[Shooter 2.5]

The praire dog shooters I know, describe the sand in the Texas panhandle like talcum powder.

I would like to know how they keep their guns in working order.

It's possible that the troops simply ignored their weapons. They had no idea they would even use them.

I also have seen AK's jamming at my shooting lease. Now that may be because of bad magazines but I don't know.

[Long Cut]

There's got to be some way to design the things from the start to be less sand-sensitive. I can think of only two ways:

1. Somehow design the weapon to seal out the dirt and sand, at least whilst unloaded or with a mag in place;

2. Design the internals to reduce their sand-and-dirt sensitivity.

As for the cleaning issue, that's a training and mindset thing. I'm interested here in the actual weapon itself.

So, what are some ways to effect #'s 1 and 2 above?

[Squantos]

I have done some extream days shooting grass grizzlies & sod poodles here in the Panhandle . Wind, qleche dust and sand do not seem to bother a good bolt gun or a well maintained AR series HBAR set up for such varmint expeditions.

When I was in desert shield / storm I carried a scoped M1A and a 1911A1 and never had a malfunction. The Shamal was cruel to us as some days you could not see yer hand. I am of the opinion and experience that attention to detail and taking care of ones tools of the trade are something that should not be taken lightly.

Troops that usually whined about their weapon malfunctions usually lied / cheated themselves with regards to keeping their weapons clean and applying any CLP product only to high wear contact surfaces sparingly versus spraying half a can of WD 40 down the receiver and barrel an calling it done.

On this new and improved M8 ?.......I'd really like to see some ceramic finishes on bearing surfaces for just such a reason. Zero POL product on a weapon that can attract sand dust and grime.

Right now, if I was NCOIC of the units having malfunctions en mass I would mandate supervised cleaning and inspections with addition of peer pressure . Having fired so many rounds that I had barrels glowing red hot with cookoffs I have had mechanical breakages but never a stoppage due to carbon build up or dirt with the amount of ammo that I carried as a basic load and 2 days resupply without cleaning.

Not to say I wasn't just lucky......or that it never happens even to guys who did care for their weapons properly. Just never experienced it during pucker factor modes.

Stay safe !!

[archy]

I also have seen AK's jamming at my shooting lease. Now that may be because of bad magazines but I don't know.

I wouldn't bet on that. With the exception of some of the US-built cheapies [those 55-round monstrosities in particular] AK magazines are about as reliable as it gets. They're developed, after all from that of the WWII Bren gun [look at the front pivots of an AK and BREN magazine, or the mag of the 7,92x57mm Czech ZB-26 from which the Bren was developed.

If I had to bet without seeing, I'd bet on a combination of lousy corrosive ammo and failure to clean the gas systems after previous shooting. I've seen that in AKs used by those who care for them haphazardly, as well as in many of the SKS-45 carbines owned by civilian shooters in the US. They're not particularly difficult weapons to maintain, but they do require at least a minimal amount of operator attention now and again.

-archy-/-