8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

1/82

1

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

2/82

WARNING

DAN GEROUS PRO CEDURES

Care mu st be exercised to either have the submachinegun raisedor pointed down-range when loading. Load the weapon only whenready to fire. The submachinegun has no mechanical means of lock-ing the trigger. The insertion of a loaded magazine loads theweapon. If the cover is open an d the bolt cocked, pressure on thetrigger will fire the gun. If an unlocked weapon is dropped, itmay fire whether the bolt is cocked or not.

Unlock the loaded weapon only wh en it is raised for firing. Whenfiring long bursts, the w eapon has a tend ency to move up andto the right. The firer can control this tendency by always takinga correct firing p osition.

DANG EROUS CON DITION S

Before firing, the firer must be sure that the bore of the sub-machinegun is free from any obstruction in the bore that will

result in d amage to the w eapon and possible injury to personnel.

Clear the weapon of all ammunition before starting the inspection.Remove the m agazine an d check the cham ber to insu re that itis empty. Do not actuate the trigger un til the w eapon has beencleared.

DANGEROUS SOLUTIONS

Avoid skin contact with PC111. The compound should be washed

off thorou ghly with runn ing water if it comes in contact withthe skin. A good lanolin base cream , after exp osure to th e com -pou nd , is helpful. The u se of rubber gloves and protective equip-ment is recommend ed.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

3/82

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Gen eral.

a. Purpose and Scope. The purpose of this manual is to pro-vide a source of inform ation to ind ividu al sold iers and gu id e-lines to instructors on the Submachineguns, Caliber .45, M3 andM3A1. The material presented for the individual soldier in-clud es mechan ical training, m arksm anship training , fam iliari-zation firing, and other inform ation p ertaining to th e care andhandling of the weapon. The advice to instructors chapter is notintended as a final guidance, but as a starting point for com-m and ers to use in establishing a training p rogram for the sub-machinegun.

b. Importance of Submachinegun Training. The submachine-gun is a second ary ind ivid ual w eapon intend ed p rimarily forself-defense in close combat. It is primarily carried by membersof tank crews, on combat engineer vehicles, and battalion/ squad -ron m aintenance personnel. It is used at close ranges or w hena crew must dismount from a disabled vehicle. The soldier mustkeep h is weapon in good w orking cond ition and have the utm ostconfid ence in h is m arksm anship ability. This ability can be ac-quired only through stud y and practical training.

2. Ch anges.

Users of this pu blication are encouraged to submit recommend edchanges or.comments to improve the publication. Comments shouldbe keyed to the sp ecific page, paragraph, and line of the text inwhich the change is recommend ed. Reasons will be provided foreach comm ent to insu re un d erstand ing an d comp lete evaluation.

Comm ents should beprepared using DA Form 2028 (Recommend-

ed Chan ges to Publications an d Blank Forms) and forwardeddirect to Command, US Army Armor School, ATTN: ATSB-TD-DD , Fort Kn ox, Ken tucky 40121.

3. General Description.

a Submachinegun The Subm achinegu ns Caliber 45 M3 and

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

4/82

blowback-operated , magazine-fed, au tomatic shou lder-fired w ea-pons (fig 1 thru 4). They are light, compact, and rugged . Thestock is one p iece of form ed steel rod w hich can be telescopedfor ease of han d ling; its ends are d rilled and tapp ed so that it

can be u sed as a cleaning rod . The stock may also be used as ad isassembly tool or w rench. The stock of the M3A1 has a handloader that is used to load the magazine.

b. Magazine. The magazine (fig 1 thru 4) holds 30 cartrid ges.The u pp er cartridge is stripp ed from the magazine and cham -bered by the forward movement of the bolt. When the last car-tridge from the m agazine has been fired, the bolt closes on the

empty chamber.

c. Rate of Fire. The automatic rate of fire is limited only bythe firers ability to chan ge magazines rap idly, aim and fire. Thereis no provision for semiautom atic fire; how ever, because of thelow cyclic rate of fire, the firer can fire single shots by prop ertrigger manipulation.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

5/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

6/82

4. G eneral D ata.

a Barrel.Diameter of bore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.45 inchNumber of grooves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Twist in firing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 inchesLength of barrel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4Uniform, right, 1 turn in

8 inches

b. Gun.Length , overall with stock extended. . . .Distance between sights . . . . . . . . . . . . .Weight without magazine (approx) . . . . . .Weight with 30 rounds in magazine

(approx). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Weight of 30-round magazine (empty) . . . . . . . .Weight of 30-round magazine (loaded). . . . . . . . .

29.8 inches10.875 inches8.15 pounds

10.25 pounds.75 p ound2.10 pounds

c. Miscellaneous.Chamber p ressure (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Muzzle velocity (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cyclic rate of fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maximum range (approx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12,000 to 16,000 pounds persquare inch

900 feet per second450 rounds per minute100 yards, fixed peep1,500 meters90

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

7/82

5. Differences in Mod els.

The M3 and the M3A1 are basically alike. However, though mostof the parts are interchangeable, the bolt, the housing assembly,and the receiver are not. The M3A1, developed from the M3,

was modified as follows:a. The retracting h and le assembly, retracting lever assembly,

retracting lever spring, and oiler clip have been eliminated.

b. A cocking slot has been cut into the top front portion of thebolt, so that the firer can retract the bolt with his finger. Thereis an ejector groove on the bottom of the bolt, extend ing theentire length of the bolt, to permit removal of the bolt and guide

rod group without removing the housing assembly. The retract-ing pawl notch has been eliminated, and a clearance slot for thecover hinge rivets has been added.

c. The ejection opening and the cover assembly are longer.This allows the bolt to be drawn back far enough to be engagedby the sear. The safety lock is located farth er to the rear on thecover.

d. An oil reservoir and oiler have been p laced in the p istolgrip of the receiver assembly. The stylus on the oiler cap m aybe used as a drift to remove the extractor pin. The barrel ratchethas been redesigned to provide a longer depressing level for easierdisengagement from the barrel collar.

e. A bracket has been welded at the rear end of the stock.This bracket is u sed as a hand load er for loading am munitioninto the magazine; it also serves as a cleaning rod stop.

f. The barrel collar has two flat cuts to permit the use of thestock as a wrench to unscrew a tight barrel assembly.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

8/82

CHAPTER 2

MECHANICAL TRAINING

Section 1. DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY

6. General.

The p urpose of this chap ter is to enable the user to un d erstandhow to disassemble and assemble the subm achinegun , how itfunctions, and how to care for it properly. In und erstand ingfunctioning of the subm achinegu n, the sold ier is better preparedto reduce malfunctions and stoppages as they occur. In learningthe loading, firing, unloading, and safety checks, the individual

acquires greater knowledge and thus develops confidence in theweapon . The first steps in understand ing functioning are to learnthe nomenclature and how to disassemble and assemble theweapon.

7. Nom enclature.

Nomenclature shou ld be taught to the u ser to simplify and assistfuture instruction. In the d isassembly/ assembly procedures, the

titles of the tasks involved are the nam es of the p arts. The soldiershould read and say the task to be performed aloud and thuslearn the nomenclature.

8. Disassembly, General.

a. The sold ier is perm itted to d isassemble only certain p artsof the submachinegunnot because he cannot learn to d isassem-ble all of them, but because unnecessary disassembly causes extrawear. Also, disassembly and assembly of some parts require toolsthat are not normally available in troop units.

b. The left column of the following chart shows those partsthat may be disassembled by the soldier. The center column in-d icates those parts that the unit armorer m ay remove, includingthe parts disassem bled by the sold ier The right colum n show s

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

9/82

9. Gu ides To Follow in Disassembly and Assemb ly.

These guides should be followed when disassembling and assem-bling the subrnachinegun.

a. Follow the step-by-step explanation in disassembling thesubmachinegun.

b. Do not attempt to disassemble or assemble the weaponagainst time.

c. If it is necessary to ap p ly force, do it carefully so that noneof the parts are damaged.

d. As the weapon is disassembled, line up the parts in the orderof their removal. This procedure helps in assembly of theweapon, which is done in reverse order of disassembly.

10. Field Disassembly.

The sold ier must learn field d isassembly (removal of the grou ps)so well that he can p erform this operation in the dark. The

submachinegun can be field disassembled without special tools.Parts of the weapon are used instead of tools.

