P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download
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(2) Procedures to be followed when a misfire or hang-fire occurs, or when the potential for a cook-off exists, are in the appropriate weapon system TMs. (3) All dud projectiles and their location will be reported to the installation RMA (Army), RCO (Marine Corps). d. Loading or firing ammunition. Do not load or fire ammunition at bore temperatures higher or lower than the safe limit of firing. After loading, fire the weapon system, or in case of a cease-fire, immediately remove the projectile. If the projectile cannot be removed from the weapon system within five minutes, evacuate all personnel to a distance equivalent to Area A for the munitions. See TM 43–0001–28 and appropriate weapon system TMs. e. Authorized propellant charge. Use only authorized propellant charges for the specific projectile and weapon system to be fired. Never use more charges than those comprising the full authorized charge. f. White phosphorous impregnated felt wedges from the M825 and M825A1 155mm projectiles. These may not be totally consumed when the WP burns. Crushing or moving unburned felt wedges would reignite residual WP posing a burn hazard. Personnel will not disturb unburned felt wedges. Personnel discovering unburned felt wedges will notify the range operations firing desk (Army), range control (Marine Corps). g. Rocket assisted projectiles. Rocket-on firings require a clear zone short of the target area in case the rocket motor fails to function. Rocket-off firings also require a clear zone beyond the target area to allow for accidental (unintended) initiation of the rocket motor. 105mm rocket assisted projectiles require a clear zone of 5,000 m short of the target for rocket-on firing and 5,000 m beyond the target for rocket-off firing. 155mm rocket assisted projectiles require a 7,000 m clear zone short of the target for rocket-on firing and 7,000 m beyond the target for rocket-off firing. h. Salute (blank) firing of 75mm and 105mm projectiles. DODICs B550, B650, C025, C440 produce hazards from muzzle debris and noise. Muzzle closure debris can be expelled 92 m forward of the weapon and 10 degrees either side of the bore axis. Hazardous noise levels (140 decibels) are 77 m along the bore axis, 49 m at 30 degrees each side of the bore axis, 31 m at 60 degrees each side of the bore axis, 21 m at 90 degrees each side of the bore axis, 14 m at 120 degrees each side of the bore axis, 10 meters at 150 degrees each side of the bore axis, and 10 m directly behind the weapon. i. Hearing protection. All personnel within the hearing hazard zone shall wear approved single hearing protection. The hearing hazard zone is usually defined in the manuals for the cannon, propellant charges, or cartridge. If the hearing hazard zone information cannot be determined, hearing protection will be required within 800 m. 10–4. Field artillery cannon surface danger zones a. The SDZ requirements for all field artillery cannons firing conventional ammunition (excluding APERS/"beehive" and M712 Coppperhead cannon-launched guided projectiles) are provided in tables 10–1 and 10–2 and figures 10–1 and 10–2. b. Computer-generated SDZs created using the RMTK are authorized if the software has been thoroughly tested and validated by survey and manual computations, approved for use by the artillery commander who trains the unit, and reviewed and verified by the installation RMA (Army), RCO (Marine Corps). Tactical fire control measures may be substituted for SDZs provided they correspond to figures 10–1 or 10–2 as applicable. c. Installation RMAs (Army), RCOs (Marine Corps) will determine target area boundaries. Left and right limits of the target area determine the left and right limits of fire. The maximum range line (arc) will be the far edge (down range) of the target area, and the minimum range line (arc) will be the near edge (up range) of the target area. Unprotected personnel are not authorized in the target and associated hazard areas (Areas A, B, C, and E) during firing. d. Projectile ricochets, empty carrier projectile bodies and debris found outside the Target Area in or beyond Area A and Area B and their locations will be reported to the installation RMA (Army), RCO (Marine Corps). e. Basic dimensions of the impact area will be computed as specified in table 10–1. f. Firing table probable errors corresponding to the range for the center of the target area will be used for this computation. These basic dimensions are based on standard conditions. They do not compensate for errors or nonstandard conditions. g. Areas A and B for M825 155mm WP smoke projectiles may be reduced to 350 m. 111 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014