PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-739
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 739
JUNE 2014
22
PS 739
JUN 14
23
PS 739
JUN 14
M
echanics, the M230 gun requires total tear down for inspection, cleaning, and repair
during the 500-hour annual inspection or after 5,000 rounds of firing.
The key to preventing malfunctions in your area weapon system is to make sure all gun
parts are reinstalled correctly.
For example, part of the procedure requires removal and installation of the worm gear
components. Some mechanics try to install the worm gear by stacking the pieces on top of
the bearing retainer. Then they install the whole stack into the opening on the receiver and
use a hammer to tap in the worm gear. Don’t try this! You can bet your bottom dollar it
won’t work and will just result in broken parts.
When installing the worm gear, make sure its teeth mate up with the teeth on the
vertical drive shaft. Instead of figuring out a quick way to put the gun together and possibly
damaging parts, follow the installation procedures and install the worm gear piece by piece
like it says in IETM 0126 for the LONGBOW APACHE.
If the extractor is not completely down, it can’t grab the rounds to place them in
the bolt face. When the breech bolt is moved, the gun will jam with the bolt to the
rear. Then you can’t close the gun door because the bolt is stuck. The only way to Fx
a jammed gun is to call the armament folks to the rescue.
Another thing that could knock your gun out of commission is not doing pre-load
gun inspections to make sure the spring pin is installed in the extractor body.
During cleaning and servicing, the gun is taken apart. When the gun is reassembled,
the spring pin sometimes gets overlooked and isn’t reinstalled.
That’s bad news for the gun. If it’s Fred without the spring pin, the gun will
malfunction. The Fring pin sticks, which can lead to run-away Fring. And that will
destroy the breech bolt.
Prepare
M3P
Gun For Firing
M230
Gun…
Take
No
Short Cuts
On Gun Maintenance
OH-58D…
Prepare
M3P
Gun For Firing
Stacking
worm
gear
parts on
bearing
retainer
like
this…
…to install in receiver opening will
not
work
Gunners, keep your M3P .50 cal
machine gun, NSN 1005-01-303-5250,
off
the NMC list with preventive
maintenance
and
attention
to detail.
Before telling the pilot to move the
gun’s breech bolt forward or to the
rear during gunnery exercises, make
sure the extracTor is completely
down and seated in the gun.
uHh.
.. After the
inspection, I tried
to speed up the
assembly process.
No!
Don’t
tell me you
tried to
stack
the worm
gear parts.
my insides
feel All
QuirkY.
Hey, I had to come
back because I couldn’t
fire! The gun is
jammed!
looks like
the culprit is
the extracTor.
someone didn’t
pay attention
to detail!
Make sure extractor
is completely seated
739 22-23.indd
1-2
4/21/14
3:05 PM
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