11. Procedure for Field D isassem bly.

a. Before disassembling the submachinegun, make sure thatthe weapon is clear(para 31). Press in on the magazine catch,and remove the m agazine. Raise the cover, pu ll the bolt to therear, and inspect the cham ber. Allow the bolt to go forw ard bysqueezing the trigger. Close the cover.

Note. To pull back (retract) the bolt on the M3, pull the retracting hand leto the rear. To pull back the bolt on the M3A1, insert a finger into thecocking slot on the bolt and pull the bolt to the rear.

b. To d isassemble the submachinegu n, follow the procedure il-lustrated in figures 5 through 15.

9

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

10/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

11/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

12/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

13/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

14/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

15/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

16/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

17/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

18/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

19/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

20/82

13. Disassemb ly of Group s (Detailed Disassemb ly).

a. Magazine (fig 19). Lift the tab in the base plate by insert-ing a screwd river in the hole. Remove the base plate, p lacing thefingers over the bottom of the magazine to prevent the magazine

spring from flying out. Remove the magazine spring and themagazine follower.

b. Bolt and Guide Rod Group (fig 20 thru 24). Compress thedriving springs, and remove the guide rod retaining clip. Removethe guide rod locating plate. Remove the bolt and driving springsfrom the guide rod s. Do not remove the gu ide rod retaining platefrom the two guide rods (this is done by ordnance personnelonly). The extractor is removed for replacement only (this shou ld

be done by the unit armorer). To remove the extractor, drift outthe extractor p in (from the sm all end , located on the bottom ofthe bolt). Place the rim of a dum m y cartridge u nd er the lip ofthe extractor, and lift it out.

c. Trigger and Sear Group (fig 25). Drift ou t the connectorpin. Remove the sear. Unfasten the trigger spring from the con-nector (do not remove it from the trigger)

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

21/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

22/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

23/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

24/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

25/82

14. Assemb ly of the Group s.a. M agazine. Replace the magazine follower and the magazine

spring, with the loop tow ard the front of the m agazine. Com-press the magazine spring into the magazine body, and replace

the m agazine base. Press the tab back into its original position.b. Bolt and Guide Rod Group. Replace the extractor so that

the notch and hole for the extractor pin in the bolt are alined.Firmly seat the extractor pin, and stake it in place. Place thedriving springs on the guide rods. Comp ress the driving spr ings,and place the bolt on the guide rods with the firing pin awayfrom the guide rod s retaining p late. Replace the gu ide rod locat-ing plate and the guide rod retaining clip.

c. Trigger and Sear Group. Fasten the trigger spring to theconnector. Place the sear on the connector, with the sear noseup and to the rear. Replace the connector p in.

15. Operation Ch eck.After the w eapon has been assembled , it shou ld be checked toinsure that it has been correctly assembled

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

26/82

a. Pull the bolt to the rear sharp ly. It shou ld be engaged andheld to the rear by the sear.

b. Close the cover, and squeeze the trigger. The bolt shou ld not

move forward.c. Op en the cover, and squeeze the trigger. The bolt shou ld

move forward.

d. With the trigger held to the rear, pu ll the bolt to the rearand release it. The bolt should not be held to the rear by thesear, but should m ove forward .

Section II. HOW THE SUBMACHINEGUN FUNCTIONS16. Gen eral.

a. By d isassem bling an d assembling th e subm achinegun, thesold ier becomes familiar with the parts. The next step is to learnhow these parts function. If the soldier understands how thesubm achinegun w orks, he w ill be able to keep it in op eratingcond ition and redu ce any stoppage wh ich m ight occu r d uringfiring. This knowledge w ill give the soldier confidence in h is

weapon.b. Each time a cartridge is fired, the p arts inside the sub-

machinegun function in a given ord er. This is know n as the cycleof operation (functioning).

c. The cycle of operation of small arms is broken d ow n intoeight basic steps. However, in the subrnachinegun, two of thesestepslocking an d unlockingdo not occu r. The 6 basic steps

of the cycle of operation of the submachinegun are listedbelow in the prop er sequence, althou gh m ore than 1 step mayoccur at the same time.

(1) Feedingthe p lacing of a cartr idge in th e receiver, infront of the bolt, so it can be chambered. This action takes placein the magazine only.

(2) Cham beringmoving the cartridge forw ard until it isproperly seated in the chamber.

(3) Firingthe str iking of the primer of the cartridge bythe firing pin to ignite the cartridge.

(4) Extracting-removal of the empty cartridge case fromthe chamber.

(5) Ejectingremoval of the empty cartridge case from thereceiver.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

27/82

will pick up a new cartridge and , as it moves forward , will haveenough energy to fire the new cartridge.

17. Fun ctioning of the Sub machinegun, Gen eral.

As the bolt is moved back to a cocked position, the driving springsare com pressed , and the ear engages the sear notch of the bolt.When the trigger is pressed , the sear releases the bolt, whichis d riven forward by the d riving springs. During this forwardm ovement, the bolt pushes a cartridge from the m agazine intothe chamber. The bolt continues forward and fires the cartridge.When the cartridge is fired, the chamber pressure forces thebullet out of the muzzle of the barrel. At the same time, this

pressure overcomes the forward movement of the bolt and startsit to the rear. By the time the bolt and empty cartridge casehave m oved to the rear far enough to open the rear end of thechamber, the bullet has left the barrel, and the chamber pressurehas decreased. (In the submachinegun, the chamber pressure isrelatively low and the bolt is relatively heavy; this eliminatesthe need for the steps of locking and unlocking. ) During therearw ard m ovem ent of the bolt, the empty cartridge case is ex-

tracted and ejected, the driving sp rings are compressed, and thetop round in the magazine moves up against the lips of themagazine (fig 26). The rearward movement of the bolt is stopp edby the comp ressed driving springs or when it contacts the guiderod retaining p late.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

28/82

18. Op eration of the Trigger and Sear Group .

a. When the trigger is pressed , it rotates around the rear armof the trigger pin and forces the connector forward. This rotates

the sear from the sear notch in th e bottom of the bolt. Thisallows the bolt to move forward und er the action of the expand -ing driving springs.

b. If the trigger is held to the rear, the nose of the sear cannotengage the sear notch. The bolt will continu e to move forw ardand backward , firing the w eapon automatically un til the triggeris released.

c. If the trigger is released, the nose of the sear engages inthe sear notch in the bottom of the bolt, and holds the bolt inits rearward or cocked position. The trigger spring furnishes thespring action to the sear. The front arm of the trigger p in is astop for the sear and p revents it from rotating forward w hen itengages the bolt.

19. Feeding.

a. When a loaded magazine is placed in the weapon, the maga-zine catch h olds the m agazine in p osition. The top cartridge isheld against the lips of the m agazine throu gh the action of themagazine spring and follower. When the bolt moves forward , itremoves the round from the magazine.

b. When the bolt m oves to the rear and clears the top of themagazine, the next cartridge is placed against the lips of themagazine by the action of the magazine spring and follower.

20. Cambering.

The bolt, moving forward und er the action of the expand ingdriving springs, pushes the top cartridge out of the m agazine.The lips of the magazine aid to aline the cartridge with thechamber. As the bolt continues forward, the cartridge is pushedinto the chamber by the front of the bolt and the extractor. Thebase of the cartridge protrud es slightly from the chamber w hen

the cartridge is fully seated.21. Firin g.

After the cartridge is chambered, the bolt continues to moveforward . The extractor springs out to the side and snaps into theextracting groove of the cartr idge. At the same tim e, the fixedfiring p in in the center of the cartr idge recess of the bolt strikes

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

29/82

recess of the bolt, and the rim of the cartridge is engaged by theextractor.

22. Extracting.

a. When the cartridge is fired, the gas p ressure forces thebullet out of the muzzle and the emp ty cartridge case out of thechamber, pushing the bolt to the rear. The extractor holds thebase of the cartridge case against the bolt. The bolt continu esmoving to the rear, carrying the emp ty cartrid ge case with it.Extraction is completed when the front of the cartridge caseclears the rear of the chamber.

b. If the cartridge is not fired, the extractor will remove itfrom the chamber when the bolt is manually pulled to the rear.

23. Ejecting.

As the bolt moves to the rear, the em pty cartrid ge case is heldby the extractor. The base of the cartridge strikes the fixed ejec-tor. The extractor serves as a pivot p oint for the cartridge, whichis deflected ou t of the ejection opening of the receiver. The ex-

tractor and ejector are both needed to complete the ejection.

