PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-601
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 601
DECEMBER 2002
PS 601
37
Malfunctions
More Help
When your ammunition does not work the way it is intended to, you may have a
malfunction. Malfunctions include hangfires, misfires, duds, abnormal functioning,
and premature functioning of any ammunition items.
If you know or believe
you are having an ammuni-
tion malfunction, report it
ASAP through your chain
of command. Check the lot
number of the ammunition
involved and discontinue
use of that lot until the rea-
son for the malfunction is
determined. The best source
for advice on ammunition
serviceability is a QASAS.
“An on-line 24-hour ammunition help
system (AmmoHelp) allows anyone with
an official need to submit questions
regarding munitions, explosives,
logistics, quality, safety, security,
training, equipment, or technology.”
DEC 02
36
Ammunition Recovery
• After training, collect and return fired brass, aluminum
casings and empty ammunition containers to the ASP for
recycling or reuse.
• Segregation operations at the ASP call for the unit turn-
ing in material to do a 100 percent inspection of residue to
check for live explosives and munitions.
• A certification statement that the material is free of live
ammunition will be added to the turn-in documents.
Wipe off ammunition used in operational loads before repacking in containers.
Moisture is the No. 1 cause of small arms ammunition deterioration. Never fire
ammunition that has been water-soaked or has exceeded its temperature limits. Turn
it in.
When an ammunition lot or serial num-
ber is lost, the ammunition is unservice-
able and must be turned in to the ammuni-
tion supply organization. Ammunition
that’s incorrectly identified (training
ammunition marked as high explosive or
vice versa) could be hazardous to the user.
In the field, use felt tip markers to reap-
ply identification markings to rounds and
packing materials. Hand-written markings
are better than no markings at all. The
ammo TMs provide inspection criteria,
and direct the turn-in of ammunition that
doesn’t meet field standards.
Obey the
following
rules. They
can be life
savers…
100 percent
inspection of
ammo residue
required
The U.S. Army
Defense Ammunition
Center (DAC) maintains
useful ammunition
support information
on its web site.
Uh-oh!
A misfire!
Better
report it!
stay tuned next
month! part 3 will
include information
on specific types
of ammunition.
I'm
soaked!
They'd better
not plan on
using me!
END
PART 2
• DAC Home Page:
www.dac.army.mil/
• AmmoHelp web site:
www.dac.army.mil/ammohelp/
• AmmoHelp e-mail:
ammohelp@dac.army.mil
• AmmoHelp toll-free hotline:
1-877-668-2840
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