How much heat can my AR take?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How much heat can my AR take?

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:15:42 PM EDT

Recently I've been to a couple of range events at my church that somewhat inadvertently saw my AR-15 as the star of the show. People were lining up to take turns shooting it, which I had no problems with since most of them had never seen an AR before (yes it was supervised), but after running a number of mags it got so hot that I was worried it might cause damage so I gave it a break every 5-7 magazines.

This was not full auto or even very rapid fire, but I realized that I had no idea how how hot an AR can get before damage can occur, or how many rounds I should shoot between breaks. What say you, Arfcom?

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:21:25 PM EDT

[#1]

"This was not full auto or even very rapid fire"

Not a problem.
Your AR should handle 30 - 60 rounds per minute sustained.
It gets hot though! Just be glad it's not an AK. You'd need gloves.

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:24:51 PM EDT

[#2]

no worries your doing fine.

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:27:04 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Recently I've been to a couple of range events at my church

What church is this? Mine does golf/soft ball tournaments..

Somewhere there is something that says that the AR can sustain a rate of fire of X rounds per minute (1 shot every Y seconds), indefinitely. I think it was like 15-20 seconds or something. Don't quote me on that, cause I might be way off base.

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:31:50 PM EDT

[#4]

The manual to my RRA states 12-15 rounds per minute - again this is pure manual statement. - FWIW.

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:35:57 PM EDT

[#5]

You didn't hurt it.

Posted: 6/15/2009 12:37:38 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
The manual to my RRA states 12-15 rounds per minute - again this is pure manual statement. - FWIW.

really? so then I guess a 'mad minute' is out....

most i've heard of is three beta c magazines back to back in full auto...melts the gas tube before anything bad can happen.

Think about in Iraq or Afghanistan, Soldiers return fire, their weapon is out of commission for firing more than 15rds a minute? Who thought that number up...

Posted: 6/15/2009 1:19:51 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The manual to my RRA states 12-15 rounds per minute - again this is pure manual statement. - FWIW.

really? so then I guess a 'mad minute' is out....

most i've heard of is three beta c magazines back to back in full auto...melts the gas tube before anything bad can happen.

Think about in Iraq or Afghanistan, Soldiers return fire, their weapon is out of commission for firing more than 15rds a minute? Who thought that number up...

Lawyers would be my bet as to who thought that number up

Posted: 6/15/2009 1:27:31 PM EDT

[#8]

The damage done is in reference to the barrel itself, as someone mentioned there's a TM somewhere stating just how many rnds per minute can be fired in a sustained and rapid engagement. For a service length A2 it's generally 1 rnd every 4 seconds (15 rpm) for prolonged fires.

Did your barrel turn red hot? If no, you're fine.

Can you detect barrel warp and/or a permanent POI? If no, you're good to go.

Posted: 6/15/2009 1:46:46 PM EDT

[#9]

What kind of lube were you using and was it burning off?

Seriously though, I wanna go to that Church.

Posted: 6/15/2009 1:59:29 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
What kind of lube were you using and was it burning off?

Seriously though, I wanna go to that Church.

So bump firing is a bad idea?

Posted: 6/15/2009 2:05:55 PM EDT

[#11]

Give it a break every 5-7 magazines?

Please tell me the church helped pay for the ammo.

Posted: 6/15/2009 2:34:37 PM EDT

[#12]

Thanks for the replies all, I guess all I have to worry about is burning my hands on the barrel (again

). I must agree with all of you that a church having its own range is a great thing; there are quite a few gun enthusiasts in the church and we go out there periodically to have all-church range days and such. We have a blast and is a great way to meet new people and fellowship with other gun folks, although naturally that's not the church's main focus

Posted: 6/15/2009 2:39:03 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Thanks for the replies all, I guess all I have to worry about is burning my hands on the barrel (again

). I must agree with all of you that a church having its own range is a great thing; there are quite a few gun enthusiasts in the church and we go out there periodically to have all-church range days and such. We have a blast and is a great way to meet new people and fellowship with other gun folks, although naturally that's not the church's main focus

I am so jealous...this takes "spirit filled" to a whole new level.

Posted: 6/15/2009 2:42:44 PM EDT

[#14]

I saw a guy on youtube put a 1000rds through one as fast as he could, threw it in the pond after 5-600rds, shook the water out of it, kept going, said it wasn't good for the barrel(

) but was showing how reliable they were.

Posted: 6/15/2009 3:47:10 PM EDT

[#15]

Yea, wasn't that a Bushmaster M4ergy?

Quoted:

I saw a guy on youtube put a 1000rds through one as fast as he could, threw it in the pond after 5-600rds, shook the water out of it, kept going, said it wasn't good for the barrel(

) but was showing how reliable they were.

Posted: 6/15/2009 4:52:34 PM EDT

[#16]

As others have said you are fine. Gun shouldn't have a problem putting down that many rounds.

Posted: 6/15/2009 7:29:42 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Yea, wasn't that a Bushmaster M4ergy?

Quoted:
I saw a guy on youtube put a 1000rds through one as fast as he could, threw it in the pond after 5-600rds, shook the water out of it, kept going, said it wasn't good for the barrel(

) but was showing how reliable they were.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CQOvdYW6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L5ZXU9mr9g

Posted: 6/15/2009 11:42:46 PM EDT

[#18]

Yep. That was the chicken wing guy.

Posted: 6/15/2009 11:50:01 PM EDT

[#19]

When you get your barrel to look like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGAwrmOapb4

You are done.

Posted: 6/16/2009 1:37:18 AM EDT

[#20]

I've done 10 mags worth on 3 round burst as fast as I could (at night) with an standard issue M16. Never had a problem during or after, but the barrel was glowing red to the point where I could use it as a flashlight.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How much heat can my AR take?

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