Bad news for M2 BMG fans.

[Owen]

the makeshift tool is part of the link, but i can't remember which part.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Just think! If it fires twice as fast, it will heat up twice as fast, and wear out twice as fast! $60,000ea? Really?

 

[Wes Janson]

the makeshift tool is part of the link, but i can't remember which part.

Are you thinking of using the small end of the link to hold the bolt back, in order to line up the barrel catch to allow the barrel to screw in?

 

[Owen]

man, i don't remember. A sailor showed me in an armorer's class, but I don't work on .50s often (or ever for that matter)

 

[Shadow Man]

That’s just something you can never forget or let go.

It still irks me, to this day. I would carry it heavier, but we had a bit of a ditch to hide in. Not much of one, but enough to ensure no KIA's and very minor WIA's (of which I was one, as I stayed on the comms, trying to get them to stop.) I intended no offense, so no need to thank me; it was a correction that needed to be made.

 

[Jeff82]

You're trying to think of using a nickle or dog tags as Fire/No Fire gauges. Stop now. Don't do it. Use the proper tool.

 

[Shadow Man]

Use the proper tool.

Always a good idea.

 

[Al Thompson]

Jeff82 hit the nail on the head. Each M2 should have a headspace and timing gage per weapon. Not sure how it's being done now, but when I had a M113 mech infantry company, setting the headspace and timing was a critical task.

IIRC, the Army tried putting a M2 on a UH1H for firesupport and the vibration messed up the airframe pretty badly.