Dust cover question ...

[boomer49]

As everybody knows, when you pull and release the charging handle, a round is stripped from the magazine and fed into the chamber ... and the dust cover flips open. Flip the safety to FIRE and you're ready to rock.

But ... what if there's a delay or whatever. Safety goes back to SAFE. And then it looks like it's gonna be windy and dusty for a while.

Do you push the dust cover back to its closed position? I'm guessing that the answer is No.

If you subsequently needed to fire the rifle, I cannot imagine it popping open (as part of the firing process) fast enough. Am I right? That the dust cover MUST be left open when a round is chambered?

Boomer

 

[smak_daddy]

If you close the dust cover with a chambered round then fire, the cover will open and the brass will eject just fine.

Test it yourself. With an unloaded firearm, close the dust cover and pull the charging handle back. You will see what I mean.

 

[SCULLY]

Yes, you can keep the dust cover closed. When you fire the gun or pull the charging handle back (as you did), when you fire the AR15 the bolt carrier opens the dust cover door when it cycles.

 

[greentips]

Actually, supposedly it is a good habit to close ejection port cover whenever you aren't going to fire anymore.

 

[boomer49]

Merci

Thanks guys.

 

[Petrock]

It's taught as proper drill to close the ejection port cover when you're not firing. It's quite easy to just straighten out your right hand from the pistol grip, rotate your wrist slightly and you've just closed the cover. Yes the cover gets out of the way smartly and properly when you fire a (or several on auto) cartridge.

 

[Armedsask]

If you subsequently needed to fire the rifle, I cannot imagine it popping open (as part of the firing process) fast enough. Am I right? That the dust cover MUST be left open when a round is chambered?

Boomer

You really thought they designed a combat rifle that wouldn't fire unless you opened up the cover manually?

 

[skoalbandit]

You really thought they designed a combat rifle that wouldn't fire unless you opened up the cover manually?

lol

 

[boomer49]

Always ask ...

You really thought they designed a combat rifle that wouldn't fire unless you opened up the cover manually?

I wasn't sure. That's why I asked ... and apparently it made me appear (to you) pretty dumb. I don't know anyone else who has a rifle like this, and I was having a little trouble getting my head around the idea that a tiny spring could pop that cover open "faster than a speeding bullet."

In hindsight, what you say seems perfectly obvious. Now.

I'd already spent an hour or two Googling to try to find the answer.

 

[tiriaq]

You really thought they designed a combat rifle that wouldn't fire unless you opened up the cover manually?

The US M3 submachingun comes to mind. The cover was also the safety, though.

 

[boomer49]

Yes

The US M3 submachingun comes to mind. The cover was also the safety, though.

Yes ... right ... thank you ... I wish I'd said that ... I'd forgotten about that one

 

[yohann160]

Closing the ejection port cover is a great way to prevent foreign matter from entering the action during shooting lulls. Do it!

 

[Armedsask]

The US M3 submachingun comes to mind. The cover was also the safety, though.

Same with the AK, but again it is the safety, so doesn't apply.

I didn't mean to sound insulting and I apologize if I offended you. There is just no way to say how ridiculous the question was without coming off as an #######. You yourself even stated in your original post that when the bolt carrier goes back, the dust cover opens. Why wouldn't it do the same when you shoot?

 

[1VP25mm]

I was having a little trouble getting my head around the idea that a tiny spring could pop that cover open "faster than a speeding bullet

If you think about it that tiny spring is getting a vigorous helping hand from the bolt carrier smacking the cover on the way back. In fact, come to think of it, does the gas coming out the holes in the side of the carrier start the cover opening even earlier? Some super-slow-motion footage might be informative.

 

[boomer49]

If you think about it that tiny spring is getting a vigorous helping hand from the bolt carrier smacking the cover on the way back. In fact, come to think of it, does the gas coming out the holes in the side of the carrier start the cover opening even earlier? Some super-slow-motion footage might be informative.

Good points. I am a wiser man

 

[Armedsask]

If you think about it that tiny spring is getting a vigorous helping hand from the bolt carrier smacking the cover on the way back. In fact, come to think of it, does the gas coming out the holes in the side of the carrier start the cover opening even earlier? Some super-slow-motion footage might be informative.

I'd imagine the gas does open the cover, maybe even before the carrier hits it.

I'd say the tiny spring doesn't even open the cover at all, it just holds it open.

 

[lmar]

Why would a cover be needed for 5.56/.223 while almost every .308 variant based on the AR platform does not?

L

 

[greentips]

Becasuse installing a dust cover increases cost - and they are not intended for the military purpose.

 

[Leg]

Why would a cover be needed for 5.56/.223 while almost every .308 variant based on the AR platform does not?

L

Any .308 AR base rifle in service with the various militaries do have a dust cover. In fact most have had to add case deflectors as well in order for them to be even considered for trials.

 

[Denn0001]

You can still close the dust cover with the bolt closed. Just takes a firm push. The bolt coming forward is what releases the dust cover, not the gas return.