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Posted: 1/12/2010 1:08:36 PM EDT
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How can someone leave a single round in an open bolt gun?
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=8&t=391620 |
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A M1919 can also "look" empty if you eyeballed the belt feedway but it would be possible there could still be a round underneath the feed tray in the barrel.
You then combine this with the fact that the trigger is also extremely exposed on most M1919s with no classic "trigger guard" protecting it (or a spade grip version with a big paddle on the back) and you could see how somebody could end up thinking they finished a belt but accidentally left a final round in the chamber unfired if they let up on the trigger at just the right time toward the very end of the belt. Then when pulling out of their truck or hauling a 30 pound machinegun to the firing line, they accidentally bumped the paddle or unprotected trigger and then.... bang. An extra couple yanks on the charging handle and a snap of the trigger at a minimum would have made sure the gun was clear before removing it from the previous shooting session. However, in this case that apparently didnt happen. James Austin, Texas |
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Saw it happen once with an MG34 in Vermont. The last round was stuck in the chamber and didn't get extracted somehow. During a cease-fire, the owner of the gun was showing it to someone and he let the bolt go forward, causing a loud noise and some soiled shorts. There were people downrange, but thankfully the muzzle was elevated and the round went off into the wild blue yonder.
Very scary. |
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