]

it's possible i suppose, but given the lack of other studies you mentioned, i am still surprised and still plan to replace mine much earlier than that.

I will look them up when I get home tonight. I think Pat Rogers published some data in a SWAT article based on his personal observations at his classes

Semi auto fire is not nearly as hard on a weapon as full auto fire. The weapons don't get as hot (I have seen machine gun barrels glow and heat up to the point they lose their rigidity and bullets go through the side where they drop) and I think it's a waste to replace a bolt at 6000 rounds in a semi auto weapon.

One other telling thing is that the big army is not buying into the round counters for their standard M4s with 3 round burst capability.

everyone i've ever asked said their units did that

Of course everyone did it, I did it when I was in. But the story I heard was that they got into some hot water over the damage that was done to the weapons and they sort of "understated" how they were used. Of course that could just be soldier talk.....

 

[epijunkie67]

Thank you for all the helpful input. Some good advice in this thread. As I originally said, this isn't a done deal. Just a possibility. But I like to have a general idea of what I'm looking at if I do head down that road.

I see a majority support of the Colt brand here with a few other names popping up with regularity. I'll put them at the top of my list if this becomes a reality.

 

[C-grunt]

seriously? wow

details? got a link to a news report or anything?

There is article out there but I cant find it right now as I dont know any of the names or exactly when it happened. It is a shooting we studied in my rifle class. I believe it was in the late 90s or early 2000s.

Police were in a pursuit of a homicide suspect north of town in the desert. During the pursuit the suspect shot out the window at police and other people passing by. He then goes off road up into some hills where he gets his vehicle stuck and goes out on foot. Patrol officers are tracking him and they continue to exchange fire.

The helicopter unit picks up a patrol officer thats armed with a Colt AR15 20 inch with iron sights and a K9 officer. They drop the two officers off on another hill top adjacent to the hill that the suspect is on. When they get dropped off the rifle guy sees the suspect shooting down the hill at other officers and atthe helicopter. He goes prone and shoots one shot which hits the suspect in the diaphram/lower chest area. Shot was measured and was right around 320 yards. I wanna say it was 324 but it might have been a little under 320.