What's the achille's heel of firearms?

[hdwhit]

The case.

Even when it is boxer primed and thus potentially reusable in its present form, the brass case is, at the time of use, disposable. It is unfortunately an expensive part of the cartridge and from the standpoint of a national industrial policy, uses copper and zinc which are both strategic materials needed in other uses by a wartime economy.

There has been some use of alternatives like aluminum and steel, but they are only marginally cheaper and are also strategic materials.

I think the achillies heel of individual weapons is the case and the next great leap in firearms technology will not be taken until we come up with a way to dispense with a metallic case to serve as the bottle for the powder, carrier for the primer, and gas seal for the bullet.

 

[Rock185]

In the FN/Browning Hi Powers, IMHO the Achilles's heel is the barrel cam in the frame. This part enables barrel locking and unlocking without the need of a swinging link. This "improvement" over the 1911 absorbs barrel impact with each shot fired. If it fails, and some reportedly do, the gun is out of action and replacement is not easy or inexpensive. The only outfit that I know of that will replace the barrel cam is Cylinder & Slide for about 250.00. With shipping, repair cost is going to start to add up........

 

[hdwhit]

I think there are plenty of veterans here with first hand experience with them jamming.

When my father got ready to deploy to Vietnam, he had to qualify with an M-16. He did not have a good experience with it. He experienced numerous problems, but never gave me a laundry list. The problems were sufficient he didn't want to trust his life to one.

When arrived in Vietnam, he was issued an M-16. He said he knew this because he saw it on the rack in the arms room when it was assigned to him. In his post-war musings he noted it was the only time he saw his M-16. He asked his Command Sargent Major to have someone find him an M-2 carbine and in addition to his sidearm, that's what he carried throughout his tour.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Well....I do have a Hakim, if that's what YOU mean.

I was, of course referring to the Stoner system, and I think there are plenty of veterans here with first hand experience with them jamming.
I also believe it may be possible for a (piston driven) AK to jam, but Ive never seen it.

Yes, when I say DI, I mean DI, as in the MAS 40 or AG42/Hakim and a handful of others.

Any rifle can jam, and if you're never experienced it with a Kalashnikov, you just haven't spent enough time with them. I've owned several AK variants, including "higher end", and while some were better than others, they averaged more failures than the ARs.

 

[FROGO207]

Seems each firearm or class of firearm has a weak point to it. Sometimes that is designed into the firearm on purpose or it's just a matter of physics due to all the interrelated things that go on with each shot. To my way of thinking the firearm is a system---including the ammo. So I'm not saying specifically the ammo itself, as we can make black powder and mold bullets with retaliative ease. Rather the primers are the weak link. I know some have had limited success making some primers that sort of work but if we were to not be able to get primers, let alone ammo, soon pretty much all the firearms we have would become fancy clubs at best. We would soon be back to flintlocks and bows for the most part if we need to scrounge game to survive IMHO.

 

[theotherwaldo]

The most important flaw in modern firearms are the sighting systems. They are either insufficient to maintain accuracy or fragile enough to fail under use.

I want each and every shot that I fire to hit what I am aiming at and ONLY what I am aiming at.

 

[huntsman]

I’m going with ammo

Firearms need ammo a bow needs arrows but a sword just needs human power.

Second would be a removable magazine, semi auto firearm without a mag is worse than a single shot.

As for design there’s always going to be someone trying to build a better mousetrap.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Yes, when I say DI, I mean DI, as in the MAS 40 or AG42/Hakim and a handful of others.

Any rifle can jam, and if you're never experienced it with a Kalashnikov, you just haven't spent enough time with them. I've owned several AK variants, including "higher end", and while some were better than others, they averaged more failures than the ARs.

Well, then, I respectfully accept your personal experience as you relate it.
I think I have spent quite a lot of time with MY Kalashnikov's (NHM-90, NHM-91, Maadi Misr, and M70b), which are all in good mechanical condition, cleaned, and lubricated. I have never once experienced a mechanical failure to feed, extract, or fire in any of them during approximately 4000 rounds of firing. I would certainly like to spend more time with them- when I do get a jam, I will let you know.

Salaam.

 

[Sistema1927]

When my father got ready to deploy to Vietnam, he had to qualify with an M-16. He did not have a good experience with it. He experienced numerous problems, but never gave me a laundry list. The problems were sufficient he didn't want to trust his life to one.

When arrived in Vietnam, he was issued an M-16. He said he knew this because he saw it on the rack in the arms room when it was assigned to him. In his post-war musings he noted it was the only time he saw his M-16. He asked his Command Sargent Major to have someone find him an M-2 carbine and in addition to his sidearm, that's what he carried throughout his tour.

My Dad's experience was similar.His M16 stayed in his hootch and he carried a Model 12 Riot Gun and a P35 that he scrounged from some Aussies.

However, in the 1980's I had an experience in the ROK where we had to run through a ton of 20 round magazines that had been loaded for a range qual. The over zealous KATUSA's had loaded about twice as many as our unit needed, and we weren't about to try to repack that ammo to turn it back in. So several of us took 3 or 4 M16s each to the firing line and had those same KATUSA's start hauling the loaded mags to us. Even though we shot those rifles on full auto until the barrels glowed before swapping out to another one, not a single one of those 20 or so rifles choked even once during that extended range session.

