PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-556
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 556
MARCH 1999
PS 556
37
MAR 99
PS 556
36
MAR 99
Push locking lever forward
before pushing in bolt
Ease bolt forward when
barrel’s not installed
Assemble
bolt, buffer,
and barrel
extension
outside
receiver
Carrying
—Too many M2s take
hard, damaging falls because some sol-
diers don’t know the proper way to
carry the gun. The M2 weighs more
than 80 pounds, so the best way to
carry it is with four hands.
After the barrel is removed, have
a buddy lock his hands under the bar-
rel support, while you lock your hands
under the receiver five inches from
its end.
M2 Machine Gun . . .
Dry firing
—Never dry fire, espe-
cially without the barrel installed. If
the bolt slams forward, it ruins the rear
threads of the barrel extension and the
barrel can’t be screwed in. Ease the
bolt forward instead of dry firing.
If you’re going to take off the
backplate, ease the bolt forward first.
That takes pressure off the spring and
prevents the drive rod from shooting
out of the receiver and into you.
Put the bolt, buffer, and barrel ex-
tension together as one piece before
putting them in the receiver. Then put
in the driving spring rod and backplate.
That saves wear and tear on your hands
and the M2.
Push the cocking lever forward be-
fore pushing the bolt in the receiver. If
you push the bolt in first, the bolt jams
and you’re in a jam with your armorer.
Sear slide goes left to right
switch should be installed so the bolt’s
left groove is unblocked. If you must
feed from the right, reverse the bolt
switch.
The sear slide
always
goes in from
the left. Install it from the right and the
M2 won’t fire from the M63 mount.
receiver with your right palm in. Brace
the receiver against your legs for more
support.
Never use the backplate handles for
a carrying handle. The backplate can
slip out and the receiver takes a tumble
in the vicinity of your toes.
If you don’t have a rack, the M2
should be stored flat so it can’t fall.
Assembly
—If you don’t have the
feed right, the feed lever lug and bolt
switch hit each other during firing and
each is damaged. Normally, you’ll be
feeding from the left. So, the bolt
If you’re alone, hold the barrel sup-
port with your left palm out and the
Left groove clear for left feed
4-hand carry is best
Brace it against your body
knowing
the
ins
and
outs
of your m2 machine
gun can make life so much
easier
in the field.
for instance.
..
Right groove
Left groove
Bolt base
Feed lever
Bolt switch
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