AD-A019 649

EXTERNAL BARREL TEMPERATURE OF THE M16A1 RIFLE

Ronald E. Elbe
Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island, 11 linoi s
July 1975

DISTRIBUTED BY:

National Technical Information Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 ÷..

R-TI-75-045

" EXTERNAL. BARREL TEMPERATURE

OF-0THE M AIM IRIFLEm

by,

RONALD E. ELBE

JULY. 1975

TECHNICAL REPORT

SMALL ARMS WEAPONS

SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE

Api~rovei for public release; distribution unlimhited.

. L.; \

1GIE!AL..THOMAS RODM1AN LARORATORY

lapidtoduc by
,NATIONAL TECHNICAL 0 ISLAND ARSENAL
ONFORMATION SERVICE
"US Dpoprhlo;t of Commerce
ROCK ISLAND, LLINOIS,,' 61201
Springfioed VA 221M$
 UNLASSIFIED
SECURITY CLASSIIPCATION OF THIS PAGE MWM Ofta htw_ _ _ _

NEAD VISTRUCT!ONS
REPORT DOCUMEN4TATION PAGE WOE COPLEWO FORM
"OVT ACCEAMOM NO 2. RECIPIENT'S CATALOG N•MB&III

R-TR-'"5-046 7
4. TITLS fft Sutte S. TYPE OF REPORT A PERIOD COVERED
Exter,;al Barrel Temperature of the M16AI Rifle Final, Jan 75 - Jul 75
6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER

"S.CONTRACT OR GRANT HUMSERia)

Ronald E. Elbe
T. PERFORMING ORCANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM ELEME•T.,PROJECT, TASK
AREA & WORK UNIT NUMBERS
GEN Thomas J. Rodman Laboratory (SARRI-LS-P)
Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Wahnd. TI 61l11
11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE
GEN Thomas J. Rodman Laboratory (SARRI-LS-P) July 1975
Rock Island Arsenal ,S. NUMBEROFPAGES
Rock Island, IL 61201 jj
14. MONITORINO AGENCY NAME A AODR9.SS(f di•t•*•,a m C,",Oll Ofioe) IS. SECURITY CLASS. (of 'Wpo)
ad&,
Unclassified
IS•. DECL ASSIFICATION/DOWNGRADING
SCHEDULE

IS. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of thio R.•')

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited

17. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of the abstrWc entere.d in Block 20, ItfH
ditie Iro ASpt

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

"IS.KEY WORDS (Continue anl treverse d•de

if neoeoo and Identlip by block numbe,)

M16AI Rifle
Barrel
Barrel Temperature

ABSTRACT (Contlnue an rovots aid* It neceee;ay and Identify by block number)

Thtt test program studies external barrel temperature of the M16A1 Rifle and
the dependence of barrel temperature on the following five parameters: radial
location on barrel, longitudinal location on barrel, rate of fire, mode of
fire, and type of ammunition.
DD. 17/

DD , aR~TS 1473 OBSoLETE

EoITION OF' I NOV6 IS~
 TECH REPORT NO. R-TR-75-045

EXTERNAL BARREL TEMPERATURE

OF THE M16AI RIFLE

BY
RONALD E. ELBE

JULY 1975

( ')

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL

GENERAL THOMAS J. RODMAN LABORATORY
* !: ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS 61201 :""

&I0
 ABSTRACT

This test program studies external barrel temperature of the Ml6Al Rifle
and the dependence of barrel temperature on the following five parameters:
radial location on barrel, longitudinal location on barrel, rate of fire,

mode of fire, and type of ammunition.

I'

r ii
 FOREWORD
The coordinated efforts of several employees were essential to the success-
9' ful completion of this program. Thus, it is fitting that they be recognized
below:
Loren F. Brunton SARRI-LS-P
George H. Stewart SARRI-LS-P
James N. Blecker SARRI-LR-W

iti
 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO

TITLE PAGE ..................................................... i

ABSTRACT ........................................................ ii

FOREWORD ........................................................ iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................... iv

INTRODUCTION .................................................... 1

BACKGROUND ...................................................... 1
"OBJECTIVE ....................................................... 2
TEST PROCEDURE ......................................... 3

TEST RESULTS ....... ........................................... 3

ANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS
........................................ 4
CONCLUSIONS ..................................................... 7

APPENDIX A ..................................................... 8

APPENDIX B ..................................................... 81

DISTRIBUTION .................................................... 25
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

