Action Strength vs Safety?

[Matthew323]

As I have mentioned several times in other threads, I would be interested in a Scout Rifle SML build.

But, I have been reliably informed that to get the weight down anyplace close to Scout Rifle specs will require a small sized action, coupled with a slim contoured barrel.

In addition to a state of the art composite stock, and a lightweight scope.

This being the case, my question, coming out of my inquisitive mind, " Is, how much strength does the brass cartridge case lend to the overall modern rifle package?"

Or, to phrase the question another way, " How much strength is lost by removing the brass cartridge case from a smokeless muzzleloader build?"

Thanks

 

[snapbang]

A brass cartridge aids the steel chamber little or none at all in containing the pressure. The brass of the cartridge acts more like a gasket when the pressure builds. It expands to seal the chamber so there is no blowback into your face. It contracts after the pressure drops so it can be removed easily. A nice plus is the brass makes for a convenient container to hold the bullet, primer, and powder in a nice package and keep your powder and primer dry. The bullet in most cartridge brass can be removed with a little muscle from your fingers. Not easily but it can be done.

So to answer your question I cant believe the brass contributes 100lb of assistance when the chamber is reaching 10s of thousands of pounds of pressure.

FYI when cartridge rifles are loaded too hot ( too much powder and too much preasure) the brass can stick in the chamber. This is caused by the brass actually flowing ( from excessive pressure) to take the shape of the chamber. Yes the brass flows. Its not very strong.

 

[sdporter]

I would tend to think that a brass cartridge, barrel od being equal, would take away from the strength of the action as you have removed a few thousandths of very hard material and replaced it with a very malleable material that would blow to smithereens if not contained in the very tough chamber. On a custom barrel build, not a chambered barrel conversion, there would be no need for a chamber reamer that would remove those precious thousandths. That’s just my logical way of looking at it and I have zero facts to back that up.