whats the caliber of my rifle?

[Bob_VT]

22 cal military is the current 5.56 mm (aka .223) AR type. Yes water filled barrels can explode but it is rare. It is harder to drain water from a .22 cal then a .30 cal. The water will act an an obstruction and create a barrel blockage

The worst part of people reloading for the .303 is the mistake of a reloader using the wrong bullet. FYI a .303 bullet is actually a .311 diameter and people routinely use .308 bullets which do not properly engage the barrel and keyhole with wild fliers.

In my lifetime I have seen 5 weapon incidents/accidents and none involved a 22 caliber.

I saw a M-60 machine gun blow up and scar the shooter up, I have seen a .44 pistol blow a cylinder in half, a 50 cal machine gun blow a barrel off and split the receiver in half, I have seen the breech blow off a tanks 105 mm main gun and break the gunners legs and I had a sear spring break inside a 45 ACP pistol which emptied all 7 rounds in a split second.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by PK198105

that's chinese to me ,
i know weapons at an intermediate level and i don't shoot regularly , so you would have to explain the phenomenon to me Gene

The M-16 series of firearms come with a caution regarding water in the barrel. If you shoot them "wet" they may burst.

"uring testing in March 1958, rainwater caused the barrels of both the ArmaLite and Winchester rifles to burst, causing the Army to once again press for a larger round, this time at 0.258 in (6.6 mm). Nevertheless, they suggested continued testing for cold-weather suitability in Alaska. Stoner was later asked to fly in to replace several parts, and when he arrived he found the rifles had been improperly reassembled. When he returned he was surprised to learn that they too had rejected the design even before he had arrived; their report also endorsed the 0.258 in (6.6 mm) round. After reading these reports, General Maxwell Taylor became dead-set against the design, and pressed for continued production of the M14."

No, I don't know why this effect occurs. I do know that I was warned NEVER to shoot the rifle with water in the barrel. The "procedure" after fording water is to aim the barrel towards the ground and allow it to drain.

Gene

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by GeneW

No, I don't know why this effect occurs. I do know that I was warned NEVER to shoot the rifle with water in the barrel. The "procedure" after fording water is to aim the barrel towards the ground and allow it to drain.

Gene

Any water in the barrel is likely to become steam very quickly a the pressures involved, especially if it is behind the round. I.e. any water that is in the chamber is likely to increase in volume by a few thousand percent. That increases the pressure big-time, resulting in bursts. Steam engines have used the principal for years. The bigger the barrel, the greater the capacity to survive this kind of abuse, since the amount of water per inch is a "unit" ratio, and the volume that can absorb the over-pressure is a "square" ratio (per inch of barrel). So, twice the calibre, four times the volume to absorb.

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by PK198105

lol we were posting at the same time lol. but doesn't it have to do with the density of water ?

Not that I know of.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by PK198105

lol we were posting at the same time lol. but doesn't it have to do with the density of water ?

I am not exactly sure. What I've heard is that the clearances inside of a 22 caliber bore are small enough that water there is subject to capillary action and will cause fractures or damage to the bore great enough to initiate a rupture if one attempts to shoot down them "wet".

I don't know. I make sure that the bores are clear of water before I shoot.

Gene

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by PK198105

we need a fluid dynamics engineer or a phd

A Naval Architect is not good enough for you? Pah!

[firemachine69]

Originally Posted by GeneW

I am not exactly sure. What I've heard is that the clearances inside of a 22 caliber bore are small enough that water there is subject to capillary action and will cause fractures or damage to the bore great enough to initiate a rupture if one attempts to shoot down them "wet".

I don't know. I make sure that the bores are clear of water before I shoot.

Gene

Good point you bring up, however, I would only be concerned with a late-model rifle, particularly one using an octogonal barrel.

I leave a heavy oiling in the barrel for the storage my rifles endure (usually a month at the minimum), and all I do is shoot it out point-blank of my .22wmr rifle with a cheap round of ammo (safely, usually a nearby pit of sand and dirt), and away we go hunting (either paper or furry creatures).