m249..confused anyone who served in army/marines and used it help?

Question

im confused about how it works..i know its an open bolt firing mechanism. but how does the bolt stay open?

i heard they removed the safety switch was removed from all 249s because of an accident a few years back.

but if theres no safety..then when u pull the cocking rod back, wouldnt it just go forward?

lol im just confused. how do u lock the bolt back if its forward?

Answer 1

The M249 is an open bolt weapon. Meaning that when you pull the charging handle back the bolt locks to the rear. you push the charging handle back foreword, but it doesn't take the bolt with it. All this time you bet the weapon is on safe. And no they have not removed the safety. The safety prevents the trigger from being accidentally squeezed and the gun going off. It doesn't have anything to do with the charging handle (or cocking rod as you put it).
The bolt stays open until you press the trigger when the bolt is released and it slams on the round, the bolt is then blown back and if the trigger is still depressed it will continue to fire using the force of the round blowing the bolt back. The bolt only stays open long enough to eject the round. Once the trigger is released the bolt catches again to the rear and it ready to go.

And yes the safety can only be engaged when the bolt is to the rear. Reason being there is no need to engage it when the bolt is foreward, because is cannot fire that way, thus being basically on safe

Answer 2

The M249 have a safety...it is a shotgun style safety (push on the left/ push on the right).

It is an open bolt system, ie, after a shot, the bolt is held back by the sear of the trigger mecanism to avoid a cook-off (cartridge firing due to a hot barrel).

On the belgian version (original MiniMi), when you pull the charging handle, it ride to bolt to the rear where it is locked by the sear. You then push the handle forward and a latch lock it in the forward position. Put the safety (safety is not put on if weapon is not ******...useless)

Open the top cover by pushing on the two rear latches. Put a belt on the feed tray (or insert a M-16 magazine in the mag well). Close the top cover.

Now, the weapon is ready to fire if you put the safety off.

When you pull the trigger, the sear release the bolt carrier and the bolt.

It goes forward under the recoil spring pressure, take a cartridges from the belt (or the magazine), chamber it, the bolt lock itself and fire the round. Once fired, the gas acts on the piston, unlock the bolt, extract & eject the expended cartridges...the bolt carrier and the bolt moves rearward and are locked in the rearward position IF the trigger is released. Otherwise, the bolt go forward and the cycle re-start.

Answer 3

The M249 (SAW) Squad Automatic Weapon still has a safety mechanism it was never removed. As for the bolt staying open there is a catch on the trigger mechanism that holds the bolt open until you pull the trigger, once the trigger is pulled the catch is pulled out of the way and the weapon will fire fully auto until the trigger is released or the weapon runs out of ammo. The bolt is held to the rear by the trigger mechanism.

Locking the bolt back from a forward position, place the weapon on fire, and pull back on the charging handle. The bolt will lock to the rear. If it does not take it to your armorer to have it repaired.

Answer 4

when you pull the bolt to the rear an a m249 saw it is held to the rear by the trigger mechanism. Once you pull the trigger the bolt goes forward chambering and firing a round, then the gas from the expelled round forces the bolt back to the rear. As long as you have the trigger pulled this process will take place. Once you let go of the trigger the bolt will lock back to the rear. 249's do have safety's on them, however the bolt must be to the rear to engage it.

Sgt.
USMC

Answer 5

There's a safety switch indeed. It works differently from any other weapon I've used... the weapon needs to be ****** to engage it.

*scratches head*
The Minimi/M249 is a weird weapon indeed.

Answer 6

i don't know
but i know a site that might help...
www.wikipedia.org

this gun is also in counter-strike!