“Or, is that just typical gun ignorance talking...?”
No, it’s atypical gun ignorance. I own plenty of guns, but not an AR. My son, however, does own one. A little research on my part found that yes, there are many ammo drums available for an AR.
Now since you are an expert, please tell me with complete confidence that they will handle the feed rate of a full auto AR rather than the semi-automatics that they were made for without modification.
“please tell me with complete confidence that they will handle the feed rate of a full auto AR rather than the semi-automatics that they were made for without modification.”
I’ve seen it done with absolutely no modifications to the magazine, drum or standard.
L
Perhaps you're right: AR drums that really DO work may be illegal, AFAIK... '-)
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FWIW, I analyzed the audio track of that first string -- using my video editor.
It ran for 10 seconds at a rate of 12 rounds/second, for a total of 120 rounds at a 720 RPM cyclic rate -- and the rate was surprisingly constant and regular.
“... there are many ammo drums available for an AR.
Now since you are an expert, please tell me with complete confidence that they will handle the feed rate of a full auto AR ...”
Drum magazines aren’t the only hi-capacity devices available.
There are upper-receiver units for AR-15-type rifles (5.56x45mm NATO, almost identical to 223 Remington) that can accept the disintegrating link belts used in the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon (modified from FN’s Minimi). No upper limit to length of belt. Legally, they are not firearms so no licensing is required to make one, and no background check is required under federal law to sell them. They are not cheap.
Hadn’t heard about any such equivalent modern accessory for AR-10-type rifles (7.62x51 NATO, almost identical to 308 Winchester); but such devices have been around for many years. Initial experimental models (1950s) were made with belt-feed capabilities.
But even without such fancy accessories, magazine changes with standard military-style magazines (30 rounds in 5.56 NATO, 20 to 25 rounds in 7.62 NATO) don’t take long.
MIL SPEC magazines for M16 and M4 arms are no different from magazines sold for semi-only AR-15-type rifles, so magazine spring pressure required for smooth feed in full-auto fire is not a factor here.
The range from the perp’s window to the crowd may seem long to an average civilian, but is well within the capabilities of either NATO cartridge.
5.56mm M855 - standard US rifle round since the 1980s, available anywhere - has exhibited better penetration against helmet material at 850m than the US 30M2, the standard rifle round used in WWII through the 1970s, in the M1 Garand and other 30-06 arms (M1918 BAR, Browning machine guns M1917, M1919 and various aircraft guns). Might be difficult for the uninformed to accept, but the bullet in the M855 is boat-tail, a better aerodynamic shape than 30M2, which fired a 153gr flat-base bullet.
Max effective range of 7.62 NATO (also fires a boat-tail bullet) fired from a mechine gun on a rigid mount is something beyond 3,700 yards, or more than two statute miles.
So the perp here wasn’t facing any great challenges, not against a large, soft target like a crowd.