 

[HamSlamma]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,"What's the achille's heel of handguns, shotguns, rifles?

A Democrat............................

 

[Jim NE]

The true Achilles' heel of firearms, generally speaking, isn't technical or mechanical. It's political: They're dangerous. And because they're dangerous, they're held accountable for the actions of bad people.

If that isn't quite what the OP is after, I'd say that the problem with guns is that most aren't very novice friendly. Outside of .22 rim fires, most guns - even lower powered weapons, like .32 acp pistols - are intimidating to beginners because of the report and recoil. Some are mechanically intimidating, too. A beginner almost always needs someone to teach them to shoot due to these things, and because of the potential danger involved.

 

[fiddleharp]

Savage MK-II .22 bolt-action rifles seem to have a chronic problem with weak C-clamp extractor springs and many owners complain of ongoing extraction issues, myself included. Many others also complain of problems with the magazines.
The pre-Remington Marlin 39A is one of the finest rifles ever produced. However, I'd like to see a new system to attach a scope to it, such as dovetail grooves in the top of the receiver. The current detachable scope mounting base only works if the two screws remain tight. I missed an easy head shot on a gobbler in 1982 because I didn't know my scope base had become loose.

 

[Theohazard]

The reasons for the M16’s early problems in Vietnam are well-enough documented that I won’t go into them, but if someone uses the mistakes made back then as an argument against the design we know today, they’re being either ignorant or disingenuous.

 

[Armored farmer]

The firing pin spring on an 870 or 1100 is a weak spot, but only after many thousands of rounds.
I have had two break .

...but i would say that the biggest Achilles heel is improper maintenance.
WD40 is a poor lubricant.

 

[hi-impact]

The firing pin spring on an 870 or 1100 is a weak spot, but only after many thousands of rounds.
I have had two break .

That's good to know. I have the ubiquitous 870 as do many others.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Let’s see,,,, many are saying the magazines are the problem,,, or how the next round is loaded.

Hmmm,,, maybe the solution is,,, aha,,,,yes,,, I think I know......a revolver......no magazine need.

 

[Armored farmer]

Let’s see,,,, many are saying the magazines are the problem,,, or how the next round is loaded.

Hmmm,,, maybe the solution is,,, aha,,,,yes,,, I think I know......a revolver......no magazine need.

I have had a firing pin stuck down, and a ejector rod unscrewed so that the cylinder wouldnt swing out. Both on revolvers, so they're not foolproof by any means.
None are. But i do like simple:

 

[Robert]

On my FAL I'd have to say it is the relatively thin barrel. That thing heats up fast. Better have a asbestos hand if you want to do any kind of sustained fire.

My AR has over 3000 rounds through it with out a issue that wasn't mag or ammo related. So for that rifle it would be a crappy mag or crappy ammo that has caused the most heart burn.

My 375 would be the cost of ammo, even hand loads are not cheap. But man is it fun to shoot.

 

[Lakeshore]

Many great responses. My contribution to the Achilles' heel list is availability (lack thereof) of replacement parts, which can transform even a relatively recent production gun into a paperweight.

Ruger's move to curtail easy access to parts for the P series pistol line comes to mind.

 

[Demi-human]

But i do like simple.

Mmmm. Morels.

My Favorite rifle is also single shot, just not break.

 

[WestKentucky]

Lawyers.

 

[Mauser lover]

I'm in the same boat as the folks who mention the case. The case is a VERY weak link in firearm design. However... it is the best we have at the moment.

Other weak points...

Lubricants. We have seen some pretty good lubricants come out in the past few years, and everyone has their pet old lubricant too (I use tranny fluid most of the time). But if we figured out how to make them unnecessary, that would be spectacular.

Friction. Oops. I guess I still need my lubricant. Anyway, if we could eliminate the need for a pistol to bash the takedown/cam pin in the frame (or whatever other part is absorbing the recoil), we would be miles ahead of where we are now. In a rifle... we have things bashing other things which leads to bolt lugs shearing off (AR problem, as well as just about every other rifle out there), ejector breakage, etc. However... we tend to sacrifice to inevitable bashing our internal parts upon the altar of compactness. Which is fine, because it is generally accepted that having an arm of usable size is better than it never wearing out. Again... best we have at the moment.

That's my idea! In addition to corrosion and politicians...

 

[jmorris]

Humans cause the most problems that I have seen. Either from improper operation, “maintenance” or “fixing” (generally things that were not broken before the “fix”).

Other than those, spring steel.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I have had a firing pin stuck down, and a ejector rod unscrewed so that the cylinder wouldnt swing out. Both on revolvers, so they're not foolproof by any means.
None are. But i do like simple:
View attachment 776297

I didn't know you have to shoot mushrooms.
No wonder I never get any.
I prefer revolvers also but 1911s are growing on me.

 

[WestKentucky]

Beretta 92 locking system.