My 12 y/o stepson is looking to do something firearm related for his school science project.  We were thinking something along the lines of detailing how the AR15 works internally, comparing the action of the AR to more traditional firearms (bolt, lever, etc) or something in this area.  (He has BRD just as bad as I do. LOL)  Does anyone have a link for details on this?  I would really like to have a cutaway view of the rifle if possible.  Anyone know of a website or two that would have cutaways of various types of rifles?  

Also, we may have to water it down to something generic like how ammunition works, etc, depending on just how PC his teacher decides to be.  (Our school district is very pro-hunting and even gives the first two days of deer season as full school holidays, but I'm not sure how well the AR will go over as a science project.)  And, even if our school is cool with it, the regional judges may not be as friendly.

At the very least we will show the path of a bullet from the time the trigger is pulled until the target is hit.  Any help anyone could give would be greatly appreciated.  Proper credit will be given to contributors.  Thanks a bunch!

Tag...

Anyone?

Try and explain direct gas impingement. I explained gas pistons in the Leitner-Wise Forums. Perhaps yyou can use that as a starting point.

It might be a little advanced for 12 y/os,

Then again...maybe not.

Simon

Back when I was doing sciece fair projects it was more of an experiment vs. explanation of how things work.  

So, when I read the first part of your post I had in mind taking out the AR with various types of grain weights, differnet bullets (hollowpoint/jacketed/lead/ect,) and seeing which shoot the best (tightest groups, best/flatest trajectory) depending on a given a barrel twist or grains of powder.  Do this using the scientific method (background research/observation, hypothesis, test, conclusion).  

Any number of other options, such as semi-auto vs. single bolt action.  Test which is more accurate (this plays to "were thinking something along the lines of detailing how the AR15 works internally, comparing the action of the AR to more traditional firearms (bolt, lever, etc) or something in this area". Another option,  does a 55 grain bullet .223 vs. 67 grain bullet with the same powder load give "better" baslistics, likely you find the 67 trajectory drops faster but maybe you get better groups at 100 yards.  

Key to this being minimiuze the number of variables per trial to one.  For example, use the "exact "same shooting position every time so your at the same level and inclination every time. That sort of thing.  For example, if you do the 55 vs 67 as described be sure both rounds are the same (i.e. hollowpoint/nosler/fmj/ect/), wind is consistent/ clean barrel and same way of shooting (slow squeeze no jumping).  For example shoot the first three 55 grains with a completely clean barrel with say 20 seconds between shots.  Then thouroughly clean the barrel and repeat, three rounds 20 seconds apart.

Anyway, I'm sure this is more than you wanted, but I felt like I had to give some examples of what I was talking about.

Hope this is useful

GL.  have

In grade school I had several entries in the regional science fair and won a few awards at the regional level altho I decided against becoming a scientist ;-). I agree with the above post which suggested that you focus on an "experiment" trying to discover new facts rather than an "explanation" which merely educates people on firearms concepts which are already known. Although it might be fun and educational to explain existing firearms technology, if you want to win the fair, you have to actually discover new information, or invent some new process,etc. What that might be, is up to you.  It can be very expensive. One thing I would be curious about is how scientists are pursuing how to genetically alter potatoes with spider DNA so that the potatoes will create spider silk. The resulting silk when spun can be used to make armor lighter and stronger than kevlar.

Who has a link to that Glock animation?  It was very well done.  It is a pistol, but it is the best I have seen on the net.

Here's an animation I had in one of my picture folders of an AK47:

Link

i think the discovery of a new scientific property might be beyond the realm of a 12 year old.  at this age, you simply develop an experiment to figure out WHY something occurs to satisfy your own curiosity, whether or not science has determined it already.  most informative projects probably wont win science fairs.  you have to design an experiment to determine how those facts came about.  you're introducing your child to the scientific process so that later on down the road, he will be able to make his own observations about the world around him and develop his own ideas as to how things work.  its always much more fun to take a hands on approach rather than looking it up in a book but anyways, just make sure that its a topic that will fly with the school.  i know back then there were certain restrictions that were in place for school science fairs.