How Propellants Are Qualified for Gov't Arsenals

Very interesting Hummer70. Especially the section on temperature limits for cartridges. Military ammunition is not supposed to be fired at temperatures above 125 ˚F because pressure limits are uncontrolled above that temperature. That is, at 125 ˚F the ammunition has to meet these pressure requirements:

Mil-P-3984J Military Specification, Propellants for Small Arms Ammunition.
http://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsDocDetails.aspx?ident_number=4894

3.2.11.2 Cartridge 5.56MM. The average velocity and average chamber and port pressure of test cartridges subjected to the following storage conditions shall not vary from the average velocity and average chamber and port pressure of similar test cartridges conditioned and fired at 70 ± 2 degrees ˚F by more than the following indicated amounts.

Condition : Stored at 125 ± 2 degrees ˚F for not less than one hour at that temperature

Variation in Variation in average velocity: -250 fps

Variation in average chamber pressure: + 5000, + 6.5000 for M855 and M856

Variation in average port pressure: : ± 2,000 psia

For temperatures above 125 ˚F , the pressure can be anything, like 80,000 psia, 90,000 psia, 150,000 psia, 1,000,000 psia , to super nova pressures, and the 5.56 ammunition meets spec, because the ammunition is not to be fired at temperatures above 125 ˚F.

So you were an Aberdeen Test Engineer, do you have any idea why the Testers at Aberdeen were cooking 5.56 ammunition at 160 ˚F and firing it in a 160 ˚F SAWS? The ammunition and weapon were both operating out of any Mil Spec temperature range, and I believe cartridge pressures were probably 90,000 + psia. The Army blamed the malfunctions they had and the blown case heads on oil in the chamber and ignored the high pressures they created by cooking the ammunition. I consider their so called analysis bogus, a misdirection and a coverup of Army incompotence. The temperature and pressure aspects of what they created are glossed over, the beyond specification conditions ignored, as if, high pressures caused by high temperatures don't matter.

Lubrication’s Contribution to Cartridge Case Failure

http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2011ballistics/11826.pdf
 
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Do you realize you posted a US Government "Confidential" document that needs a Security Clearance to view it....do you think you are Hillary Clinton
 
Is this the same military that continued to issue muzzle loaders to the troops, long after lever actions were available?
Then followed that with single shot rifles?
The same military that replaced a large .45 pistol with an equally large 9mm?
Them guys? :)
 
If you follow the links I provided you can see that this document has been downgraded to unclassified, distribution unlimited at DODIS.

Now after reviewing this spec, decide for yourself why on earth was it ever classified. That is, what information in this specification will cause harm to the security of the United States.

I am of the opinion that nothing in the spec ever did, or ever will. But, notice again, just how these idiots continue to keep subsequent revisions out of the public domain.

This is not to protect the interests of the Nation, but rather, to protect the idiots from inside the Army Ordnance Department from outside scrutiny and the subsequent revelation that they are incompetent.
 
Snakeye,

Look at the very first page. At the bottom, right above the "confidential" line, it says "DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited." The "CONFIDENTIAL SMP_02140" is perfectly aligned with the paper, while the rest of the copy is not, so I think it was merely printed on the copy paper stock used in reproducing the thing. Clearly not appropriate use of that paper.
 
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