Interview & Shooting: Jim Sullivan, AR-15 Designer

[@Lazyguy22]

"Shooting: Jim Sullivan, AR-15 Designer" Have AK fans gone too far?

[@tankieflanker4119]

Lmao

[@BelialsGenuflect]

Lol

[@siddaslothdafiregod776]

Lmao

[@HeartDigger9]

Nyet

[@soco2020]

made me spill my coffee!

[@ristoalanko9281]

Even viewed from Europe, this kind of cultural work is VERY important. Ian has managed to preserve some of the "silent knowledge" of the designers of succesful firearms designs. Most of the great names have already passed away and the details of their work are forgotten, not even the patents give away the most important points of the design. I wonder what would happen if Ian could meet Mr. Browning or Freiher vornMannlicher? Great stuff!

[@_j.v.st._7367]

+Risto Alanko Yes, as a firearms engineer a lot of my drawings have so much things behind it that there really is something like "silent things" as you said. Things that i know and dont mark in the drawings. Right know im working on the HACR Project for 15 months, i love my work, its facinating. Im close to finish, these 15 monts were a true adventure. Its interesting to see such interviews.

[@grenmoyo3968]

@EpiDemic117 no, too many cooks in the kitchen.

[@xyzaero]

@EpiDemic117 Go to the HTL in Ferlach Austria and study firearms design. You will have probably the best basic education on this subject that you can get on this planet.

[@chouyi007]

This dude is a LEGEND, that's a good get! I had the privilege to interview him also for my book on the AR-10, and he sure has some cool stories from those days, not just about the weapons, but the interesting folks behind them.

[@CarHubTalk]

Joseph Putnam what book?

[@pakman422]

Joseph Putnam Just bought your book. And a FANTASTIC piece of work it is. Thanks for all the hard work. - Jacob S.

[@badgermcbadger1968]

Can i have the name of the book please?

[@oldls7t_211]

@@badgermcbadger1968 it's called "the armalite ar-10 the world's finest battle rifle"

[@LUR1FAX]

I wonder what Sullivan would think about the WWSD rifles.

[@CountArtha]

It looks like they took some of his advice to heart, because they used full-auto carriers and H2 buffers. So even though the project was all about shedding weight, they added weight to the cycling components like he recommends in this video ( 6:20 ).

[@LUR1FAX]

@@CountArtha I remember them saying that the bolt carrier group was the one part where you do NOT want to reduce weight, for the reasons Sullivan explained in this video.

[@latvianman3433]

That rate of fire is absolutely perfect. I've always thought that the M4's RoF was far too high. Before you know it the ammo is all gone. Having a bunch of hicap surefire mags and that slowed down rate of fire makes the M4 into an excellent all around gun for a squad of riflemen. I'd be excited if this became standard on all US army M4's.

[@angusgreeneyeslefay9485]

Long life to Jim Sullivan,thank you .

[@1337penguinman]

This really makes me want the Hughes amendment repealed.

[@cisurgency8195]

That and the NFA

[@happydee6950]

And the 1968 GCA too.

[@drengillespie]

Throw out the NRA (or at least Wayne) too.

[@LUR1FAX]

@@cisurgency8195 The Hughes amendment will have no effect if the NFA goes away. The Hughes amendment does not specifically prohibit manufacture of machine guns. It prohibits the registry of new machine guns.

[@BretM]

Thanks Reagan

[@humanbass]

Wow, best firearm video I've seen quite on quite sometime. First, we have the old super wise guy dropping knowledge bombs, than he shows that he improved the gun to such a higher ground that everybody else looks lame.

[@Carbide195]

Idk, Stoner's work improving the AR-15 for KAC involves some pretty cool stuff. Compare and contrast the standard AR-15 bolt on the left with the KAC SR-15 bolt on the right: i.imgur.com/PobNeL9.jpg

[@williestyle35]

Watch the InRangeTV episode - Mud Test:Mattel Death Trap. Jim Sullivan states what happened to the M 16 in Vietnam.

[@troy9477]

I'm no engineer, but this is very interesting. When i saw the tegilar M4, my first thought was, reduce the cyclic rate. When the screen said it was 900 rpm, i thought ok cut it down to 700. Then the improved gun fired, with a rate of 567. Wow. What a diff. Vi sibly much more controllable. The near constant force from the recoil system seems like it would be a good improvement too. Smoother, less chance of metal fatigue, longer parts life, etc. This might make a difference in semiauto guns too. The heavier bc seems like it would slow down a bit and bash the buffer less. Then it would have good momentum going forward, for positive chambering. The heavier bc would probably be resistant to bounce as well. We know that the most controllable SMG's are in the 400-500 rpm zone, so this makes sense. Jim's ideas really get me thinking about how the guns work internally. Great video.

