What's the achille's heel of firearms?

[hi-impact]

What's the achille's heel of handguns, shotguns, rifles? There is no perfect firearm. Firearms are a tool that can fail for whatever reason. There's pros and cons to everything.This question is for those that have experience with lots of different kinds of firearms in their collection.

I'll start with a couple of achille's heel IMO:

1911 barrel link. Yes, a proven design but improved by JMB in the hi-power.

Direct Impingement. Yes, a proven design, but dumping all that stuff in the BCG can't be a good thing.

This is not meant to bash on any specific firearm or maker, but to state their weaknesses and improve the design. And, learn more about different kinds of firearms. Because, I'm not a gun snob, people should get what they can afford, given we live in hard times, violent times. Anything is better than nothing to thwart evil in this world.

Therefore, what other achille's heel exist in other kinds of firearms?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Steve S.]

1) Not having one when you need it and 2) Knowing when to properly/safely use it. A mechanical/ functional worry of my firearms isn’t even on my list (but I do understand your question in the very narrow context). Everything mechanical will fail; chances of today’s stuff failing at time of need must be very close to zero.

 

[Doc7]

Direct Impingement. Yes, a proven design, but dumping all that stuff in the BCG can't be a good thing.

If it’s a proven design, why can’t it be a good thing?

I think magazines, extractors, ejectors are the closest thing to an Achilles heel a good quality modern firearm has.

 

[hi-impact]

If it’s a proven design, why can’t it be a good thing?

Well, if it's a good thing, then tell us why it's a good thing.

 

[BSA1]

What's the achille's heel of handguns, shotguns, rifles?
.

This is very easy question to answer.

The achille's heel is the nut pulling the trigger.

A properly adjusted nut is a trained shooter that has mastered the fundamentals of shooting.

 

[Bfh_auto]

To me it's the need to have a violent explosion near your body. I have had one kaboom because I was using near starting loads of fast powder in 44 mag. The scale moved 5 gr and I didn't catch it. This made 2 gr overcharge and me thanking God I was shooting my Blackhawk.
I now use dippers in tandem with a scale.
Each firearm has a weak link. Auto5 s will crack the forearm if you forget to loosen the forearm cap after seating it.

 

[jdc1244]

Direct Impingement. Yes, a proven design, but dumping all that stuff in the BCG can't be a good thing.

Moot given the today’s technology, materials available, and manufacturing technics.

That was likely the case some 20 years ago, but the flaws of the AR have been mostly addressed with that new technology.

An Achille’s heel for some firearms would be magazines – not an issue for revolvers and some bolt action rifles, for example.

 

[Tiro Finale]

The magazine. The Ruger Mini 14 is a prime example. With factory magazines, it is very reliable. However, various 3rd party mags can choke the gun.

Magazines are interesting things. As a key removable part, they are handled and jostled more than any other part of the gun. This means that they can be damaged relatively easily. However, they must be an exact shape in order to feed properly.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

The operator.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

If it’s a proven design, why can’t it be a good thing?

DI is a bad idea that works well- until it doesn't. That said I own one, but I understand its limitations.

I think the OP is looking for specific examples so here goes-

For ARs, the bolt lugs are typically the first thing to break, hard to say how much this is a result of DI (they can break on piston guns too). Often, an AR can still function when missing a lug.

Nazi-era P38s will crack the slide eventually.

The op-rod is the weakest link on the Garand and will bend if a stock gas system is subjected to modern hunting ammunition.

Old Marlin 60s will wear out the feed cone sooner or later and fixing em ain't real easy.

Camp 9s buffers will degrade and result in cracked trigger bridges if not caught in time.

Early Mini14s will sometimes crack the gas block upper band.

A well-made AK is very tough, but Ive seen extremely high round count guns with loose trunion rivets.

For M1 carbines, its the piston and piston nut.

Beretta 92s will wear out the locking block after many thousands of rounds.

Every gun is different, but ya, typically any design will have that one part that fails first.

 

[bullseye308]

In automatics the magazine for sure
In an AR platform the direct impingement
In bolt actions, single shots, & revolvers I’d have to say capacity
Not sure about shotguns

 

[MedWheeler]

The opposition to them.

 

[Cycletroll]

Overconfidence in a firearms effectiveness.

 

[<*(((><]

Well, if it's a good thing, then tell us why it's a good thing.

Simplicity.

 

[MachIVshooter]

DI is a bad idea that works well- until it doesn't. That said I own one, but I understand its limitations.

I doubt you do. Very few people own true DI guns. The AR isn't DI, and the Stoner gas system works very well.

 

[MosinT53Hunter]

Achille's heal of any firearm is ammunition. If you do not have any, the firearm is essencially useless, maybe useful as a club, or if you have a bayonet, you can use the blade like a spear. But all firearms require ammunition of some sort. Yes, my answer is stupidly simple, but still the truth.

 

[hi-impact]

Great post Nightlord, thanks.

 

[cp1969]

Auto5 s will crack the forearm if you forget to loosen the forearm cap after seating it.

I'm new to A5's and would like to know more about this.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I'm new to A5's and would like to know more about this.

The old Auto5 and Rem model 11 have a magazine cap that holds the barrel and everything in place. It has a little ball detent. You are supposed to run it down hand tight to make sure everything is seated and back it off a click or two to allow the forearm to move just enough to not crack under recoil. Many people believe in gorilla tight on everything and this is why many have cracked or mismatched wood. If you get one try for one with the Lyman cutts compensator choke. It's ugly but patterns like crazy. I miss my model 11 I gave my brother.

 

[hdwhit]

If it’s a proven design, why can’t it be a good thing?

There's a difference between a proven design and an archaic, obsolete or supplanted design.

The Ford Model A was, by any measure, a proven design. But apart from a few enthusiasts, nobody wants a 12 mile per gallon, 40 horsepower car with an unsynchronized manual transmission, mechanical brakes, and no air conditioning as a daily driver.

 

[BigBore44]

Propellants.

 

[hdwhit]

NIGHTLORD40K
Often, an AR can still function when missing a lug.

I agree.

I wouldn't let a single missing lug be cause for dropping out of a fight, but the missing lug places greater stresses on the remaining lugs - lugs which may be almost as fatigued or suffering from the same manufacturing defect as the lug that broke. A missing lug is likely to be a harbinger of a catastrophic failure in the near future and so should be replaced without undue delay.

 

[Demi-human]

Disuse, rust and politicians.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I doubt you do. Very few people own true DI guns. The AR isn't DI, and the Stoner gas system works very well.

Well....I do have a Hakim, if that's what YOU mean.

I was, of course referring to the Stoner system, and I think there are plenty of veterans here with first hand experience with them jamming.
I also believe it may be possible for a (piston driven) AK to jam, but Ive never seen it.

 

[bannockburn]

1) Magazines.
2) Ammunition.
3) Defective/damaged extractors, ejectors, and or springs.
4) Operator error.