Nine hour 10,000 round DSA torture test

Guns Magazine, August, 2002

Setting The Goal

In the past, DSA has sent their rifles to be tested by both Rock Island Arsenal and H.P. White Laboratories. At Rock Island Arsenal, one of their SA 58 rifles was tested in excess of 100,000 PSI, and survived. So there is no doubt DSA produces a safe, well manufactured rifle constructed of high grade components.

Our goal in this 10,000 round torture test was to see how reliably the rifle functioned and how it would stand up to this heavy usage. We planned on putting all 10,000 rounds through the rifle during a two day period. And we were interested in checking for:

1. Functional Reliability: How many stoppages and failures we had, especially as the weapon became over heated and fouled.

2. Mechanical Reliability: How many mechanical parts failed during the course of the test.

Sacrifice

Putting 10,000 rounds through an automatic weapon in two years time is considerably different from doing it in a few hours time. We understood heat would be a problem from the start. So we had two choices: spend a lot of time letting the rifle cool down, or say the heck with it and keep pounding rounds. As this was intended to he a down and dirty torture test designed to induce mechanical failure, we purposely chose to grossly overheat the rifle. However, in doing so we understood we would push the barrel past its draw temperature of 1,075 degrees F. We fully expected to burn the rifle's barrel out.

With this type of test, we were interested in seeing what mechanical failure the rifle might experience. The hammer and other fire control parts were all up for nomination, as were the carrier's Rat-tail', gas regulator, and gas piston spring. If there were any failures, we were interested in seeing how difficult it would be to make the rifle functional again. As long as we could make the rifle function, we planned on continuing the test.

The Plan

Testing procedure was as follows:

1. The rifle was disassembled, inspected, head space checked and recorded as 1.630, and lubricated for the conditions.

2. A Meopta 3-12x50 scope was affixed to DSA's mount and the rifle bore sighted and then zeroed at 100 yards.

3. A 10 round group was fired for record off a Wichita rest, in conjunction with a rear bunny bag at 100 yards.

4. Testing began in earnest with shooters firing five 20 round magazines each, rapid fire. As each shooter completed their 100 rounds a fresh shooter took their place. Except for when the rifle was being inspected, and an occasional cool down, it was to be kept running once testing began. Targets were 8 steel silhouettes placed at random distances from 105-300 yards.

5. The rifle was to be inspected every 2,000 rounds and then stripped and measured for detectable wear at 5,000 rounds.

6. Conditions were overcast with an ambient temperature of 20 degrees F.

Rubber Meets The Road

Starting at exactly 9 a.m. on Saturday morning I zeroed the rifle and then placed 10 rounds of Black Hills Match into 2 7/8 inch at 100 yards. From that point on our test crew began to mercilessly hammer the rifle. As shooters took their place behind the FAL a former Army NCO acted as range officer. As magazines were emptied a crew of men took them over to where the ammunition was piled and quickly reloaded them. And so the cycle began.