PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-624
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 624
NOVEMBER 2004
M2/M3-Series Bradley…
Weapons Control Box
Bad?
Maybe Not
Dear Editor,
Some Bradley units are replacing weapons control boxes when they
don't need to. They try to select from HE to AP ammo or vice versa and
nothing happens. They think they have a bad weapons control box, so
they get a new one.
But if the M242 has had
a misfire, the weapons con-
trol box may not select.
Before you get a new box,
remove ammo from the
breech/feeder, unhook the
ammo chutes, and take off
the M242 feeder and use
the crank to cycle it back to
the sear position. Reinstall
the feeder and try selecting
ammo again. Sometimes that
does the trick.
PV2 William Custillo
B Btry, 1/3 ADA
Ft Stewart, GA
Dear Half-Mast,
Is there an NSN for
25mm dummy rounds for the
Bradley's M242 machine
gun? We can't find any.
CPT C.Z.
Dear Captain C.Z.,
Certainly there is. NSN 1305-01-356-0187
brings a pack of 30 dummy rounds,
which is normally what's
required for each vehicle.
PS 624
NOV 04
4
M1-Series Tanks…
Put the
Squeeze
on Sponge
W
hen it comes to problems with random shorts to under-the-breech electronic com-
ponents, stop wringing your hands and start wringing out the recoil fluid residue col-
lector sponge, tankers.
The sponge, which is in the tray
under the gun mount, soaks up the
excess FRH that leaks out during
firing. Nothing wrong with that.
In fact, that’s completely normal.
However, you’re supposed to
wring out the sponge into an
approved hazardous waste con-
tainer every day after firing.
Otherwise, the fluid overflows
and leaks down onto the electron-
ics gear, causing shorts.
It’s a simple job that simply doesn’t get done often enough. One precaution to take,
though. Make sure you’re wearing long sleeves, gloves, goggles and a faceshield
when you wring out the sponge. FRH contains a chemical which can cause paralysis
if it’s taken internally. FRH can also be absorbed through the skin, so wash thorough-
ly with soap and water if you get any on you.
Wring out sponge after firing
what’s
wrong?
you forgot to wring out
my recoil fluid residue
collector sponge!
we could do some
serious training
with your m242
today if I could
just get some
dummy rounds.
no need to be
a dummy. there’s
an nsn!
Can’t select ammo? Cycle feeder to sear
now my
electronics
are
shorting
out!!
(Editor's note:
We select your suggestion
as a good one, Private. Way to go.)
624.04-05(C)
9/27/04
5:50 PM
Page 1
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