24. Cocking.

As the bolt moves to the rear, the driving springs are compressed.If the trigger h as been released, the nose of the sear w ill moveup. As the bolt moves forward , the sear nose will engage in thesear notch and hold the bolt to the rear in a cocked position.If the tr igger has n ot been released, the bolt w ill continu e for-

ward and the cycle of operation will be repeated.

Caution. If the gun is acciden tally dropp ed, the b olt may b ejarred far enough to th e rear to clear the top cartridge in th em agazine, bu t not far enou gh for the sear nose to engage in thesear notch. When this hap pen s, the b olt w ill cham ber and firethe cartridge as it goes forward .

25. Op eration of th e Housing Assemb iy.a. On the M3, when the retracting h and le is pu lled to the rear,

the retracting lever pawl rises into the p awl notch in the bottomof the bolt. As the retracting handle is moved farther to therear, the retracting lever p aw l pu shes the bolt to the rear untilthe bolt is engaged by the sear and held in a cocked position.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

30/82

26. Operation of Safety Lock.

a. When the bolt is forward and the cover is closed, the safetylock on the cover engages in th e safety lock recess in the bolt.

This prevents movement of the bolt.b. When the bolt is to the rear and the cover is closed, the

safety lock enters the cocking slot of the M3A1 bolt, or the notchon th e fron t top portion of the M3 bolt, forces the bolt back offthe sear, and holds it to the rear. Closing the cover is called lock-ing the piece.

Section III. OPERATION27. Gen eral.

Before firing the subm achinegun, the firer must know how to fillthe magazine; must know how to load, fire, and unload the w ea-pon; and must observe safety precautions. These points arecovered in this section.

28. To Fill Magazine.

a. Place the magazine loader on top of the magazine, thenplace the base of the magazine on a firm surface. Push down onthe loader to depress the magazine follower. Insert a cartridge,base first, into the m agazine. Lift the load er, and push the car-tridge all the way into the magazine. Push down on the loader,depressing the cartridge and magazine follower. Repeat the op-eration (fig 27) until the magazine is full.

b. To use the stock as the hand loader (fig 28), place the bu ttof the stock over the magazine and use the same p rocedu re aswith the magazine loader.

29. To Load Submachinegun.

To load the subm achinegun, pull the bolt sharp ly to the rear(cock), close the cover (lock), insert the m agazine, and push itup ward until the m agazine catch clicks into the magazine notch

(load).

30. To Fire Sub machinegu n.

a. To fire the gun, raise the cover and manipulate the trigger.

b. The gu n has no mechan ism for semiautom atic fire. How-ever it is possible to fire single shots by proper manipulation of

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

31/82

c. When firing long bu rsts, the weapon has a tendency to moveto the right. The firer can control this tendency by always takinga correct firing p osition (para 69).

d. When the magazine has been emptied , the bolt will close onth t h b C k d l k th b f i ti

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

32/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

33/82

31. To Unload Su bm achin egun (Clearing).

Remove the m agazine, and raise the cover. If the bolt is forward ,pull it to the rear. Inspect the chamber (look and feel). Pressthe trigger and allow the bolt to go forward , then close the cover.

32. Safety Precaution s, General.

Safety cann ot be overemphasized. The subm achinegun h as nomechanical means of locking the trigger. The insert ion of aloaded magazine loads the gun. If the cover is open and the boltcocked, pressure on the trigger will fire the gun. If an unlockedgun is drop ped, it may fire whether the bolt is cocked or not.The safety precautions to observe in hand ling

are:a. Never consider the weapon to be safe

properly cleared.

b. Never p layfu lly or carelessly point the

c. Load the weapon only when ready to fire.

d. Unlock the loaded weapon only when it

the submachinegun

unless it has been

weapon at anyone.

is raised for firing .

e. Never leave any obstruction in the muzzle or bore.

Section IV. MALFUNCTIONS, STOPPAGES, AND IMMEDIATE ACTION

33. General.

A malfunction is a failure of the w eapon to function satisfac-torily. A stoppage is any unintentional interruption in the cycleof operation. If the submachinegun stops firing through no faultor intention of the firer, or an attempt to fire is made and thew eapon d oes not fire, then a stopp age has occurred . The firermust be able to reduce a stoppage and continue firing. In combat,lives and the su ccess of a m ission m ay d epend on th e sold iersability to reduce a stoppage quickly and continue to deliver ac-curate fire. Immediate action is the p rompt action taken by thefirer to reduce a stoppage.

34. Malfunctions.a. Failure To Function Freely. Sluggish operation of the gun

is usually d ue to excessive friction caused by d irt, lack of properlubrication, burred or bent guide rods, or a dent in the receiver.

b. Uncontrolled Automatic Fire (Runaway Gun). Uncon-trolled au tomatic fire is fire that continu es after the trigger has

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

34/82

(1) A worn sear nose.

(2) A worn sear notch on the bolt.

(3) A weak or broken tr igger spring.

In case of uncontrolled au tomatic fire, keep the gu n p ointed atthe target and press the magazine catch to release the magazine.

35. Stop p ages.

a. Stoppages are classified in accord ance with the six steps inthe cycle of opera tion of the su bmachinegu n (para 16 c ). Stop -

pages are usually the result of worn parts or improper care of thegun. A knowledge of how the gun functions enables the soldierto classify and correct the stoppage. Listed below are the classesof stoppages which might occur.

(1) Failure to feed. The top cartridge in the magazine isnot positioned up and in front of the bolt. Most stoppages of thesubm achinegun are failures to feed caused by a d efective or d irtymagazine.

(2) Failure to chamber. The top cartridge from the maga-zine is not seated in the chamber.

(3) Failure to fire. The cartridge is cham bered bu t does notfire.

(4) Failure to extract. If the cartridge fires, the chamberpressure w ill u sually pu sh the emp ty cartridge case out of thechamber. If the cartridge case is not completely rem oved fromthe cham ber and the bolt is retracted , then there is a failu re toextract. This stoppage seldom occurs.

(5) Failure to eject. The empty cartridge case is not ejectedfrom the receiver.

(6) Failure to cock. If the bolt is retracted and is not heldby the sear, or if, during firing, the bolt does not move to therear far enough to clear the top cartridge in the magazine, the

gun has a failure to cock.

b. Common Stoppages. The two most comm on stoppages are:

(1) Failure to feedusually caused by a d efective magazine,

(2) Failure to fire-usually caused by defective ammuni-tion

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

35/82

d. Prevention of Stoppages.Period ic inspection and propercare and cleaning will redu ce the p ossibility of the submachine-gun having a stoppage.

36. Immediate Action .a. As the first step in reducing a stoppage, remove the maga-

zine, retract the bolt, and inspect the cham ber to insure that itdoes not contain a live cartridge, or any other obstruction. If

there is no obstruction, close the cover, replace the magazine,open the cover, and attemp t to fire. If the gun still does not fire,check to see wh ether a live cartridge has cham bered; if it hasnot, remove the magazine and insert a new magazine.

b. If there is a live cartridge or other obstruction lodged inthe cham ber, cock the gun and hold th e cover dow n firm ly; re-m ove the barrel; then clear the cham ber by u sing the stock topush the obstruction out of the barrel. Und er combat cond itions,

when time is short, omit the step of removing the barrel.

Section V. CARE AND CLEANING

37. Gen eral.

The submachinegun will function under conditions that wouldt ti t f il H it ti d

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

36/82

depend ability and accuracy depend on its receiving proper careand cleaning. The chamber and bore, receiver, and moving partsm ust be kep t clean and very lightly oiled. The same care mustbe given the magazines.

38. Cleaning, Materials, Lubricants, and Rust Preventives.

a. Cleaning Materials.(1) Cleaning compound, solvent (rifle bore cleaner), is used

to clean the bore and the face of the bolt after firing. It dissolvescorrosive primer salts and removes primer fouling, powder ash,and carbon. This cleaner has preservative properties and provides

temporary p rotection against ru st.Caution. Rifle bore cleaner is u sable at tem peratures of m inu s

20 Fah renh eit an d h igher. Wh en it is below that temp eratu re, itmu st be thawed an d shaken w ell before it is used. Do not m ixw ater w ith rifle bore cleaner. This destroys its preservativeq u alities an d im p airs its value as a cleaner.

(2) H ot or cold w ater may be used to clean the bore wh enrifle-bore cleaner is not available. Hot, soapy w ater is p referable.One-quarter pound of soap d issolved in 1 gallon of water makesa desirable solution. After using the solution, dry the barrelthoroughly and app ly a thin coat of oil.