[@Legitpenguins99]

Wow it's amazing Jim is still working on his designs even at his age. The man has to be in his 80s and is still rockin. He deserves so much more respect than he gets. He should get as much credit as Stoner at least

[@mbenjamin292]

AMEN!

[@MrGunman11]

Wow, can't believe I've never seen this video. Sadly Jims design won't be seeing the light of day. If we didn't have the 86 ban, then and only then would it see some sales. Military will never go for that cause "M16 is fine, no need to upgrade". I truly wonder if this would have helped the original AR15/M16 if they had upgraded it before it went into production as it sits now.

[@latvianman3433]

+MrGunman11 Hopefully the US military sees what this new configuration can do to squad firepower. It could heighten the abilities of the 10 man squad two fold wih every rifleman possessing the capacity for full automatic (burst fire would be better of course) suppression. The M4 would be much better as an assault rifle rather than as something in between a battle rifle and a carbine.

[@T3hderk87]

Latvian Man unfortunately with the move to the IAR Jim's design really will never see the light of day.... But I really would give a leg, my appendix and my left teste to own one of these.

[@Edmondson_Avenue]

I don't think it would be because I think the Army didn't want an open bolt machinegun.

[@petervollhiem3109]

As always, you have done an other excellent video. Mr. Sullivan has never received the accolades that he richly deserves for all of his work on the AR15/M16. The man is every bit on the same level of genius as John Browning. Thanks for the great video.

[@t72pwner]

is it just me or did he not go over the "expendable magazines"?

[@CouchPotato343]

I was also hoping to hear about that.

[@whatsreallygoingon253]

the regular gi mags ar ment to be disposable but they reuse them anyway

[@whatsreallygoingon253]

Damian Grouse no reason to chuck a good mag ever

[@willkenny5687]

Damian Grouse the old green followers dive, but the tan ones don't.

[@riverstyxarmory9782]

t72pwner documentation of product improvement suggestions between Colt and the Army Ordinance Board shows that the Army wanted plastic magazines made in order to be disposable, and they also wanted a more durable stainless steel spring for greater magazine life. No joke, I have the documents in PDF, they wanted both disposable and durable.

[@gobucks45177]

Talking to Jim must have been an awesome experience. Very good video!

[@brianreddeman951]

Wow. I'm just speachless. Just an outright awesome interview and an awesome rifle. 10:55--watching Ian pull the gun away from his shoulder while still firing and keep control of the gun. Awesome. That sold me on subscribing via Patreon right there.

[@chrisE815]

Ian and Karl- Any chance you will ever get another interview with Jim? I'm sure viewers can give you pages of questions to ask him. I would be interested to hear his opinion on the WWSD project as well as hear more about his design career/projects.

[@apollolanding1972]

I a world full of phony "better mousetraps" this appears to be the real deal. With the USMC adopting the HK416 platform for their squad level support weapon I don't see this system gaining widespread military use. Maybe some SOCOM elements will though. I do think ranges selling the "full auto experience" and select fire lower owners could make great use of this though.

[@knutdergroe9757]

Joe Clemente, As a old Jarhead (been shooting Sp1 and M-16/AR-15 s since I was 10, makes 45 years). I feel the dumbest thing the Corps has done in the last few years. Is the M27. Of course the Corps is not listening to old (salty ass) MARINES, and will not till it cost the Corps.

[@grenmoyo3968]

@@knutdergroe9757 there are actually quite a few upsides to the IAR. Besides they arent entirely removing the m249, just a few less will be using it

[@fredEVOIX]

I don't own a gun, already fired a few but as someone working in a technical environement I loved listening to the engineering that is behind guns, when you stop for a moment an think about the forces and the fire rate of some weapons it's very impressive, just like with car engines, explosions firing at 800-8000rpm are not an easy thing to control

[@juansimon5802]

hes still using a drafting table and drawings instead of using new tech like solidworks. thats freaking awesome!

[@willroland7153]

This is the fourth time I’ve watched this. Never gets old, always retain a bit more.

[@Thrandi]

Wow, I just found this. Very cool to hear him talk and to see the improvements Jim's made. The water hose description was how I described when I got to shoot a full auto Thompson. My Grandpa used to describe shooting the Thompson like it was almost uncontrollable. After shooting M16's, the Thompson felt like a water hose to me.

