U.S Army scraps testing after rifle outperforms M4A1

[Dench]

oh boy

 

[drgrant]

Oh really??? All of my m9 mags and m4 mags that we swapped one for one with new mags when we got to Baghdad and then Kabul were all loaded for a year. Without exception the springs were garbage from being loaded. This was unit wife of over 700 people.
When magazines are stored in the armory they are stored empty for this same reason. The fact is keeping compression on a spring all year will affect it. Why do you think we all bought new magazines and rotated them? No idea what your talking about here and where you are getting your information.

Here we go kids.....

 

[Dench]

nevermind the fact that the US mil buys garbage mags

 

[rcwhat]

Here we go kids.....

So are you inferring that spring creep/relaxation is a physics myth?

 

[teaser452]

Popcorn!

I just try to keep my powder dry and my springs unloaded. But I know nothing.

 

[Andy in NH]

Don't the Marines have a lot more leeway than the Army to pick their rifles? Seems like something the Marines could do, if not the Army.

Well, it was the Corps that instituted the M16A1 to M16A2 debacle.

If the Corps wanted to spend the money on fielding a new rifle, I believe they could do so without approval from CNO, JCS, ect.

All of my m9 mags and m4 mags that we swapped one for one with new mags when we got to Baghdad and then Kabul were all loaded for a year.

Did you at least train with, FAM fire or clean those magazines over that year?

 

[Dench]

Did you at least train with, FAM fire or clean those magazines over that year?

are you trying to imply a dust packed magazine would perform poorly?

 

[drgrant]

So are you inferring that spring creep/relaxation is a physics myth?

I'm not inferring anything, other than on any gun board on the internet, every time this topic comes up, 10 people will say that only using the spring (compressing and releasing it) wears it out, and then there's always that 11th person, AKA, "that guy" who will loudly maintain that compressing the spring (keeping it compressed for some long duration) actually causes it to lose strength.

-Mike

 

[Andy in NH]

are you trying to imply a dust packed magazine would perform poorly?

Not at all.

Just asking for clarification of his statement.

As an SOP, we'd detail clean one magazine a day; dump the rounds, scrub the inside and wipe down the spring / follower. That way in a week all the mags were gone over at least once. Unless of course they specifically need cleaning more often.

Another SOP we had was to test fire all weapons (minus ones with dud producing ammo) before leaving the wire. We'd fire an entire magazine from the personal weapons (carbine & pistol), again choosing a different magazine each time and then refill it with fresh ammo. This allowed us to cycle new ammo through all the magazines and to make sure they functioned correctly.

Doesn't make your statement any less true through.

 

[Dench]

i have mags that have been loaded for years that feed fine.

 

[rcwhat]

I'm not inferring anything, other than on any gun board on the internet, every time this topic comes up, 10 people will say that only using the spring (compressing and releasing it) wears it out, and then there's always that 11th person, AKA, "that guy" who will loudly maintain that compressing the spring (keeping it compressed for some long duration) actually causes it to lose strength.

-Mike

http://www.rockfordspring.com/relaxationofsprings.asp

 

[goodlife30]

I really don't care what people do. Me i know what happens to the magazines. Like anything mechanical it wears out. My ass was on the line and I changed them out. Wanted to limit my chances of magazine failure when haji was trying to waste me. Had enough to worry about while trying to avoid being turned into a red stain on the road.

 

[Dradian]

This x1000. Why won't this myth die?

This

 

[Andy in NH]

i have mags that have been loaded for years that feed fine.

I am sure you do - don't we all?

Between classes, mine that still have ammo in them are kept in an old ammo crate:



They sit there a year or so before the next class and then get stacked on the top when the remainder of the magazines get filled.

I think the difference is that mags that are filled and properly stored will do just fine. But mags that are subjected to the daily grind of and Infantryman's life or get banged around in a chest rig / go-bag need a little more attention.

Which brings me back to:

Did you at least train with, FAM fire or clean those magazines over that year?

 

[Varmint]

Steel magazines probably suffer a lot of temperature cycling in Iraq too if not stored in temp controlled place.

 

[exo]

Steel magazines probably suffer a lot of temperature cycling in Iraq too if not stored in temp controlled place.

Does the US Mil use steel mags? I thought USGI are aluminum.

 

[whacko]

Does the US Mil use steel mags? I thought USGI are aluminum.

The I was always issued were definitely aluminum

 

[Varmint]

Does the US Mil use steel mags? I thought USGI are aluminum.

I assumed the springs are steel, dunno.

 

[PaulD]

I assumed the springs are steel, dunno.

There's no such thing as aluminum springs to my knowledge. Also, I seriously doubt the coefficient of thermal expansion for steel or aluminum matters in the temperatures a magazine will see.

 

[Varmint]

Also, I seriously doubt the coefficient of thermal expansion for steel or aluminum matters in the temperatures a magazine will see.

A steel spring sitting there uncompressed no, but one under heavy compression, undergoing temperature cycling, like a soldier leaving them exposed in the Iraqi sun, I don't know. It doesn't need to fail, it just needs to fatigue a little to cause a feed failure.

I think what's much more likely is they got a lot of use not mentioned by the poster.

 

[exo]

I think what's much more likely is they got a lot of use not mentioned by the poster.

That part makes the most sense to me.