April 10, 1999, 11:05 AM | #1 |
Staff
Join Date: November 2, 1998
Location: Colorado
Posts: 21,840
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Belt fed or box/drum magazine fed and why?
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April 10, 1999, 01:06 PM | #2 |
Staff in Memoriam
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
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Fixed position, with probably no more than a 90-degree field of fire, belt-fed. Standard loading for .30 was 110-rounds, as I vaguely recall, and .50s were 105-round belts in each can. Shoot longer between reloads than magazine-fed guns.
Mobile, magazine fed is the only way to go. You play hell tripping over belts and all that, aside from the inherent near-impossibility of shooting full-auto on the run. Move, stop, shoot; move, stop, shoot. BAR *good*!!! As usual, it's situational and tactical... Contrary to Hollywood crap, the best way to fire machine guns is to say to yourself, "Fire a burst of six"; pause; "Fire a burst of six"...The barrels last a lot longer. It's real embarrassing to shoot at folks 200-400 yards away, and the rounds from a shot-out barrel hit the ground about 50 yards out. That's when your own life-expectancy approaches zero and your insurance agent cringes. Obviously, if you're being faced with a large and hostile group at close range, barrrel life becomes a lesser priority. FWIW, Art |
April 10, 1999, 01:59 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 16, 1999
Posts: 1,173
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I packed the Hog for awhile ther in the service - loose belts... You get used to the dangling end.
But when I switched to the SAW - the belted rounds were contained in an attached box - I think thats the best way to do it. When we switched to firing from a M16's magazine - well - even the 30 rounder wasn't really worth it - but better than nothing. ------------------ "There is no Spoon" |
April 11, 1999, 09:01 AM | #4 |
Member
Join Date: February 25, 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 71
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What about the best of both worlds with the FN Minimi, a .223 belt fed or box magazine weapon. Takes standard M-16 mags. <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>A special cover plate closes the belt aperture when a magazine is loaded, or closes the magazine aperture when a belt is in place, so that there is no danger of trying to double-feed.[/quote] from Jane's Guns Recognition Guide.
------------------ I want a Heckler&Koch MP-5K with the tactical briefcase for my birthday!!!! |
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