[@armynurseboy]

The uncontrollability of the Thompson is why the M3 Grease Guns' ROF was in the 500s. Better control and didn't burn through ammo quite as fast.

[@BretM]

I don't know how to submit a correction, but at 7:28 the closed captioning says "Automatics" but Sullivan actually said "Ultimax" referring to the firearm he designed.

[@MaverickCulp]

This is the first time I've ever been excited about anything in AR land

[@jansonharris2937]

Mr. Sullivan was trying to tell you about the ultimax he just didn't know how without giving it all away. Their are only 2. The man was a genius.

[@jansonharris2937]

Constant recoil. Amazing.

[@CSelH]

"You can't tell the troops not to fire it, to take advantage..." That's a mentality you don't see enough in the contemporary US armed forces. Too willing to limit soldiers for the sake of supposed technological advances. I maybe wrong about that in some people's eyes but it's just nice to hear a designer talk from a mentality of 'this functions correctly even if x-y happens' rather than 'this functions correctly as long as x-y doesn't happen' in regards to how a thing is used by an actual person

[@50TNCSA]

ian did surefire ever put these improvements into production ?

[@gnarshread]

So the What Would Stoner Do rifles are a lie? Should they be chambered in 308?

[@InrangeTv]

+gnarshread Yes, a brutal lie.

[@andylaw2542]

'What would Stoner do?' Send it to Jim and get him to make it work properly........

[@EXTREME-DIARRHEA-BLASTING]

@@InrangeTv aren't they ar-10's? meaning they are that caliber anyway? i only just heard about them just yesterday btw.

[@xilon56]

@@EXTREME-DIARRHEA-BLASTING The WWSD rifles are ar-15s chambered for 5.56. In essence the point of them is to take the original design philosophy of the ar-15 and apply it to the modern weapon with modern materials and force multiplying mumbo jumbo.

[@user-zs1fr7im6l]

ALWAYS FUN TIMES HERE IN ARIZONA !

[@AJackalMan]

Is it just me or did the standard M4 start to cycle faster towards the end of Karl's dump?

[@InrangeTv]

+AJackalMan No, it did. As the standard AR15/M4 heats up it's cyclic rate increases. ~Karl

[@AJackalMan]

Ah, cool. Thanks.

[@wierdalien1]

InRangeTV that doesnt seem safe

[@whyjay9959]

I'm guessing the metal's expansion widens the gas port and tube?

[@whyjay9959]

@@noele6588 Ah, interesting.

[@michael2351]

So is this the A5 he's talking about in the middle of the video? Cuz I want it to happen.

[@paulpaulie]

I wish I had as much knowledge about anything as this man...I admire and respect that.

[@FredCheckers]

I know this was posted years ago I just found this but I love this interview. It's the kind of good content that keeps me coming back to your channel and trawing through backlogs.

[@artfact2]

So...In the first 2 minutes he mentions the Dutch company Artillerie Inrichtingen which I didn't know about which I discover exited until 2003 with a production facility near my hometown which allegedly produced some ammunition for the Iraqi super cannon...That's a pretty good start, historlylessonwise.

[@RamadaArtist]

"And I did it to an equation I'd come up with in Singapore on the Ultimax." There's something thoroughly badass about how this simple sequence of words manages to make mechanical engineering sound like working on a mind-control project at a CIA black site.

[@jonathanwilliams4348]

Amazing man! Amazing gun performance! Gun manufacturers: please take advantage of this man's knowledge before it's too late!

[@MonteGould]

Fantastic to hear this gentleman speak, explain the historical references and specifics of the weapon design. Great job as always Ian! Fantastic demos

[@trailblazingfive]

Results of serious engineering - shows you the difference between knowing and understanding

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I run an H3 buffer, a Springco Red severe duty action spring and full auto bolt on both my midlengths and carbines. They've both gone thousands of rounds without a single issue. I agree with him related to the weight of the components. I'll never understand the ultralight bolt carriers.

[@SneakyKittyGameDev]

+Robert Smith i was going for a lightweight build with a bcg thats 6 ounces and using an adjustable gas block and trying multiple buffers but now im thinking just throwing in the FA bolt carrier thats in my colt

[@jcwebb540]

+Robert Smith His comments were in reference to FA operation. Even Jerry Miculek can not pull the trigger fast enough on a semi-auto gun to duplicate the bolt bounce induced issue. Low mass carriers are fine for semi-auto.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

+JC Webb the heavier carrier and spring do help out with recoil reduction and is probably better for the gun long term. I do try to slow the action down as much as I can.

