Accurately Determining Rate of Fire

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GrimWulf
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:20 pm
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Accurately Determining Rate of Fire

Post by GrimWulf » Sun Oct 11, 2009 9:46 pm

This is a short and simple guide for determining ROF accurately. This method is free (For those of us who don't have a chronograph that can determine ROF) and is simple and easy to use. I am posting it up because in most of the reviews I have read, when discussing ROF, the answer is always "High", "Very High", etc... and unfortunately this doesn't really tell us much. This will allow you to post an accurate ROF and allows for determining the difference in using an 8.4v, 9.6v, lipo, etc... and how it actually effects your ROF.

Things you will need:
1. A Computer (Since you are reading this I will assume you have one... :lol:.)
2. A Computer Microphone (i.e. Headset, Standalone, Built-In, it doesn't matter)
3. The "Audacity" Program

Getting Started:
1. Go to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ ("Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.") Click on the "Download" Tab and download the "Stable" Version for your operating system. Follow the onscreen instructions and install it on your computer.
2. Make sure your AEG's battery is fully charged and you don't have any bb's left in it. (We wouldn't want to start slinging plastic near our computers now would we?)
3. Make sure your microphone is turned on.
4. Make sure there are no background noises around you when you do this test. (i.e. no TV, stereos, etc...)
5. Open "Audacity", your screen should look like this:
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6. Press the Red Circle "Record" Button at the top. "Audacity" should begin recording and it should look something like this:
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7. While you are recording place your AEG near your microphone and pull the trigger on Full Auto for about 3 seconds. Press the Stop Button when you are finished. It may take multiple attempts and playing with you microphone volume settings to get it right but, in the end, it should look something like this:
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(Notice in the last half of this recording that the sound drops off dramatically, I am not sure if this is due to my computer or the Audacity Program. The gun I used for this test was my Echo 1 Mp5 and it is extremely loud, so I believe that it is automatically turning down the volume.)
8. Up in the left hand corner you will notice a tiny magnifying glass. Use this to zoom in on your recording. Use the "I" button in the upper left corner to highlight a 1 second section during which your gun was firing. It should look something like this:
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9. Now all you have to do is count the "Peaks" to accurately determine your ROF per second. (These "Peaks" are your piston slamming forward into the cylinder head.) To find out your ROF per minute just multiply your 1 second ROF by 60. It should look something like this:
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As you can see my Echo1 Mp5 is firing at 19 rounds per second or 1140 rounds per minute with a 9.6v.

This is a picture of the test of my CQB GR-16:
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This one is Firing around 30-31 RPS or 1800-1860 Rounds Per Minute


I hope this guide was helpful.  8-)
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"Know that I am the one you seek. I am the one born to rule and destined to conquer! Let those who fear me, follow me. Let those who oppose me, die! For I am the GrimWulf, and this I Command!"
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