P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download

5–2. Grenade launchers and grenade machine guns a. General firing conditions. (1) Personnel will be instructed in the proper use of grenade launchers and grenade machine guns and applicable safety precautions before firing with live ammunition. (2) Protective helmet and body armor (Army) or PPE Level 1 (Marine Corps) will be worn when firing HE ammunition. Requirement for eye protection will be determined by the commander as part of the risk management process. Refer to table 2–2. (a) Hazardous fragmentation from HE grenade ammunition may be experienced up to 165 m from the point of detonation. Appropriate HE no-fire lines will be established. (b) Although the MK32, M79, M203, and M320 40 mm grenade launchers are designed to prevent accidental chambering of 40mm high-velocity ammunition, OICs and RSOs will ensure only low-velocity grenade cartridges are fired from MK32, M79, M203, and M320 grenade launchers. (c) Single hearing protection will be worn within 2 m of firing these grenade launchers. (d) Snow depth of 10cm (4 in) or more and standing water will increase the potential of 40 mm duds. These conditions must be considered prior to firing. (e) Minimum target engagement for MK32, M79, M203, and M320 grenade launchers firing HE ammunition is 130 m or 165 m, depending on type of ammunition. (3) All duds will be reported by the OIC to the range operations firing desk (Army), range control office (Marine Corps). When fired or launched, HE grenades cannot be cleared from an impact area, which must be designated as a dedicated, high-hazard impact area. Dedicated, high-hazard impact areas will be posted with signs to warn and keep out unauthorized personnel, and fenced off, if practical. b. General firing precautions. General firing precautions for the MK19, MOD 3 grenade machine gun. (1) Targets will be engaged only at ranges greater than 75 m with training practice (TP) ammunition. (2) Targets will be engaged only at ranges greater than or equal to 310 m with HE ammunition. (3) Firing through obstructions will be avoided. (4) Gunners, crew members and other personnel at the firing position will wear protective helmet, eye protection, and body armor (Army) or PPE Level 1 (Marine Corps) at all times when firing HE ammunition. Refer to table 2–2. (5) Range firing procedures and physical setup must be adequate to prevent HE rounds from impacting closer than 310 m from the firing position, firing vehicle, other vehicles, or personnel. (6) Firing over open vehicle hatches is not authorized. Serious injury can result from burns caused by weapon flash or by expended or ejected cartridge cases striking personnel. (7) Approved single hearing protection and eye protection is required for all personnel within the noise hazard contour of a 20 m radius of the weapon system. (8) Daily exposure limit within the noise hazard contour is 1,000 rounds per day. (9) Army personnel recovering dud M918 40mm TP projectiles will follow the procedures outlined in TB 9–1310–251–10. The use of protective goggles or face shield, gloves, and tongs while handling M918 TP rounds is mandatory. Marine Corps EOD personnel recovering the same munitions will follow procedures outlined in EODB 60 series publications. c. Static firing restrictions for vehicle mounted machine gun. Static firing restrictions for vehicle mounted machine gun, MK19, MOD 3 grenade machine gun. (1) A gunner’s quadrant and/ or MK64, MOD 7 mount depression stop will be used to keep the minimum elevation above 30 mil when firing. (2) M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) interim squad carrier: (a) Soft tops must be installed over the driver and passenger compartments for safe operation of the vehicle when firing the MK19. (b) Visual and physical inspection of the adaptive engineering team collar-mounting bolts must be performed prior to, during, and after firing operations. All bolts must be present with nuts firmly tightened prior to firing. (3) M113 and M106 series armored carriers: (a) Firing over open hatches is prohibited. (b) Driver’s hatch must be closed when firing off the left side, forward, or off the right side of the vehicle, or when personnel or objects in hatch areas are forward of the weapon muzzle. (4) M88A1 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) medium-tracked recovery vehicle: (a) Operator and mechanic hatches must be closed when firing off the left side, forward, or off the right side of the vehicle. 49 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014