Do high-tech machine guns, such as Vulcan cannons, suffer from stoppages? I'm just back from live-fire training today, firing a 7.62mm machine gun (an old model, but still used by some countries). Encountered a lot of stoppages, in which case I had to manually clear the chamber. Gave me a hard time. The question is, if a 7.62mm machine gun fires approximately 1,000 rounds per minute and is prone to jamming, what happens to the 30mm GAU-8 cannon, for example, which has a rate of fire of 4,000 rounds per minute?
2006-11-03 03:39:43 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
For the answerers' benefit... the gun I fired was the boxy-looking M240.
2006-11-03 03:45:44 · update #1
Yes they do while your 1st burst will go okay there is good possibility of a jam on the next burst our 20mm phalanx gun did this several times much to the captains annoyance. The gun was brand new. Clearing a jam is a long messy maneuver as usually the feeder gears cut the shell casing of the jammed round. it's weird the gun will go several months without problem then it starts up again then goes away. Reloading these beasts isn't fun neither but until that new metal storm gun comes along this is the only weapon that fires this fast this accurately.
2006-11-03 05:19:44 · answer #1 · answered by brian L 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, they don't. Unlike a standard machine gun, where the gas from the fired round is used to force back the bolt, load, and fire the next round, the power source for a rotary-barrel weapon is external. This means the operating mechanism is unaffected by dud rounds or other kinds of stoppages. The unfired rounds are mechanicaly extracted and ejected allong with the spent shells.
BTW-- The M240 is actually younger than a lot of other weapons, and is used by many countries. If you encountered a lot of stoppages during your exercise, you probably just got an old, beat up one. A properly maintained M240 is a damn fine machine gun.
2006-11-03 04:22:04 · answer #2 · answered by Incorrectly Political 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
every machine gun can have stoppages ; it depends of how well it is maintained , that the ammo is produced by the standards that are required , the condition that the gun is fired in ( lot of dust, etc )
2006-11-04 07:46:29 · answer #3 · answered by general De Witte 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