XCR fun in the water 8)

[tjhaile]

I think that the reason that an AR cannot be safely fired without draining it first is because the small diameter gas tube tends to stay full of water due to capillary action.

Normally, there will be no significant pressure on the gas system until the bullet passes it, as the bullet is only displacing compressible air as it moves down the barrel. However, if you have a barrel and gas tube full of incompressible water, it will act on the gas system as soon as the bullet starts to move, just like a hydraulic cylinder. This causes the rifle to kaboom when the action opens prematurely.

Most piston guns don't have this problem because the gas system typically has somewhere for water to escape from, as beltfed points out.

Any auto pistol or revolver can be fired underwater without damage, but they may or may not have cycling issues.

 

[DANCESWITHEMPTIES]

As for a testimony to the rifle's quality I think the video's are great & maybe necessary to attract future military / enforcement contracts. It just may quell some of the people who seem to love to hate this rifle as well. I was sold on the idea of the rifle being a modular system, allowing the use of AR magazines & accessories, all in a non restricted platform.
There are a few excellent alternatives, but I have been very pleased with mine & the level of service I have received from Wolverine.

 

[misanthropist]

I would appear the XCR doesn't need to be modified for little drain time due to the loose fitment of parts. In some of the cases where water was still present it seams the higher gas setting blew the water 'through the cracks' as it were - vapourizing it. In this instance it gives the rifle an advantage over tighter fiting designs.

It's logical to assume that if the gas system was tightened up it would blow like any other system with similar tolerance.

That is my guess as well...I am told the 416 required drain holes to be installed on account of how tight the gas system was. The XCR evidently was not tight enough to require this.

I would be interested to hear opinions from industry types - builders and users - on the advantages and disadvantages of this approach.