NASA to buy lightweight, semi-automatic rifles

[mikeyp]

Sure, when anyone in the .gov does it it's only a semi-auto rifle. When we do "OMGZZZZZZZ SUPER KILLY ASSAULT WEAPONZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"

NASA to buy lightweight, semi-automatic rifles – Defence Blog

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, will acquire lightweight, semi-automatic rifles, a solicitation released via the US government’s Federal Business Opportunities website on 25 Jun revealed.

NASA Shared Services Center posted a notice for procurement of a lightweight, 5.56×45mm, magazine-fed, gas-operated semi-automatic rifle designed to perform multiple uses under various conditions.

This rifle, according to notice, shall be versatile as well as reliable, and shall be engineered for a wide variety of applications, to include military/law enforcement. The rifle shall be easy to accessorize and deploy the following characteristics:

1. Caliber: chambered for 5.56mm NATO
2. Barrel: 16 inches in length. Chrome lined bore and chamber, with Armornite barrel finish. Barrel material shall be 4140 steel. Barrel twist shall be 1 in 9”
3. Weight: Less than 107 oz
4. Length (overall): not to exceed 35 inches
5. Magazine capacity: 30 round
6. Front sight: Adj A2 Post
7. Rear sight: Adjustable dual aperture OR folding Troy Magpul® Back-Up Sight (MBUS)
8. Action: gas operated semi-auto
9. Stock: 6 position collapsible
10. Grip: polymer
11. Frame material: aluminum allow
12. Frame finish: Matte Black
13. Recommended purpose: law enforcement and military

The request does not indicate the number of rifles, but it is noted that the total budget should not exceed 15K.

 

[not new guy]

Good for them. If only more agencies had a budget of $15k for rifles.

 

[The5thDentist]

They have their own cops/security. Meh.

 

[dingbat]

Purchase on gov. contract not to exceed 15k sooooo... Like, four of five rifles?

 

[Picton]

I know this is for weapons that security dudes will keep in the rack inside their NASA cop cars.

But.

Say you needed a gun in space. Would a direct-impingement system work reliably in zero gravity, or would it change the behavior of the gases? I honestly don’t know.

NES Rocket Scientists! Out yourselves!

 

[LittleCalm]

The langoliers. Go to light a match and nothing happens. Space or Bangor Int’l — it’s all the same.

 

[VetteGirlMA]

Crap there really are aliens! Man did I mess this one up!

 

[sigfanboy13]

If the moon is haunted we are gonna need this guy, not something as tiny as 5.56

 

[Andy in NH]

NASA has its own Emergency Response Team (ERT)
In 2013 they placed in the top five overall at the International SWAT Roundup
Seems that they are just upgrading or replacing rifles they already have.

 

[crispnipz]

Purchase on gov. contract not to exceed 15k sooooo... Like, four of five rifles?

Funny you say that, Apple is coming out with a rifle. The iR-15. $1500 for a 10 round magazine, $3000 for 30 rounds. The magazines are proprietary and not replaceable. If it breaks, you have to take it to an Apple Gun Genius and it'll be $500 minimum to fix.

 

[Squire]

Purchase on gov. contract not to exceed 15k sooooo... Like, four of five rifles?

One

 

[Dr_Scholl]

They have their own cops/security. Meh.

My cousin's a base cop at Wallops Island.

I found out about this through him lol.

 

[nstassel]

Must work on talking apes.

 

[lpc]

I had to look up Armornite and found this on the trademark page:
Current Trademark Owners
Party Name
Smith & Wesson Corp.

So, if I am reading it right, the solicitation has a proprietary S&W barrel finish specified.

 

[greencobra]

they were talking about going back to the moon for long periods of time so makes sense...gotta hunt for food eventually and keep those critters away from your galactic garden. and how about that sound you suddenly wake up to at 3 am of someone prying open your spaceship door. scary right? i hear there's open carry on the moon!

 

[Mesatchornug]

I had to look up Armornite and found this on the trademark page:
Current Trademark Owners
Party Name
Smith & Wesson Corp.

So, if I am reading it right, the solicitation has a proprietary S&W barrel finish specified.

Also "Troy Magpul" sights.

 

[Mesatchornug]

I know this is for weapons that security dudes will keep in the rack inside their NASA cop cars.

But.

Say you needed a gun in space. Would a direct-impingement system work reliably in zero gravity, or would it change the behavior of the gases? I honestly don’t know.

NES Rocket Scientists! Out yourselves!

Gravity shouldn't affect the gas system as it's sealed behind the projectile when it's working.

Bullet drop will be entirely different though.

 

[amm5061]

Gravity shouldn't affect the gas system as it's sealed behind the projectile when it's working.

Bullet drop will be entirely different though.