(3) Volatile mineral sp irits paint thinner and d rycleaningsolvent are noncorrosive solvents used for removing grease, oil,or light rust-preventive compounds from weapons. Apply themwith rags to large parts, and use them as a bath for small parts.

Caution. These solvents are h ighly flamm able. D o n ot smok ew hen using them . Continu ous contact with them w ill dry theskin and m ay cause irritation.

(4) Decontam inating agents are u sed und er special cond i-tions to remove chemical agents (para 45).

b. Lubricants.(1) Medium preservative lubricating oil is a highly refined,

nonhardening mineral oil containing a rust-inhibiting additive.It form s a relatively heavy film th at resists direct action of saltspray. This makes it useful for coating all parts of a weaponbefore amphibious operations. It shou ld be used in preference tospecial preservative lubricating oil only when the weapon is ex-posed to salt water, high hum id ity, or high temp eratures. Thisoil sho ld not be sed in temperat res belo free ing

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

37/82

providing temporary protection against rust. When this oil isu sed, moving par ts of w eapons mu st be checked frequen tly tomake sure that they have an ad equate film of lubricant.

(3) Engine oil SAE 10 m ay be u sed w hen p reservative lu-

bricating oils cannot be obtained. In cold weather, any heavyoil w ill cause sluggish op eration, and may p revent the subm a-chinegun from functioning properly. Engine oil does not have theru st-preventive properties of preservative lubr icating oils. Whenengine oil is used, the w eapon m ust be inspected, cleaned , andreoiled frequently.

c. Rust Preventive. Medium rust-preventive compound can beused to protect the submachinegun for a long period of time when

it is boxed for storage.

39. Care and Cleaning Before Firing.

Before the su bmachinegun is fired, the following stops shou ld betaken to make sure that it will function p roperly:

a. Field disassemble the weapon.

b. Clean the bore and chamber with a clean, dry patch.

Note. Do not app ly oil to bore or cham ber before firing.c. Clean all parts thoroughly.

d. Use a lightly oiled cloth, app ly a light coat of lubricatingpreservative oil to all parts that do not come in contact with theammunition.

e. Assemble the weapon.

f. Wipe excess oil from the receiver.g. Clean the m agazines, and p lace a light film of oil on their

outer surfaces.

40. Care and Cleaning Du ring Firing.

a. Du ring lu lls in firing, lubricate the gu ide rod s, oil the searpin, and trigger pin. Use the stylus of the oiler to apply oil fromthe oiler.

b. If time permits, during a lull in firing, disassemble the sub-machinegun and oil the sear, sear notch, connector p in, connectorrivet, and the grooves in the bottom of the bolt.

41. Care and Cleaning After Firing.

The w eapon m ust be cleaned as soon as p racticable on the d ay

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

38/82

a. Disassemble the groups.

b. Clean all parts with d ry, clean cloth, using rifle bore cleanerif necessary. Inspect all parts, and apply a light film of oil.

c. Clean the bore and cham ber, using the following procedu re:

(1) Saturate a patch with rifle bore cleaner, and run it backand forth through the bore.

(2) Repeat the op eration 2 or 3 times with clean p atchessaturated with bore cleaner.

(3) Run d ry patches throu gh the bore until they com e outdry and clean.

(4) Inspect the bore for cleanliness. If it is not free of oilresidue, repeat the cleaning p rocess. If the residue cannot beremoved by the use of patches, the bore brush shou ld be used.

(5) Clean the cham ber w ith rifle bore cleaner ap p lied to apatch on the chamber cleaning brush.

(6) Dry the chamber, and inspect it for cleanliness.

(7) After the bore and cham ber are cleaned d ry them andapply a light coat of oil.

d. Assemble the weapon.

e. Perform an operation check (para 15).

f. Inspect periodically.

42. Care and Cleanin g Du ring Comb at.

a. There is no basic d ifference in the care an d cleaning of thesubmachinegun during range firing and during combat. However,when the w eapon is being fired each day, rifle bore cleaner m aybe left in the bore and chamber each night.

b. To obtain the maximum efficiency from the submachinegun:

(1) Before firing , carefu lly check the bore and cham ber forobstructions.

(2) Keep the bore and cham ber free from oil and d irt whenfiring.

(3) Never leave a p atch, p lug, or other obstruction in thechamber or bore. Neglect of this precaution may result in seriousinjury.

(4) Oil the gu ide rods frequently to insu re smooth operationf h

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

39/82

43. Prep aration for Storage.

Medium preservative lubr icating oil is the m ost suitable oil forshor t-term p rotection. It is effective for storage over periods of2 to 6 w eeks, depend ing on clim atic cond itions. H ow ever, sub-

m achineguns in short-terms storage must be inspected every 4or 5 days and reoiled if necessary. For longer p eriods of storage,submachineguns are protected with medium rust-preventive com-pound . This compound is a semisolid m aterial. It w ill preservethe weapon for a period of app roximately 1 year, depend ing onclimatic and storage conditions.

a. The weapon m ust be cleaned and prepared for storage withgreat care. The bore, receiver, and other parts of the gun should

be thoroughly cleaned and comp letely d ried with rags. In d ampclim ates, particu lar care m ust be taken to see that th e rags ared ry. After a metal part is d ried , it shou ld not be touched w ithbare hands. All metal parts should then be coated with eithermedium preservative lubricating oil or med ium rust-preventivecompound, depending on the length of storage required. The bestway to apply rust-preventive compound to the bore and chamberis to dip a clean bore brush into the comp ound and then ru n itthrough the bore 2 or 3 times. When the weapon is placed instorage, the bolt should be in the forward position.

b. Guns shou ld be stored in w ooden p acking boxes which areprovided with w ooden supports for the stocks and muzzles of theguns. These supports should be coated with medium rust-preven-tive comp ound . Guns should be hand led w ith oily rags whilebeing p laced in storage. Und er no circum stances should a sub-machinegun be placed in storage in a cloth or other cover, or with

a p lug in the bore; this will cause the w eapon to ru st. The slingshould be removed from the w eapon and wrapped in oil papercoated with medium rust-preventive compound.

44. Clean ing Weapon s Received From Storage.

Submachineguns removed from storage will be coated with eitherpreservative lubricating oil or rust-preventive compound. Wea-pons received from ordnance storage will usually be coated w ith

rust-preventive compound. Use drycleaning solvent or volatilemineral spirits paint thinner to remove the compound or oil.Failu re to thoroughly clean the d riving spring recesses in thebolt may cause a malfunction or stoppage at below normal tem-peratures, since the rust-preventive compound will congeal duringcold weather. After using solvent, dry all parts by wiping themw ith a d ry cloth, Then app ly a thin film of special preservative

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

40/82

45. Care and Cleanin g in Con nection With a CBR Attack .

a. If a chemical, biological, or radiological attack is antici-pated, the following action is taken: Apply oil to all outer metalsurf aces of the submachinegun and accessories. Do notapply oilto ammunition. If the weapon is not to be used, cover the weapon,accessories, and ammunition with protective coverings and placethem und er natural cover. Ammunition shou ld be kept in its con-tainers as long as p ossible.

b. After a CBR attack, determine by means of detectorswhether or not the equipment is contaminated. A complete suitof protective clothing, including protective gloves and a gas mask,

m ust be w orn d uring decontam ination. If the contam ination istoo great, it may be necessary to d iscard the equ ipment. Detailedinformation on d econtam ination is contained in FM 2140 andTM 3-220.

46. Care and Cleaning Under Unusual Climatic Conditions.

a. Cold Climates. It is necessary that the moving parts willsolidify and cause sluggish operation or complete failure.

(1) Before firing in tem peratu res below 0 Fahrenheit, dis-assemble the gun and clean all pa rts of the gun and magazinethorou ghly. Oil them very lightly by ru bbing th em w ith a clothdipped in special preservative lubr icating oil. Leave the bore andchamber free of oil.

(2) When the gu n is brought ind oors, allow it to come toroom temp erature; then d isassemble it, wipe it completely d ry ofany moisture, clean it, and oil it lightly with special preservative

lubricating oil.(3) If the gu n h as been fired , the bore shou ld be immedi-

ately swabbed out with an oily patch. When the weapon reachesroom temp erature, clean and oil it as prescribed in paragraph 41.

b. Tropical Climates. Where temperature and humidity arehigh, or during rainy seasons, thoroughly inspect the weapon dailyand keep it lightly oiled w hen not in u se. Remove the group s at

regu lar intervals and , if necessary, disassemble them for clean-ing, drying, and oiling. Be careful to see that all unexposed p arts,as well as exposed su rfaces, are kept clean and oiled w ith specialor med ium preservative lubricating oil.

c. Hot, Dry Climates.

