Blow forward
Blow forwardis afirearmactionwhere thepropellantgas pressureand thefrictionof thebullettraveling down theboredrag the wholegun barrelforward to facilitate the opening of thebreech.[1]This forward barrel motion provides most of the energy required to eject a spentcartridge caseand chamber a fresh round ofammunition,and contains a minimum of moving parts, and thus is more compact than other operating mechanisms of equal barrel length.
Description
[edit]The vast majority ofrepeating firearmshave their barrel fixed to thereceiveror largely immobile in relation to the frame, with the breech face (as part of a movingboltorslide) moving within the frame against the barrel. In contrast, the frame of a blow-forward firearm incorporates a fixed breech face, with the barrel being mobile and sliding away from the breech (frame) during the weapon's cycling.
Due to the reduced mass of rearward-traveling parts coupled with the increased mass of the forward moving parts (barrel in addition to bullet and propellant gasses), recoil energy is significantly greater than other operating mechanisms. The barrel and spring are generally the only moving parts. Most blow-forward guns rely partially on the inertia of the barrel as the rest of the firearm recoil away from it.[2][3]
Examples
[edit]The first blow-forward firearm was theMannlicher M1894pistol and protected underU.S. patent 581,296.The principle has been used in a few other weapons, including:
- Schwarzlose Model 1908
- Hino Komuro M1908 Pistol
- Mk 20 Mod 040mm automatic grenade launcher.
For a list of blow-forward firearms, seeList of blow-forward firearms
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Hammerfell, Richard (7 March 2015).Firearms Illustrated - Pistol Edition.Digital Services. p. 166. GGKEY:PKJGL3K97WH.[permanent dead link][ISBN missing][dead link]
- ^Smith, B. (7 March 2015).History of the Handgun.Digital Services. p. 1896. GGKEY:5F3APLD7J8C.[ISBN missing][dead link]
- ^Cunningham, Grant (2012).Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Handguns.Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 22.ISBN978-1-4402-3276-3.[permanent dead link]
External links
[edit]- How Does it Work: Blow ForwardForgotten Weapons
| Pistols |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Rifles | ||
| Shotguns | ||
| Grenade launchers | ||