Re: SA80-A2: it's all the soldier's fault

[Landsofaren@xxxxxxx]

Actually, the problem in VN was not with the M-16, which is a good weapon, it was with the ammunition, which was not tested with the weapon. The initial 'blue-primer' ammunition issued was too hot (fired with too many foot-pounds of energy), had sub-standard caseing material, and left too much residue. As a result, the weapons carboned up, over-heated, and the caseing softened in the hot breeches, causing the extractors to rip the base off the casing, leaving half the casing in the breech.

By switching to a slighly lower-powered round with cleaner powder and a stronger casing, the problems vanished. For good measure, they chrome-plated the breech, put in a heavier buffer assembly (slowed the rate of fire, reducing over-heating), replaced the rubber extraction spring buffer with a silicone one that resisted heat better, and added a bolt assist that was not needed. Add in a closed flash suppessor, and you have the '-A1' version.

Interestingly, the ammunition problem was indentical to the one facing the US Army on the Plains from 1873-7: the .45-70 rounds issued for the Springfield 'trap-doors' had too much copper in the casing; in fights with sustained fire, the casings would soften in the hot breeches, and the extractors would rip off the bases. At the Little Big Horn, numerous troopers were found with open pocket knives and ice picks to hand in order to pry damaged casings from their carbines. The problem was solved by changing the casing alloy.

  RW Krpoun
  Texas