Long period, rapid fire effects question....
Ok, here's probably a stupid question. I'm asking about mainly all rifle barrels but ARs and AKs in particular. What's everybody's opinions on the effects (if any) of long period rapid fire on the barrels of these guns? I know they're probably tougher than I think but I worry about it. For example, you can rip off a 30 rnd clip in the AK and the barrel gets extremely hot very fast. I just got a 75 rnd drum for it and I want to go try it out some day. Say I load it up and blaze through the entire drum of 75, non-stop. Will this effect the synthetic cover on the gas tube? How many rounds approx. do you think you'd need to go through before damage would occur? I realize I'm probably over-protective of these things but I'm also curious. Thanks
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A lot of your AK's have a rather light barrel, although I wouldn't forsee anything damaging it. Heating up a barrel accelerates wear FYI. The RPK has a heavier barrel and receiver to allow longer firing cycles. The 75 and 100rd drums are actually for the RPK and not the AK, though they interchange. Outside of that, have fun. PS: Be sure to not leave a live round in the chamber when the barrel's hot, you might get a "cook-off"
Love them Beavers
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It causes fast throat errosion because the barrel heats up. Way up and as a result the bore expands in diameter. Yep the hole gets bigger, but . . . . the bullets don't. So what happens is that instead of the hot gasses staying behind the bullet they start shooting along side the bullet. This accelerates throat wear as the heat and granuals of partially burned powder scour the rifling like an abrasive cuting torch.
Getting a barrel super hot is not good if you're trying to extend barrel life. By hot I mean smoking the barrel kind of hot, when the oil on the barrel is smoking you've started cooking it.
"Schuetzenman" gunsnet.com0 -
Of the AK/clones in our stable, we have one of the Norinco jobs delegated as the only one to be used for rapid fire (with appropriate safety measures). To make a long story short... this piece has been fired until you smelled woodsmoke, and saw smoke (probably oils though) near the forearm. When that gun is cool, it shoots about 3"-4" groups at 75 yds. I'm not sure how well it shot when I got it (lightly used), but some NIB AK types shoot about 3" at 100yds. I looked through my ammo purchases and estimate 1500 rounds through this gun. It was never designed to be a tack driver, and it isn't. It was designed to function under most all conditions, and it does.
P.S. I can't shoot 2" , 100 yd groups using guns that can.
If we do not hang together,
We will most certainly hang separately.0 -
Hello Vess1,
You can always look at it this way the U.S. Military has an unlimited supply of barrels for thier weapons.
Good Luck0 -
have no doubts, no question is stupid. as far as effects, you wont notice anything unless doing some serious target shooting, sounds like your just in it for the plinking, so the only thing you have to worry about is a cookoff. if doing target shooting, then short term effects are slight expansion of barrel, after couple hundred rounds you will notice a considerable difference on your paper.
Martin Janczak0 -
Well, there's a reason some MG's are water cooled, and why barrels are swapped out frequently; fast firing=burnt out barrels. That said, there is a BIG difference between what you do and a MG crew firing thousnads of rounds daily and MUCH higher rates of fire. I suspect you MIGHT notice something after years of doing this, but otherwise, I wouldn't worry.
"...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf0 -
I'd just like to run a full drum through it once, just to do it, and then I'd let it cool. I won't be burning through 75 rounds like that very often. I don't usually take it out that much anyway and I don't want to go through ammo that fast all the time either. Thanks for the info. 0 -
on an ar you will melt the gas tube before you can do any "real" damage to the barrel 0 -
I would think that SS barrels would hold up better. Has anyone looked into this? How hot does an AK get after running through a drum?
cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>0
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