I'm enjoying this conversation, so please don't take my responses as trolling or combative. There simply are physical and practical limitations to all things. Anything can be done, it's a matter of how long it takes to build it and how expensive the finished product will be.
I'm sure if they used the highest grade titanium alloys, higher grade steel, etc. for various components, they could probably make a completely unbreakable, indestructible gun... the cost to produce it might skyrocket, it might weigh twice as much, or it might have other limitations.
More importantly than determining WHAT anything is, is determining WHAT IT IS REQUIRED TO DO AND VERIFYING IT CAN DO IT.
The scenario I described above (infantry section attack) is the key requirement for a rifle similar to the T97. I would say if it could function under those circumstances - it is well designed. I understand as an interesting TEST to determine the limitations of the gun, it would be neat to try pumping 1000 rounds through in under 10 minutes - that said, the results of such a test I think in no way reflect the overall quality of the tool, if the requirements for it are such that it will NOT practically be required to do so.
I am a professional tester of advanced systems - again to me it doesn't matter very much what the tool we are building is capable of. What matters to me is does the tool we are building meet the requirements specified. If it does, the tool is adequate. If it does not, we need to rework it. Of course that's all predicated on the assumption that the requirements are clearly and properly defined - but that's a whole other story.
Very well said.
I'm an engineer and I understand that if a tool meets the purpose of what it was designed to become, it is a good tool. 100% Agreed
My point is that you still would not need parts that were made with advanced bi-polar metal retrieved from the orbit of Saturn, forged with the hammers of Gondor and coated with the tears of a Dragon to solve a Goddamn melting issue.
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