(1) In h ot, d ry climates, w here sand and dust are likely to

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

41/82

(2) When the w eapon is used un der sandy cond itions, lu -bricants shou ld be w iped from exposed and noncritical operatingsurfaces. This will prevent sand or dust from sticking to thelubricants and forming an abrasive which can damage the mov-

ing parts.(2) When the w eapon is used und er sandy cond itions, lu -

bricants shou ld be w iped from exposed and noncritical operatingsurfaces. This will prevent sand or d ust from sticking to thelubricants and forming an abrasive which can damage the mov-ing parts.

(3) Immediately after use in sandy terrain, the weaponshould be cleaned and lubricated with special preservative lubri-cating oil.

(4) During sand or dust storms, the gun should be keptcovered. It should be cleaned immediately after the storm.

Section VI. REPAIR PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

47. Repair Parts .

a. The parts of any submachinegun may in time become un -serviceable through breakage or wear resulting from usage. Forthis reason, extra p arts are provided for replacement of partsmost likely to fail. Sets of repair parts must be kept completeat all times; when a part is used, it shou ld be replaced in the setas soon as p ossible. Repair parts are kept clean and lightly oiledto prevent rust. Parts must always be ready for immediate use.

b. Extra 30-round magazine are also issued with the gu n. The

number of magazines issued per gun, and the allowance of repairparts, are prescribed in appropriate supply publications.

48. Accessories.

Accessories includ e the tools required to d isassemble and assem-ble the submachinegu n, cleaning and preserving materials, sling,repair parts envelope, oiler, flash hider, magazine loader, andsimilar items. They must be used for no other pu rpose than thatfor which they are intend ed.

Section VII. AMMUNITION

49. G eneral.

a. The sold ier arm ed w ith the submachinegun must be familiarwith the types of ammunition used in the weapon, ways of iden-

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

42/82

b. A complete round of submachinegun ammunition consistsof all the components necessary to fire the weapon once. Thecomp onents are a cartridge case, bullet, propellant powder, andprimer.

50. Classification of Ammunition.

Contents of original amm unition boxes or containers can be iden-tified by markings on the box. These markings indicate thenu mber of cartridges in the container, caliber, type, code symbol,and lot number. Types, uses, and means of identification of am-munition used in submachinegun are:

a. Cartridge, Caliber .45, Ball, M1911, Used against personneland light materiel targets. The ball bullet consists of a m etal

jacket surround ing a lead alloy core. The bu llet tip is unp ainted .

b. Cartridge, Caliber .45, Blank, M9. Used to simu late fire andfor salutes. This cartridge can be fired single shot only. It can beid entified by the absence of a bu llet and by its tapered m outh.

c. Cartridge, Caliber .45, Dummy, M1931. Used for trainingpersonnel in the operation of loading and unloading the subma-chinegu n, and for testing w eapon s. This cartridge can be iden-tified by the emp ty pr imer pocket and two holes in the cartridgecase.

d. Cartridge, Caliber .45, Tracer, M26. Used for observationof fire. Secondary u ses are for incend iary effect and for signaling.

The bullet consists of three parts: a copper-plated or glidingmetal-clad steel jacket, a slug of lead hardened w ith antimony,and a tracer mixture in the rear portion of the jacket. The bulletis painted red for a d istance of approximatelytip.

e. Cartridge, Cailiber .45, High Density Shot, XM261. Usedagainst personnel. It employs 16 spheres encased in a sabot simi-lar in shape to the ball bullet.

inch from the

51. Amm unition Lot Nu mb er.

Ammunition is assigned a lot number at the time of manufacture.It is marked on all packing containers and entered on all recordspertaining to that ammunition. It must be included in all reportson condition and functioning of the ammunition and all reports

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

43/82

cannot be identified by am munition lot num ber they are auto-matically placed in grade 3. Grade 3 ammunition is unserviceableand will not be fired, but will be turned to the ammunition supplypoint.

52. Care, Hand ling, and Preservation of Am mu nition.

a. Small arm s ammunition is generally safe to hand le, H ow-ever, do not allow ammunition boxes to become broken or d am-aged. Repair broken boxes immediately. Transfer original mark-ings to the new parts of the box.

b. Do not open ammunition boxes until the ammunition is used.

Am munition rem oved from airtight containers, particu larly indam p climates, is likely to corrod e and become unserviceable.

c. Use care when op ening wooden am munition boxes; they canbe continued in use as long as they are serviceable.

d. Protect ammunition from m ud , sand , d irt, and w ater. If itapp ears wet or d irty, w ipe clean w ith a d ry cloth imm ediately.Wipe off light corrosion as soon as it is d iscovered . Cartr idges

with a heavy coat of corrosion must be turned in to the ammuni-tion supply point.

e. Do not oil or polish cartridges.

f. Do not expose amm unition to d irect rays of the sun for anylength of time. If the pow der is heated , excessive pressure w illbe developed when the w eapon is fired. This cond ition w ill affectaccuracy and operation of the weapon .

g. Do not attempt to fire cartridges that have dents, scratches,loose bullets, or corroded cases. If a cartr idge is defective, tu rnit in. Do not throw away or attempt to destroy defective ammuni-tion.

h. Do not strike the primer of a cartr idge; it may ignite thecartridge and cause injury.

53. Storage of Amm unition .

a. Small arms am munition is not an exp losive hazard ; how -ever, und er poor storage cond itions it may become a fire hazard .

b. Small arms amm unition should be stored aw ay from allsources of extreme heat.

c. Whenever p racticable small arms ammunition shou ld be

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

44/82

It should be covered with a d ouble thickness of tarpaulin or suit-able canvas. The cover should be placed so that it gives maximumprotection yet allows free circulation of air. Suitable trenches

should be dug to prevent water from flowing under the ammuni-tion.

54. Precautions in Firing Ammunition.

Precau tions concerning the firing and han d ling of am munitionin the field prescribed in AR 385-63, TM 9-1305-200, and TM91300206 must be observed. Precautions particularly applicableto small arms ammunition include the following:

a. N o small arms am m unition w ill be fired until it has beenpositively identified by ammunition lot number and grade.

b. Before firing, the firer must be sure that the bore of thepistol is free from any foreign m atter. Firing a p istol with anyobstruction in the bore will result in d amage to the weapon andmay cause injury to the firer.

55. Han gfire.

a. A hangfire is a delay in the functioning of the propellingcharge or explosive train. The amount of delay is unpredictable,bu t in m ost cases will be from a fraction of a second to severalseconds. Thus, a hangfire cannot immediately be distinguishedfrom a misfire. There is a danger in immediately assuming thata failure to fire is a misfire when in fact it is a hangfire. For this

reason, always wait 5 seconds before pulling the bolt to the rearafter a failure to fire.

Caution. Du ring this time, k eep th e sub m ach inegun p oin tedat the target.

b. Use of ammunition in any lot that has experienced a hang-fire is suspend ed and a report given to the ammunition sup p lypoint. The am munition in the affected lot w ill be turned in an dreplaced with serviceable ammunition.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

45/82

CHAPTER 3MANUAL OF ARMS

56. Gen eral.

The manual of arms for the submachinegun is designed to pro-vide u niform, simple, safe, and quick m ethods for handling thegun. This chapter gives a simp le and effective m ethod of per-

forming the manual of arms, which can be executed in cadencewhen precision is desired.

57. Carrying Position.

The submachinegun is carried with the magazine removed andstock telescoped, slung over the right shoulder, muzzle pointingdown, with the right hand grasping the sling in front of thearmpit (fig 29). When carried d uring d ismou nted m arches orduring field exercises, the weapon may be slung over either

shou lder. When troops are at ease, the submachinegun is keptslung, unless ordered otherwise. When troops are at rest, thesubmachinegun may be unslung and held in any desired position.In execu ting the comm and ATTENTION , the sold ier assum esthe p osition of attention and p laces the subm achinegun in thecarrying position. Parade rest is executed in the normal m annerexcept that the right hand continues to grip the sling and keepsthe gun at sling arms.