[@gretah3969]

Actually the DOD did testing and found that the heavier the bolt carrier is in relation to the bolt, the more reliable a firearm is. They found 3 to 1 to be the bare minimum for reliable function, but the higher the ratio, the more reliable the gun was. This was for firearms in general (they tested multiple firearms with different weight bolt carriers) but was for the M16/M4 specifically.

[@awesomepawn2]

ok wow that was really impressive control

[@red-pyramid]

OK

[@treizTUBE]

any word on his improvements hitting the market?

[@grenmoyo3968]

I really dont think it happened P-chan

[@mryan3123]

Great interview. This has got to be one of the best I've watched on the subject of the AR platform.

[@999a0s]

this is my favorite video on the entire god damn channel. Sullivan's design knowledge is outstanding and it's also such an archetypal old-engineer young-engineer conversation. so good

[@ashenfenix]

Thanks for the interview! Love hearing more about the history of this venerable family of weapons.

[@williampizzimenti3874]

Wow what an interesting interview! Guys from that generation were just a different breed. Reminds me alot of my great grandpa who I was fortunate enough to meet.

[@michaelt.bagetis2052]

OUTSTANDING INTERVIEW. THANKS, GUYS.

[@beeleo]

Can we have a 2024 What Would Sullivan Do version??? Pretty Pleeeeeassseeee...

[@fightingbear8537]

Great interview. I like the modifications to the M4.

[@iamAwesomo1994]

sucks that this stuff has essentially been forgotten. how does he achieve this effect with the open/closed bolt interchangeability? we need more

[@Thedoomdude100]

Seriously I wanna know how it works. My best idea is something similar to the FG42

[@lockpinos]

He's 83 (in the time of this record) and can still remember the detail of the design 50 years ago I can hardly remember anything from collage project 5 years ago

[@michael2351]

So would this new rifle be called the AR15A5?

[@Turgz]

If it was adopted by the US military this carbine would be called M4A2.

[@michael2351]

Callum Turner And if it had a fixed stock and a 20 inch barrel, it would be a M16A5?

[@Turgz]

Cody Adler Yes. Not because of the stock, but because of the barrel length. The M16A4 is formally called ''Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A4'' and the M4A1 is called ''Carbine, 5.56mm, M4A1''.

[@randerson752]

hopefully someone in small arms procurement for the us military sees this and maybe just maybe the upgrades Jim has created are implemented in the M4/M16 and maybe M27.

[@scratchguns]

12:52 to 13:03 was actually insane

[@ProjectPete]

OK, who is the horrible SAVAGE that disliked this video?

[@Spoderman5000]

Some dick, some yoyo, some putz.

[@jeffreymuu5451]

Project Pete AK teen fanboy

[@counterstrifekid]

REEE!!! BLACK RIFLE ON MY FEED!!! EVIL GUNS!!

[@T3hderk87]

Unfortunately it's up to 11 edgy berkleyites who found this video.

[@michaelwolgamott9638]

cherb23 it’s an inanimate object, if you harbor anger towards an object, you should rethink your life.

[@SolidMikeP]

Fascinating - I am about to receive my first AR, I have been waiting since I was 12 years old...I am 31 now. Im just gonna hold it like a kid on Christmas morning. My wife and kids will see another side of me.

[@chadpatrick7307]

thank you so much for this. im going to research mr. sullivan and see if there has been any more progress with this rifle

[@naterhoda3252]

Historical treasure right here

[@randallrandallman7046]

Very cool interview and shoot. I'd love for you guys to discuss in more detail the changes and whatnots that brought us from the AR10 to the 15 to the 16 and now the M4. Cheers again.

[@Liam-B]

Why am I seeing this two years later?

[@joshbonds3599]

What am I seeing this four years later?

[@ChucksSEADnDEAD]

@@joshbonds3599 for some reason I watched this video on Full30 and thought it was unavailable on youtube. Lo and behold, I found it just by searching.

[@jasonhill8696]

Surefire is selling it now

[@jackfrost884]

Fascinating.

[@lepmuhangpa]

Bro, this is some innovation.

[@josh41976]

Great video! I just signed up as a Patreon member because you have the best content.

[@joehill4094]

I love how you can see Ian kind of fanboying while jim is talking lol

[@empiricalmadman3260]

It would be interesting to see this sort of system compared to the Russian balanced recoil system (BARS)

[@BobBSmooth69]

Thank you Ian and Karl this was fascinating to watch

[@556ixasmr]

I know this is pretty old but I was never actually familiar with thee Jim Sullivan and I was just wondering how can I get into contact and/or meet this brilliant man?!

