Question about "Ma Deuce"...(my memory is failing!)

[82Rigger]

Like most Army combat MOSs I trained on the .50 BMG in infantry AIT, but after that I didn't see it much anymore.

I seem to recall that by reversing the feed tray, Ma Deuce could be set up to feed/eject on either the left or the right side.

I also recall that caution was called for when removing the grip plate, otherwise you would be bayonetted by a big-ass spring (recoil spring?).

I missed a day of training on the .50 because of KP.

Do ya'll remember this stuff?

[colmurph]

Guys used to lose an eye when they turned the screw with their dog tag without taking it from around their necks and the guide rod flew out the back. Don't remember if the feed tray could be reversed but I remember that on semi-auto it was an awesome sniper rifle. We had one on top of LZ West with a Unertl 20x Scope on it and it could take out a zip at 1500 yards.

[Andy]

Navy friends have told me they had the ammo bin on some of their .50's on the wrong side, I don't know why and never saw it myself. I've been trying to remember exactly how a quad-50 worked, it's ammo set up, but just don't have any clear memory.

Like Murph said, the removal of the rear plate on the 50 was something to be done with a clear head and be very careful.

Murph, you go me thinking. Once you turned that knob on the rear of .50 was it semi auto or single shot? Didn't ever use the weapon that way but for some reason I thought it became a single shot machine gun, good for sniper work but other wise....

First time I sat in the turret of an APC the instructions were, 3 to 5 round bursts, try hard to kill people and don't forget the LSA. Good advise so I didn't modify.

Stay healthy,
Andy

Saw it used by snipers with a starlight scope.Feed tray on diferent sides to allow use with twin/quad mounts?

[Desdichado]

Feed was totally reversible. I doubt they had the quad in mind when they designed that feature, but it made it possible.

To fire single shot, one would release the bolt latch to the up position by rotating the buffer tube sleeve to the right, then lock the bolt to the rear. The bolt should stay to the rear in single-shot mode. Then ride the bolt forward by holding the retractor handles, pressing the bolt latch release and ridin' it up. Then yer good to go.

[colmurph]

Pressing down on the upside down U shaped trigger at the rear between the spade handles gave you full auto and pressing the single thumb piece in the center gave you one shot at a time.

[Packo]

Steve and Doc.

Your correct on the reversable. It is how most or all Twin 50's were able to operate from WWII to today, I would imagine. (If their are Twins in todays Military.)

Two of my fathers friends were Ball Turret gunners in WWII. They were a wealth of info.

Packo

[Andy]

Murph:
I waited a couple of days for a response from some old friends from our Mech Infantry Co. Two of them said, ?Semi auto .50? What have you been smoking?? The other two said, ?Sure you could fire semi, don't you remember firing semi to mark a target for an FO??

Still, I have no memory of the .50 firing semi but I do know your right, it?s embarrassing. Did I once know it was a semi and decided that has no practical value for me? Or is it simple memory lost?

Well, thanks for info. I do trust you, just needed some conformation. Remember once someone was talking about the plastic handles on a Ma Duce. Our company only got .50?s with wooden handles, was thinking it might have been something like that.

Hey Rigger, please ask another question I know the answer too so that I might be corrected. (Glad we didn't bet any money on that one.)

Stay healthy,
Andy

[82Rigger]

... I swear to God I'm not trying to "mess" with ya with these questions.

I'm trying to convince myself that my memory is still intact.

[Packo]

Andy, Rigger,

Lets face it....our memories are failing. Just yesterday....crap, forgot what I was going to say.

P something