NBP Weapons

[TCBF]

"First about the SMG. I remember back in the days doing CQB in Hohenfels, West Germany that there was a known problem with the SMG. The problem being that if it there was a round chambered, the safety was off and it struck a hard surface then the weapon would fire and sometime expend the entire magazine."

Your memory ain't that good.  The SMG fires from an open bolt, and therefore a chambered round that has not fired is called a "Stoppage."

After that poor guy shot himself in 1970 jumping off the back of a Deuce, the trigger mech was modded.  Try as I may to emulate the stories, I never could bang it hard enough to get the bolt to go fwd when it was on S.

Tom

 

[Fishbone Jones]

If the SMG had the bolt forward and the safety off and the butt was struck on the ground or similar, the bolt would only have to come back a few inches to pick up, chamber and fire the round. It had a fixed firing pin that fired the round when it would not seat any further in the chamber. The recoil would expend the casing and send the bolt all the way back to be held by the sear. If your not holding the trigger, it won't come forward and pick up another round. It won't run away and empty the mag.

The 30 rnd runaway scenario was from the Sten, which we used before the SMG. It was built for about 99 cents during WWII. Didn't have the safety selector nor the better trigger mech found on the SMG. Crude, unsafe, but very effective none the less in close quarters. We still had them in the Reserves in the late sixties.

 

[Navalsnpr]

TCBF, the last time I saw a SMG was back in '89, so I guess my memory is fading regarding that particular weapon!!

On another note, the C1 Stirling's magazine protruded from the side of the weapon. This would be a problem for searching below decks in tight areas.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

On another note, the C1 Stirling's magazine protruded from the side of the weapon. This would be a problem for searching below decks in tight areas.

That's why we had a ten round mag for the SMG! ;D (OK, I know it wasn't much good, but we had 'em)