Yet another question - If I were to fabricate the parts associated with combustion, prop them up somehow, and fire it up, would you expect that would be representative of how it would actually burn when mounted in the ammo can?
You are not taking in account what makes the rocket stove so effective and efficient the insulation that concentrates the heat. I see no benefit from doing so.
Rocket stoves work, because you are burning the smoke in the chimney - you are deliberately creating a chimney fire. In order to do that, the chimney has to be hot. Without insulation, you will only have the small fire in the firebox, and not the smoke fire in the chimney.
In other words, it would not work.
BTW, that is why it uses so little fuel - you are gasifying the wood, and then burning the gas.