Re: [OT] Linking Ammo

At 1:21 PM -0400 6/26/02, Flak Magnet wrote:
>I think it's a matter of how the belts are put together.  Our "belts"
of
>ammo are cartridges linked together by metal "clips" called links.  A
>link clips onto one cartridge and has a "hook" that is locked around
the
>next cartridge by the link that's clipped onto that cartridge.
>
>http://www.twobittraining.com/CAP/graphics/belt3.gif
>Note:	This is an image of 7.62mmNATO M-60 ammo.  Pretty much all of
our
>(US) small arms belted ammo is built this way.  The orange-tipped
rounds
>are tracers, of course.  Great for letting you know where your rounds
>are going, as well as letting the NME know where they're coming from.

These are disintegrating links. There are non disintigrating links as 
well as belts (textile/cloth) with folds every so often where a 
cartridge is pushed.

Disintegrating links are set up so that you have two loops that wrap 
around the first round from one side and another loop that wraps 
around the next round from the other side. A group of links in line 
allow you to pull a bullet from one link pair (left/right) and break 
the belt of ammo. The M60 and M2 Mgs use this kind of link. Naturally 
there are different sizes and specific configurations. Some are 
closed loop (M2 and M9 links for 50cal) others are open loop (M15a2 
50cal).

Other types of disintegrating link are a single clip with a ring that 
attaches to the next link. Pulling the round allows the ring to fall 
away separating the links together. ie M12 for 20mm.

Non disintegrating links are arranged such that a single clip is 
attached to another such that even when rounds aren't in the links, 
the belt is still continuous. These were used in guns like the MG42 
or 34 and in the BESA MG in British service.

Belts can be a simple belt with folds woven (M1919) into them or they 
can be more complex with folds and locating tabs with brass grommets 
(vickers).

The belts, metallic link or cloth, are of course a fixed length 
requiring the changing of the belt when the ammo ran out. 
Disintegrating link that had open loops allowed for a soldier to clip 
a new belt onto the belt that is just hanging out of the feed tray on 
the MG and not open the action to feed a new round. Some of the non 
disintegrating links/belts have starter tabs on them that allow one 
to feed the tab through the action and after cycling it two times 
have that belt/gun ready to go.

Re linkers, there are many forms but the basic model used with the 
vickers or on the M42 is a device that clips to a table and has a 
hopper for new rounds to be fed into. The belt is fed in and by 
virtue of a crank handle, you get loaded belt out the other side.

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