[@SlimRhyno]

Extremely cool video! Thank you so much for posting it and bringing that information to us gun enthusiasts in an incredibly interesting way. Thanks again, and do take care!

[@Spoderman5000]

Did you guys have any reliability issues with the 60 and 100 rd mags?

[@Spoderman5000]

I have a surefire 100 and it didn't work until I oiled it internally. Did Jim give any insight on them? I had no idea he was behind the design.

[@moeynola6747]

Kevin Kinzel I have the surefire 60 and out the box I had plenty of problems..i took it apart and wiped oil all in it and now It fires great

[@joshuarodriguez5221]

Little did we know he would design the no recoil machine gun perfectly. Mans a genius.

[@smurfmeplease]

What a great video.

[@markbrown4597]

Is there any update on this as of 2020? Id love to see where this idea goes,it seems ideal and something stoner would approve of.

[@damarei]

What an incredible video. Thank you guys for this.

[@Mossyyyyyyy]

Only just releasing from surefire this year!

[@ehrenmann5408]

As a german i have to say the AR 15/10 is pretty much a perfect design

[@lepmuhangpa]

It's like a helicopter, if you change something in the front you have to change something in the back. Because of the internal gas piston system. I am no German or Japanese, only a Nepali. But I have my list of improvements I could make to this design.

[@ab5olut3zero95]

WOW. I'm impressed.

[@titter3648]

The rate of fire varies a lot. It starts really slow the first 3 rounds, and then it picks up speed (as it heats up?), but then after a while it sounds like the rate of fire is oscillating up and down trough the rest of the mag.

[@_Schwartz]

Great stuff. 🔥👍

[@kadinniemeyer482]

I think this is the best video I've ever seen. I wish I could have a chance to talk to the man.

[@BernyAV]

You guys should give the FerFrans M4s a try.

[@VinylsRock92]

Absolutely amazing :o

[@coolnamesTV]

Another great video. Exciting stuff!

[@johngroberts952]

Wow!! Need one now.

[@braydenjewell]

With the modified gun im hearing a variation in the rate of fire ?

[@ddproductionscanada]

All ar pattern full auto guns do that, as they heat up they fire faster

[@Ben10r]

That looks fun.

[@leadhead7338]

Jim is an American LEGEND! AMERICA STRONG STAY FREE LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC

[@bobthompson4319]

That mag is what the m231 needs.

[@Mr_Dopey]

Does that thing play The Star Spangled Banner when it fires, is it just me?

[@marcwong3552]

Always a delight to hear from the legend himself. Having had the chance to be trained on the Ultimax, it was an eye opener to be introduce to the constant recoil design.

[@jasonhacker7270]

werent there some early ar 15 lmgs that operated open bolt in full auto?

[@DarkFiber23]

It's interesting how they didn't attach the rear sight on the improved AR-15. Not that it matters much for the demo, any how.

[@mcintoshpc]

Really cool to hear how the modded gun actually has its rate of fire going up and down mid burst, i think you can hear it on the m4 as well but its harder since its so much faster lol

[@mbenjamin292]

This is the greatest video I have ever seen wow thank you for sharing.Now I hafta have one wow, wow ,wow ,wow.

[@soylentgreen7074]

Slower firing reminds me of a BAR. And it sounds more intimidating.

[@baker90338]

Jon Meray a moderator. It’s basically a mixture of a suppressor and a flash hider. It’s weird, and if atf weren’t a thing would be more common.

[@johnhudak3829]

That cyclic rate is eerily similar to the Stg44.

[@jansonharris2937]

I love what you do. Don't think I'm insulting you. I'm just jealous you got to talk to Mr. Sullivan.

[@Halinspark]

In my opinion, 900 rpm is too high anyway.

[@PsiQ]

Sooo. Did you check back with your WWSD2020 setup.. and can your rifle also do that nice constant recoil ?

[@TeCHnORiOT]

I like that modified M4, it'd be cool to own one, only I would give it a standard A2 front sight.

[@nathanb1084]

amazing interview! wow! so cool.

[@domeniclimon9539]

brilliant man

[@joem2554]

I remember inspecting an original AR15 marked M16 in the Army.. I thought Hmmmm when I first saw the reciever. There it was chrome bolt and carrier and all, this was during the mid 80's.

[@richstone2627]

The original was marked Armalite AR-15 when Colt first made them.

[@guisseppistrombopolis9082]

HONOR HIM