Quote:
Originally Posted by Brush Okie
What benefits will YOUR open bolt design have over the current design? I say this not to jerk you around but to think to yourself why. What is the purpose of the design? For full auto support weapon you need a belt fed weapon. IMHO it seems like a solution in search of a problem.
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My modifying a rifle we already produce for very little added cost vs our distributing an open-bolt for another company that costs about the same price as an FN SAW is the biggest advantage by far. We also distribute a belt-fed upper, but, the damn thing IS a closed bolt and I can not believe that! We NEED an open-bolt option in a bad way.
Once a barrel gets above a temperature that I want to say is just above 200 F and I have read 4-500 F, the chambered round will ignite or cook off from the heat of the chamber, that is why proper machine guns use an open bolt design. I know that towards the end of a combat load of just over 200 rounds you can start to have these "cook offs", but, it depends on the frequency and amount of rounds fired and the ambient temperature of the environment.
The piston type AR was developed after I got "out of boots" and I am told the operating rod actually keeps the bolt, carrier and chamber cooler than the impingement design. I can see how the piston keeps the bolt and carrier cleaner and cooler, maybe even the chamber to some extent, but, the chamber would SEEM to me to be a source of heat regardless of method to cycle.
The open bolt also will help to increase the rate of fire and with the safety of having the bolt held in the open position, this design in an M4 type rifle can actually be used with true high capacity magazines such as Surefire's 60 round and even 100 round design or you could use Beta drums and have a smaller and lighter squad automatic weapon for less money than the traditional FN designs of belt-fed SAW.
My main bitch with closed bolt weapons on full auto is they are not very accurate and as an Infantryman, I only used FA fire when I was forced to by a superior. If you have ever compared an Uzi to an MP5, you clearly understand the difference as an open-bolt has an even exchange between the bolt slamming forward and immediately getting knocked back. Ideally, when this design is placed in semi, it returns to the traditional closed bolt design.
This will be significantly heavier than an M4 generally issued currently. The stress on the pins in the lower receiver would most likely destroy the alloy receiver currently used and a heavier alloy (maybe even steel) or a much wider reinforced ring around the pins will have to be installed to handle the extra strain.