forward motion as the round is stripped from the belt.
is released and the sear again engages the sear notch in
the operating rod. When the trigger is held to the rear,
The upper locking lug carries the round forward, and the
the rear of the sear is lowered and disengaged from the
chambering ramp causes the nose of the cartridge to be
sear notch. This allows the operating rod and bolt to be
cammed downward into the chamber as shown in figure
driven forward by the expansion of the operating rod
2-48. When the round is fully seated in the chamber, the
spring. Now that the gun is functioning, we can trace
extractor snaps over the rim of the cartridge, and the
the steps of the cycle.
ejector on the face of the bolt is depressed.
As the bolt begins its forward movement, the feed
As the round is chambered, the bolt enters the barrel
cam is forced to the right, causing the feed cam lever to
socket. The upper and lower locking lugs contact the
pivot in the opposite direction and forcing the feed paw1
bolt camming surfaces inside the barrel socket and start
over the next round in the belt, ready to place the round
the rotation of the bolt clockwise. The action of the
into the feed tray groove when the rearward action
operating rod yoke against the bolt camming slot, as the
occurs again (figure 2-47). As the bolt moves to the rear
operating rod continues forward, causes the bolt to
after the firing, the cam roller in the top of the bolt forces
complete its one-quarter turn clockwise rotation (fig.
the feed cam to the left. The feed cam lever is forced to
2-49). Locking is then completed.
pivot, moving the feed paw1 to the right, placing a round
into the feed tray groove.
After the bolt reaches its fully forward and locked
position, the operating rod continues to go forward,
As the bolt travels forward, the upper locking lug
independently of the bolt, for a short distance. The
engages the rim of the cartridge. The pressure of the
yoke, engaged between the firing pin spools, carries the
front and rear cartridge guides holds the round so that
firing pin forward. The striker of the firing pin
positive contact is made with the upper locking lug of
protrudes through the aperture in the face of the bolt,
the bolt. The front cartridge guide prevents the link's
Figure 2-47.--Feeding.
2-26
