Gun Block Final

Prohibited Items

Rings

PPE Required for wear during weapons employment

Gloves, Helmet, Hearing Pro, Glasses

Munitions operations are…

Inherently dangerous activities including upload and download

Required Items

Adequate lighting, 150lb Fire bottle or equivalent,

Dropped Ammo Procedures

Dropped Ammo must be marked and returned to ammunition personnel

Fire involving Ammo

Notify the crew and fire department, then simultaneously fight the fire, remove ammo if possible. Withdraw all non essential personnel 2500 feet. WHEN fire envelops munitions, crew members fighting the fire will also withdraw 2500 feet

Withdraw distances for fire involving ammo

Withdraw all non-essential personnel 2,500feet withdraw to 4,000 feet when net explosive weight exceeds 500lb of high explosive class ammo

When are weapons Inspections conducted?

Prior to flight as well as both before and after each mission

Purpose of weapons inspections

serves to verify the weapon is clear of ammunition or spent casings and is in a safe configuration. Function checks ensure the weapon is serviceable

Prior to weapons inspections, VERIFY the weapon is:

Safe- Proper weapon configuration

Serviceable- Performing function checks

Clear- Visually inspect for ammo/brass in chamber

What is a weapon malfunction?

Failure in the firing cycle due to improper timing or broken components

SMA’s are responsible for diagnosing and repairing

Gun Stoppage or “Bent Gun”

Interruption in the weapons firing cycle

Hot Gun

If rounds are present in the barrel or chamber, and the potential for inadvertent firing exists

Misfire

Weapon fails to fire after the trigger is pulled

• usually do to a malfunction within the propellant explosive change

• treat as hang fire until potential for inadvertent firing is eliminated

Hang Fire

Delay between trigger pull and the weapon firing due to propellant charge igniting slower than usual

• fraction of a second to several seconds dependent on type of ammo

Cook off

Inadvertent firing (without pulling the trigger) after the propellant charge is ignited by a hot barrel or chamber

• common after long firing bursts due to the heating of gun components, especially in single barrel weapons

Runaway Gun

Continues firing after the trigger is released

• due to failure in some portion of firing mechanism

• will continue until weapon is empty or some other weapon malfunction occurs

What is the function of a weapon?

to deliver a destructive force on an enemy target

What is Caliber?

Measurement representing the diameter of a round

• measured in inches, hundredths of an inch, or millimeters

Three categories of a bullets

Light- less than 20mm

Medium- 20mm-100mm

Heavy- Greater than 100mm

Cartridge

Packages the bullet, gunpowder, and primer into a single case made to fit down the chamber of the barrel

• seals firing chamber in all directions except down the barrel

Fuze

Mechanical OR electrical detonation device for setting off the bursting charge of a projectile

• often used on large caliber projectiles that contain explosives

• Requires SETBACK (inertia) and spin to arm

Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)

Encased in a copper coated steel

• prevents damage to barrel

• reduce deformation of the bullet (reducing misfires)

• prevent fragmentation within its target

Ogive

Curved portion of a projectile between fuze and the bourrelet

Bourrelet

forward bearing surface of a projectile

• centers forward art of the projectile in the tube

• Only the bourrelet and the rotating band of the projectile contact the grooves of the barrel

Body

Cylindrical portion of the projectile between the bourrelet and the rotating band

• contains most of the explosive filler

Rotating band

Seals the bore (chamber)

Responsible for imparting spin on the projectile by following the rifling as it travels through the barrel

• positions and centers the rear end of the projectile in the chamber

Base

Portion of the projectile below the rotating band

• squared or more commonly- “boat tailed”

Tracer

Small pyrotechnic charge in the base

Base Plate

Metal cover that is crimped, caulked, or welded to the base of the projectile

• prevents hot gasses of the propellant charge from prematurely heating

Propellant Explosive Train

Sequence of events and associated components leading to the detonation of a propellant charge

Consists of:

1) Primer- small metallic cap sensitive to friction, heat, electricity, or shock

2) igniter- Ignited by primer ignites propellant charge

3) Propellant- insensitive but powerful explosive that propels the projectile

Ball

Used for marksmanship training and against personnel and light material targets

Tracer

permits visual observation of bullets trajectory

Dim Tracer

7.62mm ONLY Visible under NVGs only

Armor Piercing

tungsten core to pierce light armmor

Incendiary

contains slow burning chemical designed to ignite flammable materials after impact

Armor piercing incendiary

self explanatory

Armor piercing incendiary tracer

figure it out

Blank

Simulated live fire training- crimped or capped cartridge with no projectile

Dummy

Inert rounds for training only identified by unpainted tip with holes drilled into the cartridge

Bolt

Holds round and brings it toward the chamber (typically contains firing mechanism)

Open bolt position

The bolt grabs the round and chambers it after the trigger is pulled

Closed bolt positon

the bolt has already chambered the round prior to pulling the trigger

Sear

Holds the firing pin or bolt back until the trigger is pulled

Firing pin

Spring-loaded metal pin that strikes the primer of the round causing the round to fire

Chamber

Entrance of the barrel that accepts the round and contains firing pressure

• “Breech” on larger weapons

Magazine

Ammo storage and feeding device

Cam Surface

Grooved or cut portions of a weapon sys that provide a “path of least resistance’ for moving components to travel along

Solenoid

Electromagnet that effectively converts electrical impulses into the mechanical force necessary to fire a weapon

Theory of the K

Rotary-Wing flight pattern designed to facilitate continuous single or multi-ship engagement

Aerodynamic Forces

Forward velocity, bank angles and rotor wash

Azimuth

Left to right movement of the barrel

Elevation

Up/Down movement of the barrel

Bent Gun

The gun is broken or unusable (likely due to a critical malfunction)

Recoil Operated

A weapon that uses the recoil and counter recoil to cycle rounds

Battery position

The forward resting position in which the weapon is ready to fire

Counter Recoil

Forward force generated through a mechanism for the purpose of bringing a weapon back to the battery position

Recoil

The rearward force generated by firing the weapon

Semi Auto

Loading is automatic, but each round requires an individual trigger pull

Automatic

Both loading a new round and firing are automatic while the trigger is pulled

Percussion Fire

All guns besides a railgun

Ejecting

The act of removing the spent casing or unfired round from the weapon

Charging

Similar to cocking, pulls the bolt to the rear in addition to resetting the firing mechanism

Cocking

The process of resetting the firing pin to allow for for firing of another round

Firing

The result of the firing pin striking the primer

Chambering (ramming)

When the bolt forces the round forward into the chamber

Feeding

The process of auto ( or manual) placing rounds into the weapon