(a) Approval tests. An independent laboratory accepted by the Commandant under §159.010 of this chapter must perform or supervise the performance tests in paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) Production inspections and tests. Production inspections and tests must be conducted under the procedures in §159.007 of this chapter. Each appliance or lot of rockets which fails the inspections and tests must not be represented as meeting this subpart or as being approved by the Coast Guard.

(1) Inspections and tests by the manufacturer. The manufacturer's quality control procedures must include the inspection of appliances during production as well as inspection of finished appliances, to determine that the appliances are being produced in accordance with the approved plans. The performance tests in paragraph (c) of this section must be performed by the manufacturer.

(2) Inspections and tests by an independent laboratory. An independent laboratory accepted by the Commandant under §159.010 of this chapter must inspect and test appliances and rockets at least once each year. The inspection must determine that the appliances and rockets are being produced in accordance with the appropriate plans. The tests must be in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Performance tests—

(1) Appliances. Each appliance shall be tested by firing three rounds. These rounds may be regular rockets or buoyant type rockets carrying regular service lines, as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this paragraph or may be dummy projectiles, of the same size and weight as the regular rocket projectile, expelled into an earthen bank or other resisting medium from a reasonable distance. At least one of the rounds shall be fired using a primer-ejector cartridge loaded with a charge double the normal charge; the other rounds may be fired using regular primer-ejector cartridges. After the firing tests have been completed, each appliance shall be fired twice using the regular primer-ejector cartridges only, for the purposes of demonstrating that the appliance is still in operating condition. The entire assembly of the appliance shall then be examined. Results of the test firing and the physical examination shall show none of the following: Failure to eject cartridge, failure to close breech, trigger malfunction, safety lock failure to function, breech catch malfunction, broken spring, broken handgrips, cracked barrel or discharge chamber, firing pin or plunger broken, distorted or excessively worn or loose breech. A single misfire is acceptable if a second cartridge fires on repeated test. Misfire of both shall be cause for rejection of the appliance. More than one loose screw shall be cause for rejection. If an appliance exhibits a single loose screw, it may be retightened.

(2) Rockets. The rocket shall utilize a solid fuel propellant which shall function in accordance with all applicable requirements of MIL-R-23139. The use of black powder for the rocket motor is not acceptable. The ignition of the rocket motor shall occur at such a distance from the appliance so as not to spew flame, hot gaseous exhaust, or hot particles of propellant in such a manner as to create a hazard to personnel or the vessel. The rocket shall have a service line carrier assembly permanently attached and made of material, or suitably protected, to withstand the heat from the rocket motor's exhaust. From each 200 rockets manufactured, not less than three must be selected to be tested by firing with service line attached. The rockets selected will, over a period of time, include representative samples of both the regular and buoyant type rockets, except that the approval test must include both types. The line shall be carried, under conditions of reasonably still atmosphere, a minimum of 230 m (750 ft.), without breaking or fouling the line, and the rocket shall alight not more than 15 m (50 ft.) from either side of the target line. In no case shall a test rocket be fired without a line attached. After a buoyant type rocket is fired, it shall demonstrate its ability to float in water for not less than 2 hours. Failure to meet any of the test requirements, nose cone cracks, rupture in flight, erratic flight, or unusual burning rate, shall be cause for rejection of rockets produced until suitable correction has been made. If rockets selected from this lot are used for the tests required in paragraph (c)(1) of this section this may be accepted as meeting the requirements of this paragraph.

(3) Primer-ejector cartridges. Inasmuch as primer-ejector cartridges are used for the tests required by paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this paragraph, additional tests of primer-ejector cartridges will be made only when deemed advisable by the independent laboratory. Misfiring or failure of any kind shall be cause for rejection of cartridges produced until suitable correction has been made.