OK, it's been done before by CVA with their Electra. What I don't know is why it was discontinued. Did it not work, or was it just a case of nobody bought one? Maybe someone here knows. Anyhow, it looks like the time may be right for some enterprising person with good electronics knowledge to come up with another battery powered rifle. Got any ideas?
The Remington's Model 700 EtronX failed because few purchased them and those that did discovered lock time was not as claimed. The primer was basically a glow plug.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
I use to fire a cannon with model rocket electric igniters.
I don't think it will work well for rifles.
There is all kinds of delays every time you fire it.
But I do know that the military did have an electric fired 20 mm aircraft machine gun back in the '60s or '70s.
I also did try firing the cannon with an igniter made from an electric capacitor.
That did not work well at all.
Exactly what I was thinking about. I purchased one from Armslist several years ago with several hundred rounds of ammunition and a brick of the primers. I was too much of a coward to reload these but they definitely made the resale price higher.
It's actually faster. MUCH faster It probably would have made me a better rifleman had I kept it.
I have a Model 7 in 243 to compare it to - but that 700 was incredibly accurate and I had no problems with it. Someone offered me more than I thought it was worth and it left my hands. I kept a couple pieces of loaded ammunition and a box for my collector mind and let it go.
As far as my experience went, it was the best Remington that I have ever owned in regards to accuracy. The key thing was definitely wonky though.
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That Remington etronx was something I didn’t want to touch with a 10’ pole. My local LGS couldn’t give the only one he had away after a couple years. He even tried donating it for a raffle, no go. 18 years later I bet it’s still in a box in the back of the shop!
They are easily convertible to use standard bolts/trigger. The two friends of mine than had them converted years ago.Originally Posted by Gtrubicon
Last edited by M-Tecs; 01-22-2024 at 11:31 PM.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
Glad they got outa that mess, but at what cost to them? Bolts and triggers aren’t cheap.
Yes, the Etronix was a different animal since it needed those special primers. I don't think the CVA needed anything except a battery. But I've never gotten any real info on how they actually worked. Or if they did at all.
2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
"Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
– Amber Veal
"The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
- Wayne Dyer
That would be tempting these days with primers in short supply.
PS fired a lot of rounds from an electric ignition. But it was a 105mm tank cannonInteresting point. The electronic ignition lights a black powder primer to set off the main charge. Backup power to the primer was a blasting cap machine (fast twist to ignite).
wow... This has always been on my mind! Very cool to see that it works. I think I'm going to build one for myself! buying a 9v battery is easier than caps
It's stupid.
Maybe to a purist black powder muzzle loading enthusiast, but from a practical standpoint I think it’s a great innovation. Faster positive ignition time is a big plus. Same for eliminating the step of handling caps / primers.
Caps and 209 primers availability is not immune to market demand OR legislative restriction. When primers became unavailable a few years back I started a thread regarding the practicality of electronic ignition as an alternative for center fire primers. I still think it can be a viable option. The ignition module of the CVA Electra would be a good place to start. Incorporating an Electra-type spark plug into a bolt shouldn’t be too difficult. Replacing a standard primer with a pill of extruded black powder or other combustible material and a durable, moisture-proof, flammable seal would take some tinkering but isn’t impossible.
Biggest problems I see for this ignition system in a breech loader would be getting a tight gas seal around the ‘primer’ pocket, and for repeaters, the time it takes to recharge the capacitor(s).
CD discharge spark plug. Fouled plugs like on cars. And no hot aluminum/lead to ignite powder. Think I'll stick with primers.
Whatever!
Not for everyone, but what is wrong with more options?
Electronically fired munitions is nothing new, for the military anyway.
The ATF would have a cow if someone did it in an autoloader.
It is very interesting tech to see and could be practical. The 9 volt battery is probably cheaper than 200 caps. A fast lock time and set up with useable features all around
I believe if Remington had done a little more work,advertising and promotion maybe a few different style as to action type and such the electronic would have been better received.
I also believe both these rifles are taking us closer to caseless ammo. The technology is now there to no longer need primers. So one of the hurdles is gone.
The problem with smokeless is you need something like a booster that is ignited by the system. Fine black powder might work, or maybe a duplex type load with a very fast powder ignited by the system and that ignites the main charge.
Black powder would probably ignite easily on it's own. As shown in the CVA video.
And, yes, I can see the need to clean the spark system on a regular basis. Seems ideal for inline muzzle loaders.
FWIW, there were at least a couple of prototype rifle systems done for the US military that were caseless and used an electronic ignition system. I remember at least one failed simply due to the fragile nature of the caseless cartridges. As with many ideas, they were passed over simply due to funding. Traditionalists rule the procurement systems. No funding means no working out the 'kinks'.
Case-less cartridges would probably be the end of reloading as we know it.
If a spark plug can ignite an air/fuel mixture in a thousandth of a second I see no reason it wouldn't work in a firearm. 209's are vaporware around here. Strangely, caps are pretty easy to find but of course that could change instantly.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
What's the point? Just buy a cartridge gun and move on.
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