This video concludes the RN-50 blow-up analysis, identifying the primary cause as the use of fast-burning pistol powder instead of slow-burning .50 BMG powder. Mark Serbu demonstrates how this error can create pressures exceeding 400,000 PSI, far beyond the rifle's design limits. The analysis includes comparisons with standard .50 BMG loads and even high explosives, using simulations and analogies to explain the catastrophic failure.
This analysis debunks the sabot theory for the RN-50 blow-up, showing the action failed before the muzzle. It highlights the RN-50's robust screw-cap design, even surviving a shot with the barrel in concrete. The discussion emphasizes that no firearm is truly 'fail-safe,' especially when subjected to extreme overpressure, nearly triple standard proof loads.
This video details an extreme test of the Serbu RN50 .50 caliber rifle's durability by obstructing its barrel with concrete and dirt. The first test destroyed the concrete obstruction, leaving the rifle intact. The second test, burying the rifle in dirt, caused a catastrophic barrel failure, splitting into four pieces, while the receiver remained functional, validating its safety design.
This video provides an in-depth analysis of the Serbu RN-50 rifle that experienced a catastrophic failure during a Kentucky Ballistics test. Mark Serbu, the designer, meticulously examines the damage, noting severely bent steel side plates, sheared-off breech cap ears, and a sheared pivot pin. The inspection also covers the breech cap's condition, barrel threads, and the stuck casing, revealing a case head separation.
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