58. Port Arm s.

a. The comm and is PORT, ARMS.

b. Using th e sling, swing the gu n forward w ith the left handand grasp the stock with the right hand . Withd raw the left handfrom the sling, and grasp the hou sing assembly with the lefthand. Extend the stock, then carry the gun to a position 4 inchesin front-of-the body, with the barrel pointing u pw ard and to theleft at an angle of 45 and with the barrel collar at the samelevel as the point of the left shoulder (fig 29). Hold the gun in avertical plane parallel to the body, with the left hand at thehousing assembly and the right hand grasping the butt of thedock.

45

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

46/82

59. Inspection Arms.

a. The command is INSPECTION, ARMS.

b. First execute port arm s. With the right hand , open thecover, retract the bolt, and grasp the bu tt of the stock w ith the

right hand . At the same tim e, lower the head an d eyes enoughto look into the receiver. (Be sure that the fingers of the lefthand do not cover the ejection opening (fig 29) ). Having seenthat there is no rou nd in the cham ber, raise the head an d eyesto the front. At the com mand PORT, ARMS, rem ove the righthand from the stock, press the trigger, close the cover, and graspthe butt of the stock with the right hand .

60. Present Arms.

a. The command is PRESENT, ARMS.

b. Grasp the sling in front of the armpit with the left hand,and give the hand salute with the right hand (fig 29). At thecommand ORDER, ARMS, drop the right hand smartly to theside, raise the right hand and grasp the sling in front of thearmpit, then d rop the left hand to the side.

46

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

47/82

61. Sling Arms.

a. Sling arm s is execu ted on th e com m and ORDER (orRIGHT SHOULDER), ARMS after INSPECTION ARMS andPORT, ARMS have been given.

b. At the command of execution, telescope the stock, grasp thereceiver with the left hand, thrust the right arm through thesling, and assume the carrying p osition.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

48/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

49/82

b. A thorough course in p reparatory marksm anship trainingm ust p recede any range firing. This training is given to a ll sol-d iers expected to fire the su bm achinegu n. The sold ier shou ldd evelop fixed and correct shooting h abits before going on therange. The purpose of preparatory marksmanship training is to

develop these shooting habits.c. Preparatory m arksmansh ip training is divided into three

steps:

(1) Sighting and aiming.

(2) Position.

(3) Trigger manipulation.

66. Coach in g.

a. Throughou t all of the p reparatory training, the coach-and -pu pil method of training should be used . The d uties of the coachare very important. How well a man learns to shoot depends toa great extent on how well his coach d oes his duties. When possi-ble, the m ore experienced m an sh ou ld serve as the coach first.The coach w ill assist the p up il by:

(1) Correcting any errors made.

(2) Insu ring that, he takes the proper positions.

(3) Insu ring that he observes all safety p recautions.

b. During fam iliarization firing, the coach will also performthe duties listed in paragraph 72 b.

67. Sightin g and Aimin g, General.

The first step of preparatory marksmanship is sighting andaiming. Sights on the submachinegun are not adjustable. Thew eapon is p rimar ily intend ed for firing au tom atic fire at short

ranges wh ere quick shooting is required . Generally the sightsare used for the initial alinement of the weapon on the target.During firing, the firer can observe the strike of the rounds andbring them onto the target. In a situation where the firer desiresto fire single shots or short bursts and has enough time to obtainthe correct sight alinement an d sight p icture, he shou ld d o so.Therefore he mu st un d erstand the correct sight alinem ent andsight picture.

68. Imp ortant Points Ab out Sighting an d Aiming.a. The front sight m ust be accurately centered in the rear

sight.

49

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

50/82

b. The bulls-eye is centered above and appears to barely touchthe top of the front sight.

c. The last focus of the eye is on the front sight. The frontsight will be seen clear and sharp, while the bulls-eye will appear

to be a bit fuzzy.d. If the rou nd s are striking below th e target, aim higher on

the target. If the rounds are striking above the target, aim lower.

69. Position.

The second and most important step of preparatory marksmanshipis the position exercise. To h it a target and to continue to holda burst on a target, the firer must have a good position. The

submachinegun may be fired from the standing, sitting, kneeling,prone, or assault position (figs 30

a. Standing. This is normal firing position. To assume thisposition, stand facing the target, then make a half right face.Move the left foot forward one step, pointing the left toe towardthe target. Lean forward; bend the left knee slightly, keepingthe right leg straight, with about two-thirds of the body weighton the left foot. Grasp the magazine guide w ith the left hand and

the pistol grip with the right hand. Place the butt of the stockagainst the right shou lder, and tw ist the body (at the w aist) tothe left to bring the right shoulder forward. The left elbow shouldbe und er the w eapon, and the right elbow shou ld be shou ld erhigh. Press the cheek against the stock. The recoil is slight forone shot, but in au tom atic fire, each time the gun recoils it w illtend to pu sh the shou lder backw ard s. Therefore, the gun w illmove off the target if the firer is not w ell braced and in the

proper position.b. Sitting. This position is best u sed w hen firing from ground

that slopes to the front. To assume this position, face the target,half face to the right, spread the feet a comfortable distanceapart, and sit dow n. The feet should be farther apart than th eknees. Bend the bod y forward from the hips, keeping the backstraight. Push th e right should er slightly forw ard (toward thetarget ). Place the left upp er arm on the flat part of the shinbone

so that the tip of the elbow is crossed over the shinbon e. Thereshou ld be several inches of contact between the u pper arm andthe shinbone. The r ight elbow is blocked in front of the rightknee,

c. Kneeling. The kneeling position afford s a stead ier aim thanthe stand ing position and is useful when the firer can crouchbehind a rock log or other protection This position is frequently

and.

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

51/82

used on level ground or ground that slopes upward . To assum ethis position, face the target, half face to the right, and kneelon th e right knee. Sit on the right heel, with th e right thighforming an angle of 90 with the line of aim . The entire surfaceof the lower right leg, from knee to toe, is in contact with the

ground . The left foot shou ld be p laced about 18 inches to thefront, with the toe pointing at the target. The left lower leg isvertical when viewed from the front. Move the weight of thebody forward , and place the point of the left elbow a few inchesforw ard of the knee. The right elbow is raised to th e height of,or slightly below, the right shoulder.

d. Prone. This position is the steadiest and should be usedwhenever time and terrain p ermit. To assume this position, takea p rone p osition, with the body inclined to the left of the line

of aim at an angle of 20 or less. Sp read the legs a com fortabledistance apart, with the toes pointed outward. Keep the spinestraight. Place the left elbow und er the gu n, with the left handgrasping the magazine guide. The right elbow is out from thebod y so tha t the shoulders are level. Place the bu tt of the stockthe pocket formed by the shoulder, and press the cheek againstthe stock.

e. Assault. This position, usually called the hip position orchest position, is used for close-in fighting. When this position

51

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

52/82

is used, there is less tendency of the muzzle to climb. The sightsare not used to aim the weapon; the firer simply points thew eapon toward the target and comm ences firing. The sold iermust have a great deal of practice before he can d o accurateshooting. To assume this position, press the stock against theside of the hip w ith the right arm , or p lace the stock u nd er thearm pit and press it against the body. The body should be in acrou ched position, and the firer shou ld w alk on the balls of hisfeet so that h e can qu ickly

side.

70. Trigger M anip ulation.

a. This is the third stepan au tomatic weapon, the

shift h is body to fire at targets to his

of preparatory m arksman ship. Withsold ier d oes not squ eeze the trigger;

he m anipu lates the trigger to obtain a single shot or a bur st ofround s. To obtain correct trigger m anipu lation on the sub-machinegun, the soldier must be given adequ ate-training. In ad-d ition, he m ust be familiar w ith his weapon, because the triggerpull on all submachineguns is not the same.

b. To fire sing le shots, the firer m ay p ress or tap the triggerto the rear until the bolt is released, then quickly release thetrigger.

c. To obtain a burst of round s, the firer holds the trigger to

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

53/82

the rear un til the desired num ber of round s have been fired, thenquickly releases the trigger.

d. To practice trigger manipulation for single shot, the soldiercocks the w eapon, presses or tap s the trigger, and releases itbefore he hears the noise of the bolt striking the gu ide rod lo-cating p late. If am munition is available, firing th e w eapon an dbecoming familiar w ith it is the best m eans of learning triggermanipulation.

71. Fami liarization Firing.

The following table prescribes the familiarization firing. Prelim-inary instru ction is cond ucted prior to firing. Thirty rou nd s of

ammun ition are allowed per ind ividual. The procedu re for famil-iarization firing is given in p aragrap h 72.

