I built an Austrian STG58 kit from DSA up (with compliance parts) on an Imbel receiver.  Shoots really great and accurate, and has not had one single hick-up.  I was wondering about how hot is too hot.  I was at a shoot and I shot six mags fast.  It heated up HOT.  I opened the action up and set it on a flat surface in the shade to cool.  The barrel on this kit is a chrome-lined barrel, and it is in great shape.  I even whent through the break-in process because it looked new.

I know it is a battle rifle, but when I go out to a shoot or the range I shoot a lot of rounds.  How many at one time (continuous) is too much in a normal summer day?  What will happen, besides not being able to hold it, if you kept shooting rounds…unlimited?  

I am not really concerned with the bench rest competition shooting about heating up and now shoots ½ inch off at 200 yards (cold shot-hot shot), but when do you actually damage the barrel?  Barrel life with non-corrosive ammo, correct mechanics like head spacing and keeping it very clean.

Oh yeah, I used it on a COF at a shoot, and it rained down dirt on all the spectators!    

After reading the "which barrel" post I am almost scared of the responses (my first post here).  

FWIW IMO the tone that 'which barrel' thread took's not the norm here.
i wouldn't worry too much about heat unless you REALLY REALLY try to kill one and even then unless it was FA i dunno....
DSA did a 10,000 rounds in 9 hours TORTURE TEST
that's just a bit slower than a 20rd mag per minute. man, how do you get that job?

For fun at a shoot we paired up in teams of two, and at around 30 yards we raced to see who could "saw" a 4X4 in half.  The 1919 won, but some guys with full auto a HK53 and an UMP were a close second.  My buddy and I were third with FAL's.  It is harder then it sounds.

What was really crazy was a friend had a G3 with 30 rd. mags. And after he was done, he was lying down, put on his safety to get up and as we were talking it fired!  Nobody was down range and he was getting ready to clear the action when it did it.  One of the weapons manufactures said that too much over 300 degrees it can ignite the round!  New safety rule.  

After the “timber shoot” we had to let everything cool down.  I know the rifles can take this abuse, but I was wondering where the limit is.  Thanks I will check out the article.


(edit – WOW….killer DSA STG58 test)

Before I replaced the handguards on my FAL with som izzy light barrel wood I would always bring gloves with me to shoot it.  I bump it to the tune of  five 30 rounders and 10 20's with out one issue.  After waisting, god only knows how many, thousands of rounds and replacing the barrel once, so far, I can now bump it from the shoulder.
The best thing about an FN/FAL is that after all that I can still hit what I aim at.
I have never had it cook off a round.
It is usually empty immediately after firing.
I have had it melt into a range table or two.
When will I learn that you shouldn't lean a smoking hot firearm on a plastic table?
My line of thought, shoot it like it was issued to you , check the headspace between shoots, and if you hard chrome the triger group you will never have hammer follow.

I really need to check into that Israeli light hand guard...great idea.  My “bumping” with the FAL is not perfected yet like my G3.  But practice makes perfect!

It does really appear a well-built or excellent new (DSA) semi-auto would be hard to damage with heat from fast shooting.  Even when you reach the level of an undisputed “Bump Master”