PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-555

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 555

FEBRUARY 1999
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-555 - Page 22 of 34
A
rmorers, it’s up to you to fill in the blanks on taking care of the blank firing
attachment (BFA) for the M2 machine gun.
The cartridge stop must be removed to
use the BFA. Unfortunately, if the stop’s
removed in the field it usually disappears
in the field. Without the stop, the M2 won’t
feed real ammo.
Solution:
If your M2s are going to be
firing only blanks, take off the stops be-
fore the guns leave the arms room. That’s a sure way to stop disappearing stops.
You must install all of the BFA, par-
ticularly the cartridge guide assembly.
The guide, which goes in the feed
tracer, compensates for the shorter
blank round. Without it, the M2 jams.
If the guide is missing, order one with
Remember, the BFA is not covered
by the M2’s TMs. It has its own, TM
9-1005-314-12&P.
Order 2-ft length of
3
/
8
-in brass
alloy, NSN 9525-00-249-7441. Cut
it to 20
1
/
2
inches and bend like so:
f you’re an armorer with M2 ma-
chine guns, you can count on running
into stuck bolts. It’s too easy for gun-
ners to forget to push the cocking lever
forward
before
installing
the bolt.
M2 Machine Gun . . .
Make sure cartridge guide
assembly is installed
These tools and procedures have
been added to Pages 249 and 250 of
TM 9-1005-213-23.
4.
Push down on the front of the bar-
rel extension. Slide the bolt out of the
receiver. If the bolt hangs up, pull the
extension forward and up until the bolt
slides out.
3.
Slide the bolt forward as you pull
the buffer to the rear. The bolt should
force the accelerator down and let you
remove the buffer. You may need to
Store cartridge stop in arms room
Fill in the
To use the tool, remove the backplate,
driving rod spring, and bolt pin. Hook
the tool over the cocking lever, half-
1
/
2
"
Wrap tape
several times
around joint to
reinforce tool
way up the lever. If you get it higher,
the lever jams.
Press down hard on the lever as you
yank back with the tool several times.
The bolt should come unstuck.
If the tool is not available when you
need it, try this:
1.
After you remove the backplate,
driving rod spring, and bolt pin, retract
the bolt as far as you can.
2.
Press in on the buffer detent spring
with a screwdriver as you slide out the
buffer assembly about two inches.
slide the bolt back and forth several
times before you can pull out the buffer.
The easiest
way to deal with
a
stuck bolt
is
with a special tool
you can make
yourself.
..
BFA Blanks
3
"
2
1
/
2
"
2
1
/
2
"
12
"
PS 555
39
FEB 99
PS 555
38
FEB 99
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