72. Procedure for Familiarization Firing.

a. General. This course is designed to allow the m en to become

familiar with the weapon. It may be set up and fired in thefollowing manner:(1) A straigh t firing line w ith several firing p oints is used ,

w ith ap proxim ately 10 to 12 feet between firing p oints. Stand sare provided on which to place the weapons during lulls in firing.H olders for E-type targets shou ld be p laced at ran ges of 25, 50,and 90 meters from the firing line. There is one target for eachfiring point.

(2) The E targets are first p laced in the holders at the 25-

meter range.(3) Each firer h as 3 magazines of 10 round s each. Each

firer has a coach w ho also acts as his scorer.(4) The firers take the stand ing position. On the comm and

of the officer in charge, they cock, lock, and load their guns.At the command COMMENCE FIRING, each firer fires four

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

54/82

round s, single shot, at his target. He then locks his weap on, takesthe assau lt position, opens the cover, and fires a burst of sixround s at his target.

(5) The firers clear their weapons (checked by the coaches)and place them on the stands. On command, the firers andcoaches move forward and mark and paste the targets. Theythen move the targets to the 50-meter range, placing them in theholders there.

(6) After moving back to the firing line, the firers takestand ing, sitting, or kneeling positions. On command , they cock,lock, and load th eir gu ns and com mence firing. Each firer fires4 round s, single shot, and 2 bursts of 3 round s each, at his target.

(7) The firers clear their weapons (checked by the coaches)and place them on the stand s. On command, the firers and coachesmove forward and mark and paste the targets. They then m ovethe targets to the 90-meter range, placing them in the h oldersthere.

(8) After moving back to the firing line, the firers takestanding, sitting, or kneeling position. On command, they cock,

lock, and load th eir gun s and comm ence firing . Each firer fires4 round s, single shot, and 2 bursts of 3 round s each, at his target.(9) The firers clear their weapons (checked by the coaches)

and place them on the stands. On command, the firers andcoaches move forward and mark and paste the targets. They thenbring the targets back to the 25-meter range and p lace them inthe holders there in readiness for the next order of firers.

(10) In some cases, a pistol range maybe modified for firing

this course by establishing the 25 and 90 meters.(11 ) If a stoppage occurs, the firer w ill keep his weaponpointed down-range and notify his coach.

b. Duties of coaches. Coaches perform the duties listed in para-graph 66. In addition, they mark and paste the targets

c. Marking and pasting targets.(1) Procedure. When the officer in charge has d etermined

that the weapons are clear, he commands: MARK AND PASTETARGETS. Firers and coaches mark and paste targets as indi-cated by the officer in charge.

(2) Familiarization scores. There are no scores for th iscourse.

Section III. RANGE FIRING AND TARGETS, RANGES AND RANGESAFETY PRECAUTIO N S

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

55/82

tice in accordance with the provisions of this manual and appli-cable Army Regulations. All range firing will be conducted underthe d irect sup ervision of a commissioned officer. No p erson w illbe permitted to fire the submachinegun on the range until he hascompleted the preliminary instruction.

74. Target.

The target used for familiarization firing is the E silhouette(fig 31).

75. Ranges.

The familiarization course range may be set up on a pistol range(if space permits), a rifle range, or any flat terrain.

76. Range Safety Precaution s.

During firing, all personnel, including marking and scoring de-tails, must be in a safe position. The necessary range guard smust be posted an d danger flags prom inently displayed beforefiring begins. Men on the firing line m ust observe all safety p re-cautions.

55

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

56/82

CHAPTER 5

TECHNIQUE OF FIRE

Section I. TECHNIQUE OF FIRE77. Characteristics of Fire.

a. General. The characteristics of the su bm achinegu n governthe manner in which it is used. It is highly effective at closequ arters. It is very d epend able, because of the simplicity of itsmechanism. The soldier who uses the weapon properly can attainconsiderable accuracy in firing automatic fire at close ranges.

b. Collective Firing. Collective firing is the combined firing ofa group of individuals. The submachinegun is normally issued asan individual weapon. It is not issued to all members of a unit,as is the pistol, carbine, or rifle. Consequently, collective firing ofsubmachineguns is seldom employed. The submachinegun may beused in conjunction w ith other w eapons, especially the machine-gun. When used in this manner, it is normally fired at shortrange targets, w hile the other w eapon is fired at longer ran ges.

78. Types of Fire Command s.a. Form al fire com m and s are seldom necessary or d esirable.

For control on target ranges, such commands as COCK, LOCK,AN D LOAD; READY; COMMENCE FIRING; and CEASEFIRIN G are u sed . In combat, fire com mand s, if necessary, arenormally limited to COMMENCE FIRING and CEASE FIRING.

b. The target designation m ay be ad d ed to the fire command

w hen the firer has not seen the target. In this case, the firecommand may be given as follows: JON ES, BEHIND TREE,RIGHT, COMMENCE FIRING. Norm ally, each soldier d iscoverstargets and immediately takes them under fire.

79. Sam ple Techn ique-of-Fire Exercises.

In preparing exercises involving the use of the submachinegun

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

57/82

ployment of this weapon both from the ground and from avehicle. These exercises should include the use of the submachine-gun in the dismounted reconnaissance of a roadblock, its employ-ment on outpost duty or in establishing march outposts, and itsuse by mounted scouts and armored vehicle personnel in assumed

ambush situations.a. Exercises, General. The following exercises are given as a

guide an d m ay be m odified to suit the terrain, equipment, andtim e ava ilable. Each p roblem u tilizes natu ral terrain features,equipment normally available, and actual personnel targets (allfire is simulated). The exercises should be conducted under thesupervision of a commissioned officer, who will note any errorsmad e and critique each exercise. Service ammunition is not firedduring these exercises. They train the soldier and unit leader in

locating targets, target d esignation, fire comm and s, and the u seof the submachinegun as a sup porting weapon in the unit. Everyeffort is made to employ the fundamentals of concealment, camou-flage, and scou ting and patrolling in the cond uct of these exer-cises. Personnel acting as targets shou ld be rotated w ith firers,and the targets shou ld be shifted frequently to avoid mon otony.

b. Exercise 1. A stretch of terrain not to exceed 350 metersin length and containing as m any terrain features as possible-such as trees, shrubs, tall grass, ditches, logs, and wallsis

selected for the course. Actual personnel targets are p laced a longa d esignated p ath, at various ranges from the path and in n ormalconcealment. Typical targets include prone, kneeling, and stand-ing sold iers, moving ind ividuals and group s, machineguns withnorm al crews, and mou nted scouts. The firer is required to pro-ceed down the designated path and locate targets. When hediscovers a target, he takes a firing position and simulates firingon th e target. H e is accompanied by an instructor, wh o checksall phases of the firers actions an d points ou t any errors m ad e.

c. Exercise 2. A roadblock is established in a suitable location.It is held by a d etachm ent of sold iers armed w ith su bm achine-guns and rifles. Either a dismounted soldier w ith submachinegun ,a mounted scout with submachinegun, an armored vehicle withsubm achinegu n as an alternate weap on, or any combination ofthese, may operate against the roadblock. A commissioned officershould accomp any the individu al or the vehicle. He checks andinstructs in procedure and critiques the exercise, including anycommands given by a vehicle commander.

d. Exercise 3. A small area in which buildings predominate,and which can be p resum ed to be a village or city street, shou ld

57

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

58/82

be selected for this exercise. It shou ld be possible for p ersonn elto occupy build ings, roofs, and window s and to erect barricades.Personnel armed with submachineguns and m ounted in armoredvehicles should be required to operate against personnel in build-

ings and to reduce barricades. This type of problem is especiallybeneficial in training for moun ted and d ismoun ted action, collec-tive firing with other weapons, and proper leadership. All actionsby ind ividuals, squad or platoon lead ers, and units shou ld becarefully checked by a commissioned officer. The exercise shouldbe reviewed and critiqued immediately upon completion.

Section II. FIRING AT MOVING GROUND TARGETS

80. Gen eral.

a. All personnel armed with the submachinegun should betrained to fire at m oving vehicu lar and personnel-type targets.Normally such fire will be delivered at short ranges in shortbursts. The high rate of fire, and the ability of the sold ier to movethe d irection of fire at will, make the su bmachinegun particularlyeffective against moving p ersonnel. The sold ier must be tra inedto employ his submachinegun effectively and quickly. He mustbe trained in the prop er use of the sights and methods of lead ingthe target at short ranges.

b. Moving targets are seldom exposed for long p eriods andusually move at maximum speed during periods of exposure.

