COOK OFF

[bogey1]

does anybody know how many consecutive rounds you need to fire until you get a cook off in a .50 i have been going through about 40-50 rnds at 15 minute intervals and kinda get nervous when i stop for a moment on the next belt... if i knew, i probably would have a better shooting experience.

[MarcS]

does anybody know how many consecutive rounds you need to fire until you get a cook off in a .50 i have been going through about 40-50 rnds at 15 minute intervals and kinda get nervous when i stop for a moment on the next belt... if i knew, i probably would have a better shooting experience.

More than you are likely to fire.

[JayBell]

Marc, if you dont know the answer to a serious safety question, it's better to actually say nothing at all, than post white noise.

Instead of a smarmy remark, I think i'll actually answer the question here.

from the Browning M2, 50 caliber FM23-65, the military manual speaks of cookoffs in the section dealing with stoppages.

heres a cut and paste from the manual:

Inspect the gun to determine the cause of stoppage.

b. A hangfire or cookoff can cause injury to personnel or damage to
the weapon. To avoid these, the gunner must take the following
precautions:

(1) Always keep the round locked in the chamber the first 5 seconds
after a misfire occurs. This prevents an explosion outside of the gun in
event of a hangfire.

(2) If the barrel is hot, the round must be extracted within the next 5
seconds to prevent a cookoff. When more than 150 rounds have been fired
a 2-minute period, the barrel is hot enough to produce a cookoff.
(3) If the barrel is hot and the round cannot be extracted within the 10
seconds, it must remain locked in the chamber for at least 5 minutes, to
guard against a cookoff.
(4) Keep the gun cover closed during the waiting periods.


further, I have, myself, fired my old semi 1919 in 308 to the point where I got a cookoff, thats harder to do on a 308 than a 50cal, but it can be done.

[MarcS]

Marc, if you dont know the answer to a serious safety question, it's better to actually say nothing at all, than post white noise.

Glad you knew the exact number, but it's pretty clear to anyone who knows what kind of heat you need to cause a cookoff that 30-40rds over 15 minutes isn't enough to do it. But, i guess if someone was down with blowing $600-700 worth of ammo in 2 minutes, it's doable.

[bogey1]

Marc, if you dont know the answer to a serious safety question, it's better to actually say nothing at all, than post white noise.

Instead of a smarmy remark, I think i'll actually answer the question here.

from the Browning M2, 50 caliber FM23-65, the military manual speaks of cookoffs in the section dealing with stoppages.

heres a cut and paste from the manual:

Inspect the gun to determine the cause of stoppage.

b. A hangfire or cookoff can cause injury to personnel or damage to
the weapon. To avoid these, the gunner must take the following
precautions:

(1) Always keep the round locked in the chamber the first 5 seconds
after a misfire occurs. This prevents an explosion outside of the gun in
event of a hangfire.

(2) If the barrel is hot, the round must be extracted within the next 5
seconds to prevent a cookoff. When more than 150 rounds have been fired
a 2-minute period, the barrel is hot enough to produce a cookoff.
(3) If the barrel is hot and the round cannot be extracted within the 10
seconds, it must remain locked in the chamber for at least 5 minutes, to
guard against a cookoff.
(4) Keep the gun cover closed during the waiting periods.


further, I have, myself, fired my old semi 1919 in 308 to the point where I got a cookoff, thats harder to do on a 308 than a 50cal, but it can be done.

thanks jaybell for the info. i guess i'll be safe, im only shooting about 300 rnds in 90 minute session give or take. one other question, what happens when it does cook off? will it keep cooking off until the rounds are done or will the spent shell not eject? i recently got into the m2 because my target 50 wasnt enough. im still learning. my manual that came with the gun is 220 pages and basically just shows how to field strip it and that alone is hard to follow due to the fact that the drawings suck. im more of a visual person. im taking it up state next weekend for a little session so with the new informatio0n i can have a more relaxing shoot...

[LorDiego01]

Is a cook off what happens when the barrel/chamber gets so hot that it makes the round fire without pressing the trigger?

[fultonCoShooter]

Is a cook off what happens when the barrel/chamber gets so hot that it makes the round fire without pressing the trigger?

it sure is LorDiego


wanna see what happens when a higher pressure failure causes a KABOOM to a M2??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BAnKNlpxS8

[MarcS]

thanks jaybell for the info. i guess i'll be safe, im only shooting about 300 rnds in 90 minute session give or take. one other question, what happens when it does cook off? will it keep cooking off until the rounds are done or will the spent shell not eject? i recently got into the m2 because my target 50 wasnt enough. im still learning. my manual that came with the gun is 220 pages and basically just shows how to field strip it and that alone is hard to follow due to the fact that the drawings suck. im more of a visual person. im taking it up state next weekend for a little session so with the new informatio0n i can have a more relaxing shoot...

cook off's with a closed chamber will be just like you pulled the trigger. rounds take time to cook off, it won't just keep going like a slamfire nor is it assured that the next round will cook off (though i wouldn't be sending anyone downrange, obviously)

[phillyd2]

it's better to actually say nothing at all, than post white noise.

There goes 80% of EmptyMag's posts (sorry buddy)

I have, myself, fired my old semi 1919 in 308 to the point where I got a cookoff, thats harder to do on a 308 than a 50cal, but it can be done.

Seriously? how many rounds?

[LastManOut]

I did have a cook-off with an M-16 after about 150 rounds. Scared the S--- outta me and the guy I was standing next to.

Never had a cook-off with Ma Deuce but we did melt a barrel once. You could "see" the rounds traveling down the barrel and sparks at the muzzle where it was being cut. Tracers were zipping all over the place. We'd cool the barrel with a 5 gallon "jerry" can of motor oil, someone didn't get to the oil soon enough, he was too busy linking the belts together.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.