P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download

(2) Machine-guns (5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50 caliber) on ground tripods or vehicle mounts (ring mounts excluded) firing from a stationary position. d. Only ammunition certified for overhead fire will be used. e. All firing of direct-fire weapons will be from positions that provide an unobstructed field of fire. f. Overhead fire with machine guns in live-fire exercises will be as follows: (1) Bullets will not be permitted to impact between the firing position and the rear of the line of unprotected personnel. All impacts should be a minimum of 50 m beyond the forward line of unprotected personnel. (2) Positive stops must be used to prevent crossfire and depression of the muzzle during firing. (3) A minimum clearance or safety limit must be established using the guidelines for overhead fire in FM 3–22.65 and FM 3–22.68. Marine Corps personnel use Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3–15.1. (4) The rate of fire will not exceed 70 rounds per minute for 5.56mm and 7.62mm machine guns and 40 rounds per minute for .50 caliber machine guns. (5) Weapons will be test fired before delivery of overhead fire to verify effectiveness of the positive traverse and depression stops. (6) Tracer ammunition may be used as a check to track the projectile flight path. g. In addition to the requirements of paragraph f, the following precautions will apply to overhead fire with machine guns for a confidence infiltration course: (1) Firing will be from approved platforms as described in TC 3–21.75. (2) Qualified field maintenance/ordnance personnel will inspect the mounts and weapons before being declared safe to deliver overhead fire. (3) A minimum clearance of 2.5 m over the heads of personnel or the highest obstruction within the field of fire will be maintained. Minimum clearance is the distance between the lowest shot in the dispersion pattern (as determined by the test firing) and the bodies of individuals in erect positions on the highest point of ground, log, or other obstacle over which personnel must travel, or heights of barbed wire strands or posts on the course, whichever is higher. h. All firing of indirect fire weapons will be from positions in which the site to mask allows engagement of the targets nearest to the forward line of troops. Selection of firing positions, direction of fire, and fall of shot must prevent the projectiles from striking trees or other obstacles in the area from the weapon position to a point forward of unprotected personnel. The forward point is defined as the bursting radius of the round, plus 12 range probable errors. i. When field artillery is fired during CALFEX/CAX with maneuvering personnel, the impact area will be adjusted according to the maneuver location of troops to maintain safe separation distance. The troop side of the impact area will be determined in relation to the movement of the personnel. Unprotected troops must not be permitted to enter danger zones after firing has commenced. j. Weapons will be grouped by muzzle velocity as cited in FM 6–40 or pertinent Marine Corps TMs. Weapons will be bore-sighted as prescribed in FM 6–50. Tubes will be clean and dry before start of exercise and will be cleaned during the exercise in accordance with appropriate weapon TMs. k. All ammunition to be fired should be uniformly conditioned to ambient temperature consistent with the tactical situation. l. Registration. (1) At least two rounds should be fired for registration. Targets should be selected in the central portion of the target area. After registration, corrections must be applied to deflection and quadrant elevation limits. If no registration is fired, meteorological and velocity error (MET + VE) corrections will be applied immediately before the exercise starts. (2) To compensate for drift in high-angle fire, the right deflection limit will be moved to the left by the amount of the maximum drift listed within the range limits for the charges being fired. The left limit will be moved to the right by the amount of the minimum drift listed within the range limits for the charges being fired. To determine the appropriate drift, the tabular firing table and graphical firing scale must be examined and the safer value used. If a drift value is not listed in the tabular firing table or on the graphical firing scale for the ranges to the near and far edge of the target area, the nearest safer value will be used. m. Overhead fire above unprotected personnel from a moving vehicle or aircraft is prohibited. n. Cannon and mortar flanking fire must not impact any closer to unprotected personnel than the fragmentation radius (Area A) prescribed for each weapon. o. Small arms (5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50 caliber), ground-mounted or vehicle-mounted machine guns may be fired at low angles of elevation (near the flank of an individual or unit). For the SDZ, there must be an angle of 15 degrees or 100m (whichever is greater) between the limit of fire and the near flank of the closest individual or unit and all impacts are beyond the individual or unit. For the batwing SDZ, all non-participating personnel must be outside of the SDZ. Tripod, traversing and depression stops will be used on machine guns to maintain the required angle and distance between the line of fire and the near flank of an individual or unit. p. Range SOPs will address firing and maneuver unit locations to ensure no unprotected personnel are exposed to training fires. 210 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014