[Martens]

We had a training day today and it started out with field movements. During this time we climbed several hills and I low crawled a couple of times with the XCR. We then moved to live range drills. All told the XCR was out in a moderate rain for 4 hours with it turning to freezing rain during the last hour. We shot a little under 200 rounds during the drills. The XCR was 100%, even on #1. I half expected to have to dial up the gas due to the amount of water that got into the gun and the cold temps.

While the results for the other guns were pretty good, although I don't believe anyone else left there gun outside the whole time, I was very pleased with mine. The biggest difference was in maintenance after the fact. I pulled the barrel and could clean everything quicker than the guys with the AR's could get to the basics. It was nice being able to get all of the water off/out of the gun.

 

[Guest]

nice!! good for you. most folks wont get out in inclement weather and do anything much less make themselves intentionally miserable. train like you fight.

 

[photochrisaz]

but you do know this is the cold and flu season..... :duh: ;D

 

[Martens]

It would not have been my first choice, but it was a scheduled training day so we had to fight through it.

I also got to find out that the seperate magnifier did not work as well under these conditions. It was affective for about an hour, but then with four wet lenses I could not see through it well enough to scan for or engage threats. At least it is quick detach. My red dot was not a problem with wet lenses and the magnifier still worked well when wet, just not coupled together.

 

[aziator]

Thanks for the report...I wondered how the magnifier would do in a wet enviornment. Any cloudiness to it?

 

[Martens]

Not that I can tell. Once I got it back home and all clean and dry, it looks as clear as ever. My best guess is that it was magnifying the rain on both lenses of the red dot and the front lens of the magnifier causing it to be very dim and cloudy when looking through everything. There did not appear to be any internal fogging. When I looked through the magnifier as a monocular it seemed pretty bright considering the conditions.

 

[i303]

Great report Martens. These are the types of real world reports I like to hear. I do know how suckass weather feels when you gotta be out in it and crawl around in it. I do miss it, if you can believe it.

I know many criticize the AR for it's direct impingement system. Interesting description using $10 word that has only came up as a familiar term that I first heard of about 6 or 7 years ago. Before that we just called it a gas blowback/bypass system. Most everyone loves to place the fault in to the DI system where I never saw an M16 or M4 crap out from just that. I have to guess the DI term becoming more popular has somehow made it a better weapon. :

However environmental factors are what causes the greatest deal of failure to all guns in the field, such as dirt, mud, and sand. Water itself doesn't mess up guns actions unless it's a lot and then freezes. Rain plus dirt will make mud. And this is where I have continuously seen the M16 system crap out on. Add to that how much of a PITA (not the bread) it is to clean specially when you are pressed for time and one of the most critical area to clean is the hardest to get to, that being the chamber/locking lug area. Once crap gets in there, and carrier bearing surfaces and spaces in between, you are pretty much screwed until you clean it.

I'll get around to doing a desert enviroment try with my XCR soon.

Keep it up Martens.

 

[TerraShrewsbury]

That's awesome Jeremy. Glad you had fun.

 

[gunner69]

How did your back up sites look viewed through the scope? With my Eotech, other than a battery, I have had no problems. :2cents:

 

[Martens]

I never tried my backups as the red dot worked fine, just not well with the magnifier under the conditions.