PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-683
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 683
OCTOBER 2009
21
PS 683
OCT 09
Dear Editor,
As members of the Ft Polk MATES, we support units when they go to the
range to fire their machine guns. We find many Soldiers don’t realize that
the standard has changed for changing the M2 machine gun barrel during
firing. The result is ruined barrels.
The standard used to be to change the M2 barrel at the end of a day of
firing, no matter how many rounds were fired. That’s still true if you’re firing
single shot. But if you’re firing slow fire (40 or fewer rounds per minute),
you should change the barrel every hour. If you’re firing rapid fire (200
rounds per minute), change the barrel every half hour.
Editor’s reply:
Excellent
points. Besides ruining the
barrel, fring and fring
through the same barrel
can also cause cookoFFs,
damage the bolt, and ruin
headspace, which can cause
the machine gun to explode.
Here are the fring limits on
the M240 and M249:
M240:
Change the barrel every 10 minutes during sustained fre (100 rounds
per minute) and every two minutes during rapid fre (200 rounds per minute).
M249:
During both sustained fre (40 rounds per minute) and rapid fre (100
rounds per minute), change the barrel every 200 rounds.
When it’s hot outside, change the barrel sooner. And, remember, blanks heat up
the barrel just as much as live rounds.
But anytime you see the barrel change color, you should immediately
change the barrel. That goes for any machine gun. We’ve seen M2 barrels
actually turn orange from the heat. By then, the barrel is already ruined.
The M2 barrel becomes too hot to
handle with your bare hand or a glove.
That’s why every M2 needs the barrel
mitten, NSN 8415-01-092-0039. Be
careful what you lay the hot barrel on. It
can melt or burn plastic or cloth.
Barrels, especially M2 barrels, are not
cheap. Don’t ruin a barrel by firing and
firing without giving the barrel a rest. Take
the spare barrel to the field and use it.
SFC Charles Woodham
SSG John Doolittle
MATES
Ft Polk, LA
Small
Arms…
Color Changes
?
Change Barrel!
anytime the barrel
starts to change
color, it’s time to
change the barrel!
I don’t
care how
many
rounds
I’ve fired.
my barrel
is changing
color because
it’s so
hot
outside!
I need
my spare
barrel!
hey,
don’t
forget
us!
our
barrels
need
changing,
too!
Every M2 needs barrel mitt
by dose…by
beautiful
dose!
683.20-21.indd
1-2
8/22/09
3:42:03 PM
SFC C.W.
SSG J.D.
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