I am reading a book about a fellow that was in the British Para Reg during the late 70,s early 80,s. He mentions that before an operation, when going over his gear, he would make sure that the last round in his SLR (FAL) magazines were always on the right side. Would any of you experienced folk know why this is.. thanks Russelld
Question for military guys with FAL experiencw
- Thread starter russelld
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BattleRife
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This is not an FAL specific procedure.
You make sure all your mags are loaded with the last round on the same side. In the field, if you want to quietly check to see if you remembered to charge your rifle, you pull the mag. If the top round is on the left, one round has been stripped out and is chambered. If the top round is on the right, you forgot to load it.
You make sure all your mags are loaded with the last round on the same side. In the field, if you want to quietly check to see if you remembered to charge your rifle, you pull the mag. If the top round is on the left, one round has been stripped out and is chambered. If the top round is on the right, you forgot to load it.
I did 35 years in the infantry. I've never even heard of that. When loading your mags, load them fully. If you can't they aren't serviceable. Exchange them. To check if they're loaded before putting them on the rifle you press down the top round to see if it goes down. When loading your rifle, know what state you have it in. Example, loaded, readied or unloaded. When aproaching the enemy, there's no time to wonder if your rifle is or isn't loaded. These things sound like wannabe soldiers practices.
+1 It seems a bit irresponsible to not know what condition your main lifeline is in. But, then again, I'm just a civilian, and not a hi-speed operator....
However, what the soldier seems to be advocating is not that you don't load your magazine fully, but that, when you do, you start them off on the same side. (All the magazines will have their final round on the same side... which is the opposite side of which you started...)
I'm a bit obsessive compulsive, so I think I'd do that anyway...
I've never heard of it either, but it's just absurd enough to be army protocol
. I remember distinctly the day as complete rookies (no one used the term 'newb' way back then haha) when they told us our boots had to be laced 'just so'. The reason given wasn't uniformity or anything so basic or logical, but rather that if you came upon someone in the dead of night you could tell if they were enemy without a word spoken... just crawl up and feel the laces. Uh huh. Bizarre what some people come up with/believe/etc.Either way, sounds like a potentially dangerous and perhaps downright irresponsible way to deal with such an issue.
WTF? the follower has a bump on it.. you have to load your first round on the right side.
Which means that the last round will be on left side...
and anyone worth anything could tell a short mag from weight
This author was writing prose out his ass.. to make it seem more "authentic"
Which means that the last round will be on left side...
and anyone worth anything could tell a short mag from weight
This author was writing prose out his ass.. to make it seem more "authentic"
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the mag follower will dictate what side the last round sits on.
mags were loaded to max, and you knew what state your rifle was in when you loaded it so its not going to load or unload itself.
mags were loaded to max, and you knew what state your rifle was in when you loaded it so its not going to load or unload itself.
a lot of wannabe's when it comes to soldiering. Me, i like to follow my own orders.
Not experienced, but I heard about something similar to this with reference to making sure the mags are fully loaded. The tale I heard was that you know you have an even number of rounds in the mag if the top one was on the right side, and thus you know your mag is not -1.
More likely, the guy was just detail oriented, and double checking his mags.
More likely, the guy was just detail oriented, and double checking his mags.
I've never heard of it either, but it's just absurd enough to be army protocol
Either way, sounds like a potentially dangerous and perhaps downright irresponsible way to deal with such an issue.
Tell that to my step grandfather who had Gurkhas under him in Italy in WW2. He told stories to my mum about them going out at night and finding the enemy be the way they laced the boots. British did the straight across while Germans did the #####-cross.
he is talking about brit training. yes i always used mags from the pouch on the opposit side of the weapons loading side. a habbit to get into. i even caried extra mags out of the initial load. transfered them in respect to weapon or the side i would be loading from. just good practice. also the myth of 25 rounds (m16) or 19 rds fn) is a myth but if you think it gives you a edge why not. in the old patrol manual it states soldiers should be incouraged to carry or participate in acts or wpns that he believes are benificial to his mission at hand (para phrasing).
Not FN related but....
He may be refering to a press check where you look at the first round in your mag, load, ready and remove the mag to look for the next round being opposite. This gives you 100% assurance a round chambered...not an excuse because you don't know your weapon state.
This practice is being taught now. It is done when not under contact of course.
PM for anyfurther detail. I assisted in developing our new program.
This kinda reminds me of reading how some soldiers would mark the top round in a mag with a marker. If the mag was not full, or rifle charged, their would be no mark on the top round.
Ya, really makes more sense to just note WTH your doing.
Ya, really makes more sense to just note WTH your doing.
Might also have been a kit layout that had been drilled into him on a particular training course.
Like with the CF, ISCC; Aqua Velva was second from the right in the locker drawer layout. Nobody used that crap, but it was something that the training staff had to have in their layout when they did the course 10 years prior, so every subsequent generation had to have it as well. No real reason for it, just something some idiot in the past decided it must be done, and nobody else in the chain ever bothered to question.
Like with the CF, ISCC; Aqua Velva was second from the right in the locker drawer layout. Nobody used that crap, but it was something that the training staff had to have in their layout when they did the course 10 years prior, so every subsequent generation had to have it as well. No real reason for it, just something some idiot in the past decided it must be done, and nobody else in the chain ever bothered to question.
It is actually done that way, as ### as it is, to see how well orders are payed attion to and followed on, attention to detail..etc.
If a guy dosen't have the comprehension or basic leadership to have the section put all the kit in their lockers the same, it could be an indication of a possible s**tshow later on.
To add, don't get me wrong, I have had to do lots of stuff in the military that makes me just shake my head.
It is dumb, I hated it too but figured the game out. It is still done today during leadership courses, albeit not as harsh as the good old ISCC.
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Aqua Velva on the right side... WTF?
I did that too! Have a look!
Now regarding the bullets on the right side of the FNC1A1 magazine, I dunno. Darned if I ever looked!
Cheers all!
Barney
