Ammunition Testing now Available at Chesapeake Testing
I think I may have found a fun place to work…
Chesapeake Testing now offers ammunition testing in accordance with SAAMI, FBI, and NATO protocols.
Our in-house calibration system allows for greater repeatability in testing, more accurate data sets, and fast turn-around time.
This is how you actually test and evaluate ammo and weapons…
I’m not sure if this is something that can be used (or would even be cost effective) for testing personal reloads, but it is fairly interesting. I’d never actually considered how ammunition was tested (naive, yes I know).
Tests include:
- Pressure & velocity measurement
- Proof testing
- Cook-off testing
- Less-than-lethal testing
- Projectile characterization
- Quality control inspection
- Performance evaluations for accuracy and dispersion
- Corrosive primer testing
- Primer sensitivity testing
- Environmental testing
Chesapeake also actually tests firearms and has a number of ranges that can accommodate test firing weapons up to 120mm.
Fact sheet: http://chesapeaketesting.com/downloads/pdf/AmmunitionTestingFactSheet.pdf
Tom is a former Navy Corpsman that spent some time bumbling around the deserts of Iraq with a Marine Recon unit, kicking in tent flaps and harassing sheep. Prior to that he was a paramedic somewhere in DFW, also doing some Executive Protection work between shifts. Now that those exciting days are behind him, he teaches wilderness medicine and runs an on-demand medical staffing business. He hopes that his posts will help you find solid gear that will survive whatever you can throw at it--he is known (in certain circles) for his curse...ahem, ability...to find the breaking point of anything.You can reach him at tom.r AT thefirearmblog.com or at https://thomasrader.com
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I don't think I'd call anything to do with an accredited test lab fun. I imagine it's something like:
1. Review calibration certificates of every piece of equipment you are using
2. Fire round
3. Record 20 different variables into Excel, take pictures of results
4. Repeat 100 times, adjusting test setup as necessary after each round
5. Do statistical analysis
6. Produce 50 page document detailing measurement uncertainties, equipment serial numbers, test protocols, the temperature and humidity, etc.
7. Sign and apply your professional engineer seal to the document. You're now professionally liable for any errors and omissions.
This is excellent. Hopefully this will make some wildcat rounds achieve certification more easily now that people know this service is being offered.
I wonder what the requirements are for you to be a customer. Do you need to be a business or can a lone inventor turn up and pay for a test plan?