Actually, you're forgetting Newtonian physics here. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

They want them for emergency propulsion!

 

[Mountain]

I know this is for weapons that security dudes will keep in the rack inside their NASA cop cars.

But.

Say you needed a gun in space. Would a direct-impingement system work reliably in zero gravity, or would it change the behavior of the gases? I honestly don’t know.

NES Rocket Scientists! Out yourselves!

Sealed system. All that is needed for the reaction contained within.

 

[JRT]

Gravity shouldn't affect the gas system as it's sealed behind the projectile when it's working.

Bullet drop will be entirely different though.

We probably don’t want a lot of bullets fired in space. Every bullet ever fired should continue forever at the velocity it left the muzzle. I read somewhere once that eight billion bullets a year are fired on earth, that’s a lot of lead in space to dodge if we get those kind of numbers up there.

 

[Radtekk]

We probably don’t want a lot of bullets fired in space. Every bullet ever fired should continue forever at the velocity it left the muzzle. I read somewhere once that eight billion bullets a year are fired on earth, that’s a lot of lead in space to dodge if we get those kind of numbers up there.

It's only that low because the moonbats in Peterborough suck and there hasn't been a car shoot for a while.

 

[FiremanBob]

Most likely it's for security around space bases. I'm surprised that they are specifying a low-grade rifle. Most professional ARs use 4150 steel in the barrel (much harder) and 1:7 twist.

 

[not new guy]

It's an RFP. Presumably some bidders will come in with bids that aren't strictly conforming because they have something better to offer.

 

[PappyM3]

Gravity shouldn't affect the gas system as it's sealed behind the projectile when it's working.

Bullet drop will be entirely different though.

Also, gravity wouldn’t be the issue if it weren’t sealed. It’s the vacuum of space that’s of concern, not the lack of gravity.

A lack of gravity would make mag changes more complicated though.

 

[Boston4567]

Gravity shouldn't affect the gas system as it's sealed behind the projectile when it's working.

Bullet drop will be entirely different though.

I wonder if gravity is low enough that you could fire a round and the bullet would come back around the other side of the moon and hit you...

 

[PappyM3]

We probably don’t want a lot of bullets fired in space. Every bullet ever fired should continue forever at the velocity it left the muzzle. I read somewhere once that eight billion bullets a year are fired on earth, that’s a lot of lead in space to dodge if we get those kind of numbers up there.

They’ll eventually slow down. Intermittent dust and solar wind etc.. but it’d be a very gradual slowing. That said, there are far more objects in space going much faster than bullets.

 

[PappyM3]

I find it very odd they’re specifying 1-9 twist. I realize they don’t need to worry about firing tracers like the mil, but 1-9 really limits options. I’m not just talking about 77gr bullets, but some 50gr frangibles are rather long and won’t stabilize in 1-9. While I don’t care for frangibles, I thought they may have some use when operating around lots of expensive, delicate equipment when you don’t want overpenetration.

 

[sigfanboy13]

Also, gravity wouldn’t be the issue if it weren’t sealed. It’s the vacuum of space that’s of concern, not the lack of gravity.

A lack of gravity would make mag changes more complicated though.

The gravity would make it easier. You can shoulder a 40lb rifle or use gaint drums since it's light up there. Or you just have mags floating around next to the gun!

 

[milktree]

Also, gravity wouldn’t be the issue if it weren’t sealed. It’s the vacuum of space that’s of concern, not the lack of gravity.

What difference would the vacuum of space make? Maybe you might need to adjust the gas system a tiny amount because it’s empty of atmosphere, but maybe not, because the buffer and bolt wouldn’t have any air resistance.

The 50,000+ psi in the chamber is pretty huge and dwarfs the 15psi of atmospheric pressure.

The gravity would make it easier. You can shoulder a 40lb rifle or use gaint drums since it's light up there. Or you just have mags floating around next to the gun!

Light, sure, but still massive. Inertia is still a thing.

 

[ReluctantDecoy]

What difference would the vacuum of space make? Maybe you might need to adjust the gas system a tiny amount because it’s empty of atmosphere, but maybe not, because the buffer and bolt wouldn’t have any air resistance.

The 50,000+ psi in the chamber is pretty huge and dwarfs the 15psi of atmospheric pressure.




Light, sure, but still massive. Inertia is still a thing.

The vacuum of space shouldn't make any difference in modern ammo. Rounds have oxidizers in them. Can fire in a vacuum, under water, etc. What would be interesting though is the low G's of space and the moon. I wonder if there is an angle you could shoot while standing on the moon where it would be possible to shoot around the entire moon and hit yourself with it (ie. not enough angle to escape gravitational pull, but high enough to account for minimal bullet drop and little atmosphere to reduce velocity).