There seems to be a lot of people with experience here with FA weapons, I have a question that’s been on my mind today…
I know that throughout a day of shooting even in Semi Auto you can build up heat in the chamber that can cook off a round. Is this not even more of an issue with FA rifles like the M16?
Thanks,
Josh
exponentially more so, which is why most designated machine guns such as the 249 and 240 are open bolt… to aid in cooling. They try to limit their fire in the M4 platform, so they are not just blowing through entire mags at a time non-stop for an extended period of time. Also the reason, the HK 416 that is slated to replace the 249 as the SAW is going to be open bolt. From what I have heard, firing around 5 mags in quick succession will generate enough heat to cook off a round if left in the chamber un-fired for a reasonable time.
Cook off with a semi? You’ve got faster fingers than me!
Ok makes sense,
I hope this question doesn’t cross any super secret Military procedures, but does this lead them to utilize the single fire more often than FA during combat?
Thanks,
Josh
Cook off with a semi? You’ve got faster fingers than me!
It’s never happened to me but at one of the classes I took the instructor was talking about how on a hot day after an entire day of shooting his AR cooked off a round, and had he not retained control of the weapon at all times it could have blown his foot off. So this got me thinking about FA.
Josh
F/A (on non-beltfed guns) is very rare. Aimed semi-auto is the standard for carbines.
Accuracy and ammo use are much bigger concerns than cook offs…
I’ve taken a lot of classes in the AZ heat. And I’ve never seen any gun get near hot enough for this to happen.
Any class that has you shooting that rate of fire isn’t a class I’d EVER take.
Exactly. And as most experienced people will tell you full auto is used very rarely. In reality well aimed semi auto fire is the way to go.
Thanks for the info guys, I didn’t realize how little FA was used. I’ve shot one once when I was in Vegas at “The Gun Store” and had a blast. Although it was only 30 rounds.
FA is a pretty good way to waste ammo, thats why they took it away from most guys. Even burst mode is hard to control, most people can’t hit shit with it and even pretty good shooters will get 2 rounds on target and the third flys.
In the grand scheme of things, the killing is done with CAS and Fire Support. You know how a lot of people say you use your handgun to fight to your rifle? Well we use your rifle to fight to our A10’s, Apaches, AC-130s, and 155 rounds.
This. Hits are the only shots that count.
Well we use your rifle to fight to our A10’s, Apaches, AC-130s, and 155 rounds.
Awesome.
I have the luxury of a local rifle match that allows me to shoot FA. Even with the extra control afforded by the superb Geissele SSF trigger, FA is pretty worthless past 25 yards. At least in 5.56. I’ve found that switching to the dedicated .22LR upper extends that to 50 yards or so. 