what does open bolt mean?
- Thread starter Rifleman1776
- Start date
Thank you Crosshair. And it is true some open bolt designs (SMGs) are easy to make. But other open bolt designs, those that lock shut (belt fed MGs) are not. We tend to think of SMGs when we talk about open bolt guns, as these are most commonly seen, but remember that most modern machineguns also fire from the open bolt, as well.
And, just FYI, there are a couple more machined parts in an M3/M3A1 than just the bolt. The barrel assy (barrel and barrel nut), and the sear are machined parts. The barrel, naturally, and the bolt are the major machined parts, but the sear is machined also. It is a rectangular block with a couple of holes through it, and a small step machined in. Too thick to be stamped. The recoil spring guide rods are also slightly machined, there is a groove turned in them, and the guide rod plate is also machined a small amount. The rest of the parts are stamped, fabricated from rod stock, or are springs, including the frame of the gun itself. The Greaseguns were made by the Guidelamp division of GM, that part of the company that made headlight housings, because of their experience in stamping relatively thick metal (thick for stamping, that is).
IIRC, the original cost to Uncle Sam was $17.50 per gun!
I worked on some Grease guns in the mid 1970s, they were still in the inventory, being the "sidearm" of tankers in some units.
And, just FYI, there are a couple more machined parts in an M3/M3A1 than just the bolt. The barrel assy (barrel and barrel nut), and the sear are machined parts. The barrel, naturally, and the bolt are the major machined parts, but the sear is machined also. It is a rectangular block with a couple of holes through it, and a small step machined in. Too thick to be stamped. The recoil spring guide rods are also slightly machined, there is a groove turned in them, and the guide rod plate is also machined a small amount. The rest of the parts are stamped, fabricated from rod stock, or are springs, including the frame of the gun itself. The Greaseguns were made by the Guidelamp division of GM, that part of the company that made headlight housings, because of their experience in stamping relatively thick metal (thick for stamping, that is).
IIRC, the original cost to Uncle Sam was $17.50 per gun!
I worked on some Grease guns in the mid 1970s, they were still in the inventory, being the "sidearm" of tankers in some units.
ndking1126
New member
I guess I'm jaded being in the military, but as far as i knew only the big boys came with open bolt design.
I didn't realize it was so popular with SMGs. Oh, and I heard of the LMG from LWRC.. but other than that.We used the M3 as part of our units "crew serve" weapons, along with the M2, M60, M203, 45acp,. as a sidenote yes they were used by the tankers, and the tank mechanics, and the self-propelled artillery battery's. BTW I was an artillery repairman in the 735th maintinence batallion.
Look, 44 Amp, I'm just telling you guys what I've learned. Just like last time. I don't claim to be an expert, I just give the information I've been given. If you want to be the be-all, end-all expert, be my guest, just don't do it by crapping all over me. I'm just trying to help out where I can, this is the knowledge I've been given by the USMC. If you know more, I'll be happy to give you the right of way, but I don't appreciate you trying to make yourself the better man by trying to belittle me. I've done my time in the sand too, just because I don't throw it out here doesn't mean guys like you can just stomp all over guys like me. I thought this was supposed to be a fair forum, not a platform where people just step all over somebody else. I'm reporting what I know, okay? Why don't you give me a break? I don't do this to you, even though I've researched some of your posts and found out examples where you've been wrong too. At least I've got the class to leave you alone and not point you out to everybody else. If I'm wrong, tell me in private, I at least deserve that. I did give 20 years to my country, just like you. Where I come from, we got respect for each other, even when we know the other guy is wrong. We don't try to make an ass out of him, though.
My apologies sir.
It was not my intention to belittle you or stomp all over you. I regret that you feel that way, and in retrospect I could have been more polite. For that, I apologize.
I gave some of my background not to demonstrate any supposed superiority, but to show that I have a solid background of expertise in certain areas. The fact that I know some things other people do not is not any proof of my superiority, only that we have led different lives, learning different things.
I am only human, and do make mistakes. Point them out to me, and if/when I recognize them as mistakes, I will publicly admit I am wrong. But beware, I am not often easy to convince!
Passing on what you learned in the Corps is fine, when it is accurate. But there is as much BS to be learned in the service as there are real facts. What gets told to line troops as gospel may not be the same as what specialists get taught, or learn from experience.
Its probably before your time, but I remember a time when GIs were told, by their superiors, that they didn't need to clean M16s. And then there's the whole tumbling bullet thing, blown all out of reality, but fed to ignorant grunts as truth. And thats a couple of examples I personally experienced.
It was not my intention to belittle you or stomp all over you. I regret that you feel that way, and in retrospect I could have been more polite. For that, I apologize.
I gave some of my background not to demonstrate any supposed superiority, but to show that I have a solid background of expertise in certain areas. The fact that I know some things other people do not is not any proof of my superiority, only that we have led different lives, learning different things.
I am only human, and do make mistakes. Point them out to me, and if/when I recognize them as mistakes, I will publicly admit I am wrong. But beware, I am not often easy to convince!
Passing on what you learned in the Corps is fine, when it is accurate. But there is as much BS to be learned in the service as there are real facts. What gets told to line troops as gospel may not be the same as what specialists get taught, or learn from experience.
Its probably before your time, but I remember a time when GIs were told, by their superiors, that they didn't need to clean M16s. And then there's the whole tumbling bullet thing, blown all out of reality, but fed to ignorant grunts as truth. And thats a couple of examples I personally experienced.