Quote Originally Posted by slamfire1 View Post
If actions are designed assuming a certain level of case friction, then shooting an action in wet weather is dangerous because of the potential of increased loads from reduced case friction.

In which case the warning from the NRA not to shoot No 4 conversions in the rain is correct.
I wonder how many millions of rounds were fired from soaking wet SMLEs between 1914 and 1918? I'm sure thousands of them fired thousands of rounds of wet ammo. Sometimes not only wet, but with slippery Flanders mud applied as well.

Were they found to be damaged in any way due to this? Was there a wholesale scrapping of rifles post-WWI for this reason? Were they "stretched" as a result? Did they all need new boltheads fitted?

I think we all know the answers don't we?

Time to tuck this one in, give it kiss and send it on it's way to never-never land.

The No4 is stronger than the No1, ergo we surely don't need to go over all that again?

JMoore, it's going to get expensive trying to recreate 60+ years of firing all kinds of .303 ammo, not to mention the 7.62m out of all kinds of actions and barrels in all kinds of conditions. There really is no test worth a hill of beans compared to THAT test.

And so to bed.