PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-697

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 697

DECEMBER 2010
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-697 - Page 14 of 33
24
PS 697
DEC 10
I
f you have limited space for training with your M2 machine gun, short range
training ammunition (SRTA) is a great solution.
Normal .50-cal ammo requires a surface danger zone impact area of 6,500 meters.
But .50-cal SRTA (DODICs A602 and A603) requires an impact area of only 700
meters.
But SRTA isn’t great if
you don’t use the M3 recoil
amplifer. IF you don’t use the
M3 recoil amplifer with the
M2 when fring SRTA, there’s
not enough back pressure to
keep the M2 fring. It fres
once and stops.
The M3 screws into the M2 the same
way the normal barrel does. Everything
you need to know about the M3 is in
TM 9-1005-203-13&P (Oct 09), which
is on the ETM Online site:
https://www.
logsa.army.mil/etms/online.cfm
.
You
get the M3 from your local training
support center.
When you install the M3, make sure
the discriminator is properly installed in
place of the front cartridge guide. That
ensures normal live ammo can’t be fred.
Dear Half-Mast,
TM 9-1005-
319-23&P
lists separate
bolt NSNs for
the M16 rifle
and M4/M4A1
carbine. Are
there differences
in the bolts?
Are you not
supposed to use
the M16 bolt in
the M4 or vice
versa?
D.A.
Dear Mr. D.A.,
Originally, the M16 and M4 bolts used different
extractor springs. But that’s no longer true. Now
both weapons use the same breech bolt assembly,
NSN 1005-01-505-1035, and the same extractor
spring assembly, NSN 5360-01-505-2886, which
is gold-colored. If you still have bolts with the
old extractor assembly, which is silver-colored,
continue to use them. But when their extractors
wear out, order the gold extractor.
TM 9-1005-319-23&P (May 05)
lists two separate bolts, but the
November 08 edition correctly
lists just one.
BeFore fring SRTA, make sure only M858
ball or M860 tracer SRTA is in the linked
belt. Don’t try to fre SRTA that is dented,
deformed or has a loose projectile. Firing
standard ammo or damaged SRTA can injure
you and damage the M2.
Remember SRTA is as lethal as standard
ammo.
Don’t
use
SRTA
for
MILES,
paintball, or force-on-force training.
SRTA
is strictly for Fring at inanimate targets.
Reduced
range
ammo doesn’t
mean
reduced noise, explosive hazard or potential
injury or death. Wear eye and hearing
protection and practice normal safety rules
when fring SRTA.
M2 Machine Gun…
M2 Needs
M3 for SRTA
M16-Series Rifle,
M4/M4A1 Carbine…
Are There
Different
Bolts?
Install M3
recoil amplifier
to fire SRTA
Order only gold extractor spring, NSN 5360-01-505-2886
Light
blue
Red
tip
M858 ball
M860 tracer
Replace front
cartridge
guide with
discriminator
Fire only M858 ball or
M860 tracer SRTA through M3
sorry fellas,
I can fire you
only if the m3
recoil adapter
replaces my
barrel.
hey,
guy! here
we are!!
good
news!
we both use the
same
bolt now!
697.24-25.indd
1-2
11/1/10
5:41 PM
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