MadMax |
December 7th, 2010 01:59 |
I've had the opportunity to shoot the FS2000 which is chambered for 556. 556 altogether is a low recoil controllable round, but on the FS2000 the recoil is really exceptionally controllable. I assume that total momentum transfer is the same (I still believe in conservation of momentum), but the felt recoil is significantly softer than shooting an AR chambered for the same round. It seems that the gun is very well sprung for the 556 so you get a more persistent push, with less crack when shooting. The compensator is very well tuned, which results in very little if any muzzle rise.
I also suspect that the low barrel axis of the P90 contributes in it's comparably low muzzle rise. If you look at an AR, the barrel axis is coaxial with the stock tube which is at the top of the shoulder pad, perhaps centred 1/5th from the top of the pad. On the P90, the barrel axis is about 1/3 from the top of the shoulder pad. The lower barrel axis on the P90 would reduce the torque applied while firing which would reduce muzzle climb.
If the shoulder was centred on the stock pad then the barrel axis would be about 1/6th above the shoulder centre on the P90 whereas on the M4 you'd be about 3/10ths from the barrel axis. If both rifles shot the same projectile at the same muzzle velocity, you'd see 1.8x more momentum related climb per shot if both rifles had the same height stock pad.
Now the tradeoff I see between arrangements (beyond mag location) is that it puts the sighting line higher from the barrel axis which means you have to expose more of your head when you shoot over barriers. You also get less stance between front and rear iron sights on the P90 because there isn't much barrel sticking forwards. The stance on a P90 iron sight is pretty short, not much longer than on a pistol. Still, they're well placed. I was easily plugging doubletaps at 100yd on a 1' steel plate. A bayonet might not work so well on a P90. All things being equal (we're both out of ammo) I'd rather charge with a bayonet on an M4 than on a P90 :)
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