.50 cal BMG machine gun question

[Hellfish]

It's been so long since I've used one and I can't find any videos, but does anyone remember if the charging handles move with the bolt, so that when you fire off rounds, the charging handles move too?

I think the answer is yes, but I want to be positive.

[Stl. boy]

Just watched a video to make sure, and it didnt look like it moved to me.

[Beinlausen]

the charging hadle only pushes the bolt back when you **** the gun, the handle is not moving when firing.

[Dutchman2]

That right; It stay forward. sometimes it looks that it moves because of the vibrations.

[Tributal]

Could you imagine getting in the way of it if it in fact moved with each shot fired - OUCH!

[American Patriot]

No, John Browning made a machine gun, not a hand remover.

[mattnwnc03]

no the handle does not move

[Hellfish]

Roger. The M60's charging handle moves, though, doesn't it? Tell me I'm not going nuts... :cantbeli:

[HumanShield]

pretty sure it does. Along with the m249 and m240?

But then again, the charging handle isnt nearly as large as the one on the .50bmg

[Michael RVR]

neither the Minimi nor the Mag-58's 'charging handles' move. If the M60's did i'd be surprised, but then i've never used one, and it was made by an american :P

[Stl. boy]

Just watched an m60 vid and that charge handle doesnt move either.

[thatguy96]

Most of these weapons are open-bolt, and if you've ever handled one you know you have to move the charging handle back into the forward position after you lock it, it doesn't snap back into place. All these charging handles do is force the bolt assembly into the rear position and lock it into place. They shouldn't be connected to anything permenantly.

[Hellfish]

Hm. Then what the hell am I remembering that the charging handle moves while firing?

It the the M1917 or M1919? :|

[thatguy96]

I don't think either of those having charging handles that are connected to the bolt and carrier assemblies as well. You'd be hard pressed to find a lot of weapons larger than machine pistols and SMGs where the charging handle cycles with the action.

[Undo]

Actually, I know what weapon you mean. I think you have seen footage of the old maxim guns and their immediate derivitives. I have seen old movies of crew served weapons with the charging handle pounding away. I remember being thankful they put a stop to that. Can't remember the exact make or model, but they were definitely NOT modern weapons. I don't even think they were 2ww, but if they were that was the end of them.

[rickman]

OK guys...when you pull the charging handle back it pulls the bolt and locks it in a rear and open position...then your ride the charging handle back to a forward position, leaving the bolt behind. The handle DOES NOT move when firing. The weapon is said to "fire from an open bolt"...when you squeeze the trigger the bolt is released and rams a round into the chamber and fires the round...over and over. When you let go of the trigger the bolt locks to the rear.
The M2, M60, M249, and even the UZI and MAC 10/11 SMG's all fire from an open bolt. Weapons like the M16 and AK fire from a closed bolt.

Pros and cons:

A weapon that fires from an open bolt is not as accurate as one fired from a closed bolt. Extreme accuracy is not really that important with these weapons though because they are usually designed to be fired exclusively on full-auto.

It is not healthy to fire a closed bolt weapon on sustained full-auto for very long. The chamber, along with the barrel, heats up to an unbelievable temp. When you quick firing, the unlucky round that ends up in the chamber can cook off. Hot AK's have been known to "run away"...round after round cooks off. All you can do is hold on til the mag runs dry.

Remember Kids: Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, BUT rather to SKID In BROADSIDE, completely used up, totally worn out, and SCREAMING "WOW---WHAT A RIDE"!!

[Kaplanr]

Maybe you saw the Thompson bolt move?

What happens with the FN-Mag, what you call the M-240, is once you've cocked it, the slide can move freely back and forth. If left to the rear it will move forward when the gun is fired, but isn't carried back and forth during operation. If by chance you use your left hand to fire it it, and for some reason (I can't think why you would) put your right hand on the cocking bolt, you could hurt yourself, maybe pinch a good deal of tissue at the end of the slide.

Now that I think of it, the same is true of the .50 cal. The cocking lever slides once its cocked, bit doesn't travel (unless through vibration) during operation. I don't want to say the same about the .30, we didn't use it after Basic.

[Deuterium]

.50 cal is closed bolt.

[earl]

Hm. Then what the hell am I remembering that the charging handle moves while firing?

It the the M1917 or M1919? :|

http://www.seaforthhighlanders.ca/c9closeup512k.wmv

http://www.seaforthhighlanders.ca/c6closeup512kwmv.wmv

Looks like they both move a bit, but only because they are being hammered by the bolt after it travels forward? Definitely not the full length of the bolt's travel.

The charging handle of the M249 moves like this in the movie Black Hawk Down, there's a closeup scene of it.