I. M16 THERMOCOUPLE LOCATIONS

2. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME

I ROUND EACH 6 SECONDS, M193 BALL

3. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME

1 ROUND EACH 3 SECONDS, M193 BALL
4. TEMPERAfURE VS. TIME
I ROUND EACH 1 SECOND, MlvJ bALL

5. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME

20 ROUNDS EACH 20 SECONDS, M193 BALL

6. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME

20 ROUNDS EACH 10 SECONDS, M193 BALL
7. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME
20 ROUNDS EACH 5 SECONDS, M193 BALL

iv
 8. TE4PERATURE VS. TIME
I ROUND EACH 1 SECOND, M196 TRACER
9. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME
20 ROUNDS EACH 20 SECONDS, M196 TRACER
i.. TEMPERATURE VS. TIME
20 ROUNDS EACH 10 SECONDS, M193 BALL

11. TEMPERATURF VS. DISTANCE

AFTER 280 ROUNDS
12. TEMPERATURE VS. DISTANCE
AFTER 140 ROUNDS
13. MAXIMUM BARREL TEMPERATURE VS. RATE OF FIRE
LIST OF TABLES
I BARREL TEMPERATURES (OF) AFTER 280 RDS
II BARREL TEMPERATURES (OF) AFTER 140 RDS

2~i
-1

4,
 INTRODUCTION
From time to time, limited tests have been conducted to determine

external barrel temperatures on the Ml6Al Rifle. However, these tests

have been limited to only those measurements required to solve the

problem of the moment. Repeated inquiries from other organizations as

well as our own need for more barrel temperature data led to the

initiation of this test program. The following report provides a

record or external barrel temperature of the M16AI Rifle under a variety

of conditions. The effect of five variables on barrel temperature is

evaluated. The five variables are: (1) radial location on barrel; (2)
longitudinal location on barrel; (3) rate of fire; (4) mode of fire;
and (5) typp of ammunition.

BACKGROUND
This Directorate has recently initiated work on a product improvement

program to improve the accuracy life of the M16AI Rifle's barrel. A

portion of the product improvement program is directed toward the

reduction of bore temperatures by optimization of the heat transfer

characteristics of the barrel's exterior. The barrel temperature test

recorded in this report provides the data base necessary for the
optimization of the barrel's external configuration. Only pertinent

I temperature data is recorded in depth in this report. Details of test

instrumentation, data collection, and data reduction are presented

S...ewhere.

IBlecker, J.N., "MI6AI Thermal Barrel Firing Test, March 1975, Rodman
Laboratory Technical Note OR-TN-75-009."
i1
OBJECTIVE

The pur'pose of the firng tests recorded herein is to provide M16A1

Rifle external barrel temperature data for a broad spectrum of the most

significant parameters such as location on barrel, rate and mode of

fire, and type of ammunition.

2
 S• 4.. -

TEST PROCEDURE
One IM6AI Rifle was prepared for the test by the installation of
thirteen thermocouples. As shown in Figure 1, of Appendix B, thermocouples
were attached on top of the barrel at iocatio.is 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 1Z, 13.75,

15, 17, and 19 inches forward of the bolt face, and on the bottom of the
barrel 4, 9, and 17 inches forward of the bolt face. The instrumented rifle

was then fired eight three-hundred-round firing cycles as follows:

FIRING # RATE OF FIRE AMM.UNITION

1 1 round each 6 seconds Af193 Ball

2 1 round each 3 seconds M193 Ball

3 1 round each 1 second M193 Ball

4 20 rounds each 20 seconds 'full M193 Ball
auto)
5 20 rounds each 10 seconds (full M193 Ball
auto)

6 20 rounds each 5 seconds (full M193 Ball

auw)

7 1 round each 1 second M196 Tracer

a 20 rounds each 20 seconds (full M196 Tracer

auto)
The rifle was cooled to ambient temperature after each 300 round cycle.

TE$T RESULTS

Figures 2 through 9 in Appendix B graphically display maximum burst

Lt-peratures for firings I throngh 8 respectively. In order to simplify and
"clarify the graphs, actual round-to-round or burst-to-burst teLperature
variations are omitted. An example of actual teaperature variation within

a cycle is shown in Figure 10.

3
 Firings 1, 6, and 7 included a test for projectile yaw, This test

required that the gunner clear the weapon and go downrange to position
the yaw target before he fired the last twenty rounds of the 300 round

* cycle. The delay thus incurred prevented the requested schedule froln

being maintained for more titan 280 rounds. Therefore, for comparative
_. purposes, barrel temperatures are recorded after 280 rounds of each

cycle in Table I of Appendix A. Table II contains barrel temperature

* data after 140 rounds, the midpoint of the comparative cycle. No

projectile yawing was found.

SANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS
A comparison of location 4T with 4B, 9T with 9B, and 17T with 17B
in Table I reveals an average circumferential temperature differential

of less than l0°F regardless of firinj schedule or longitudinal location

along barrel. As would be expected, the top of the barrel is severtl
degrees hotter than the bottom of the barrel at the same longi%
oit-,

location after 2O0 rounds of firing.

Variation of temperature with longitudinal location along the barrel

is graphically depicted in Figures 11 and 12. Those two graphs show that

the hottest area of the barrel's exterior surface lies four to six inches

ahead of the bolt face. It is also interestimn to note that the hottest
area on the barrel moves rearward with increasing rate of fire. At l0
20, and 60 rounds per minute the hottest location recorded was six inches

ahead of the bolt face while at 120 and 24, rounds the hottest location
recorded was four inches ahead of the bolt face. Two relatively cool are-as

exist on the barrel. The first of these is the area over the chamber and
throat (0 to 2 inches ahead of the bolt face). This cool area is attributed
to several factors such as the upper receiver and barrel nut acting as heat

4
 sinks as well as removal of heat from the chamber by the extracting cartridge

case. The other reiatively cool area occurs between 13 and 15 inches ahead
of the bolt face where the handguard cap and front sight act as heat sinks.

Figure 13 shows that maximum barrel temperature increases dramatically

with increasing rate of fire for rates less than 50 rounds per minute.

Above 50 rounds per minute, the maximum barrel temperature is much less

affected by rate of fire.

Effect of mode of fire on exterior barrel temperature can be evaluated

by noting that firings 3 and 4 (Figures 4 and 5) differ only in that firing
3 was semiautomatic while firing 4 was full automatic. A comparison of
Figures 4 and 5 reveals that during the first 230 rounds at 60 rounds per

minute, peak barrel temperatures are up to I0OCF higher for full automatic

than for semiautomatic fire. After 230 rounds at 60 rounds per minute

there is little difference between the two modes except near the breech

(0" - 2") where full automatic fire continued to produce a hotter surface.

It is intuitively obvious toiat changing only the mode of fire has no effect
on heat input to the barrel per round fired. Ergo, for a given rate of fire
the average heat input per unit time must also be independent of mode of

Nlre. Hcwever, full auta.natic fire inputs the heat from any one magazine of
*_cartridges in a relatively short period of time which results in short

"perods of higher barrel temperatures although the average barrel temperature

increase per unit time is no' ,ode-of-fire dependent.
The last parameter to be studied is type of ammunition. Semiautomatic

firings 3 and 7 are alike except that firing 3 used M193 Ball and firing 7 used
M196 Tracer. Similarly, the full autnmatic firings 4 and 8 differ only by type

of ammunition. A comparison of firing 3 with 7 and 4 with 8 in Tables I and

II reveals an irteresting phenomenum. In each case, the nine inches of the

5
barrel nearest the breech was hotter with tracer anutwnition than with ball
while the rest of the barrel was hotter with ball armunition than with
tracer ammunition. This phenomenum is not too surprising when one considers
that M193 Ball arnunition contains spherical ball propellant while M196 tracer
contains tubular I4R propellant, propellants with different flame temperatures
and burning characteristics.

6
CONCLUSIONS

The preceding analysis leads directly to the following seven conclusions:

(1) There is no significant temperature variation due to radial

location on the barrel.

(2) The longitudinal location of maximum temperature lies four to six

inches ahead of the bolt face when the bolt is in battery.
(3) The longitudinal location of maximum temperature lies further

toward the breech for high rates of fire than it does for low rates of

fire.
(4) The longitudinal location of minimum temperature is over the

chamber. The next coolest location is under the front sight.

(5) Maximum barrel temperature increases very rapidly with increasing

rate of fire for rates up to fifty rounds per minute. Increasing the rate

of fire has much less effect on maximum barrel temperature for rates above
fifty rounds per minute.

(6) For short firing schedules (less than 200 rounds between cooling)

full automatic fire results in slightly higher peak barrel temperatures than

semiautomatic fire.
(7) The firing of Ml96 Tracer ammunition gives higher barrel temperatures

on the breech-half of the barrel and cooler barrel temperatures on the muzzle-

half than M193 Ball.

7
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......... ':•°"••'• •'• • • •>• •'• '•"• .. • •"-':••, '• '• •'-'T.'.. •

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i. .'APPENDIX A

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