81. Use of Lead s.

When targets are crossing the line of sight, the firer m ust aim

ahead of the target so that the bullet and target w ill meet. Thedistance aimed ahead of the target is called the lead. For per-sonnel targets moving across the line of sight, the point of aimshould be slightly in front of the body, and the lead should becorrected by observation of the fire. Targets that approach di-rectly tow ard the firer or m ove directly aw ay from him requ ireno lead .

82. Determination of Leads.The lead necessary to hit a moving target depends upon the speedof the target, the range of the target, and the direction of move-ment with respect to the line of sight. Moving at 10 miles perhour, a vehicle travels app roximately its own length in 1 second .The velocity of a bullet from the submachinegun is approximately900 feet in 1 second

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

59/82

83. App lication of lead s.

a. Leads are ap plied by u sing the length of the target (TL),as it app ears to the firer, as a un it of m easure. This elim inatesthe necessity for corrections due to the angle at which the targetcrosses the line of sight; becau se the m ore acute th e ang le, theshorter the target app ears, and the less lateral speed it attains.

b. The following lead table for vehicles is furn ished as a gu ide:

84. Techn iqu es of Fire at Movin g Targets.

a. The firer uses the following techn ique in firing at m ovingtargets.

(1)A pproaching or receding targets.The firer holds hisaim on or above the center of the target (d epend ing up on therange) and fires in short bursts.

(2) Crossing vehicular targets. The firer estimates theproper amount of lead, alines his sights on or above the bottomof the target at its rearward point (depend ing up on the range),swings straight across the target to the estimated lead, and fires

short bursts, keeping the proper lead.(3) Grossing personn el targets. The firer takes aim slightly

in front of the center of the bod y of the target, with p roperad justm ent for range, and fires short bursts. He changes the leadand range as necessary after observing th e effect of the bu rsts.

b. The high rate of fire of the su bm achinegun allow s the firerto cover the target with fire and to im prove h is lead and rangeestimation by actual observation of the effectiven ess of his fire.

59

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

60/82

CHAPTER 6

DESTRUCTION OF MATERIEL

85. Auth ority.

The decision to d estroy ordn ance materiel to prevent its captureand use by the enemy is a comm and decision.

86. Principles Govern ing Destruction.

The following are the fundamentals to be observed in executingan ord er to destroy small arms.

a. The destru ction m ust be as complete as the circum stanceswill permit.

b. If there is insufficient time for complete destruction, theparts essential to operation of the weapon must be d estroyed,beginning with those parts m ost difficult for the enemy to dupli-cate.

c. The same essential parts of each w eapon must be destroyed,to prevent the reconstruction of a comp lete weap on from severaldam aged ones.

87. Training in Destruction.

Before reaching the combat zone, soldiers mu st be trained toquickly and adequately destroy their individual weapons in anestablished and uniform sequence, based on the pr inciples statedin the above p aragraph. Training will not involve actual d estruc-tion of materiel.

88. Meth od for the Destruction of the Sub machinegu n.

Remove and dispose of the bolt and guide rod group . Smash thereceiver and stock against a tree, rock, or other hard surface until

bent and twisted. Smash or bu rr the threads of the barrel collar.89. Destruction of Am mu nition.

When time and materials are available, ammunition may be de-stroyed as follows: Break ou t all packed ammun ition from boxes

60

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

61/82

or cartons. Stack the am m unition in a p ile. (If possible, the p ileshould be placed in a dep ression or hole, to lessen the d anger topersonnel performing the d estruction op eration.) Stack or p ileall available flamm able material, such as scrap w ood or bru sh,over the ammun ition. Pour gasoline or oil over the p ile. Sufficientflammable material must be used to insure a very hot fire. Ignite

the m aterial and take cover. A period of 30 to 60 minutes will berequired to d estroy the ammu nition carried by small combatunits.

61

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

62/82

CH APTER 7

ADVICE TO IN STRUCTORS

Section I. GENERAL

90. Pu rp ose.The m aterial contained in this chap ter is ad visory and shou ldbe considered as a gu ide only. It is not intended to limit theimagination and initiative of the instructor.

91. Assistant Instru ctors.

Train, in ad vance of classes, as many demonstrators and assistant

instructors as will be needed. Rehearse them carefully in theduties they are to perform. Only by rehearsals can the instructorinsure effective dem onstra tions and efficient w ork by assistantinstructors.

92. Training Schedules.

To aid in the ind ividu al training ph ase, a training sched u le fora course in marksmanship training/ familiarization firing is

show n in append ix B. This sched u le is based on th e desirablenumber of training hours for proper submachinegun training.Use it as a gu ide in p reparing lesson p lans. Cond itions m ay re-qu ire a longer or shorter period to complete the training. Whentime is available, more training should be added to the schedule.When suggested references, equipment, and training aids are notavailable, improvise or substitute the best that are available. Allreferences in the training sched u le, unless otherw ise noted , areto this manual.

93. Training Notes, Mechanical Training.

a. Instruction in mechanical training will be conducted in asequence that insures the uniform progress of the unit.

b. The instructor br iefly explains the subject to be covered.The assistants dem onstrate the proper procedure for clearing the

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

63/82

w eapon . The soldiers then clear their w eapon s. The instructornam es the parts, and the assistants point ou t each p art as it isnam ed. The assistants dem onstrate disassembly and assemblyand then sup ervise the stud ents du ring p ractical work on d is-assembly and assembly.

c. The instructor teaches functioning, stoppages, and malfunc-tions with the use of visual aids.

94. Trainin g N otes, Familiarization Firing.

a. The purp ose of familiarization firing is to give the sold ierenou gh training to enable him to m aintain and fire the subm a-chanegun during an emergency.

b. If the soldiers have received training on other weapons, the

time spent on sighting and aiming may be reduced.Section II. RANGE FIRING

95. Inspection of Submachinegun.

All submachineguns should be carefully inspected far enough inadvance to permit the replacement of defective weapons beforethe training period begins.

96. Insp ection of Ranges.

All ranges to be used are carefu lly inspected far enou gh in ad -vance of the period of use to permit changes or repairs whennecessary. Targets and other equipm ent must be in the best Pos-sible state of repair when range firing begins.

Section III. TRAINING AIDS

97. Gen eral.

In cond ucting tra ining, make the greatest possible use of working

models, charts, and other suitable visual training aids. Excellentsubmachinegun training aids are available through normal sup-ply channels, or they can be constructed locally. Some recom-mendations and suggestions concerning the construction and useof the various training aids are listed below.

a. Scrap lum ber in good cond ition m ay be used to constru ctmod els. Hard wood is recomm ended for mod el parts that rub to-gether or have strain on them . Other m aterials which are neededin making models are nails, screws, and springs.

b. Charts and models should be painted with contrasting colorsto help the class locate the various parts.

63

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

64/82

c. Models should be m oun ted on stand s so that they can beseen by the entire class.

d. All lettering on charts, models, and other training aids mu stbe large enough to be read easily. Lettering 2 inches high isread able at a d istance of 75 feet.

e. Charts that are painted or d rawn on heavy pap er will bejust as satisfactory as those painted on wood, except that chartspainted on w ood w ill withstand harder usage than p aper charts.

f. Before using a m ulticolored chart or w orking m odel, explainthe meaning of the various colors.

98. Wooden Workin g Mod el.

A large-scale working model (fig 32) is an excellent training aidfor teaching functioning of the subm achinegun. Figures 33

show the dimensions of the parts, and a detailed planof construction is given below.through

a. Cut out the par ts.

b. Paint the ou tline of the receiver on a sheet of -inch p ly-wood.

c. Position the ra ils for the barrel (B), place the cartridgebetween the rails, and fasten the rails to the receiver with screws.

should be 4d. Position the gu ide rod (C). The bottom of the gu ide rod

inches below the top of the receiver. Fasten it tothe receiver with screws.

e. Slide the bolt forward on the guide rod.f. Position the guide rod retaining plate (D), and fasten it to

the receiver with screws.

g. Position the magazine follower (E) by p lacing the cartridgeon top of the follower. Move the bolt forward . The bolt will pu shthe cartridge forward; guide it (by hand) into the chamber.Mark a path for the lug of the cartrid ge. Recess the path of the

lug (A) to a depth of -inch. When the model will feed andchamber the cartridge fasten the follower to the receiver.

h. Assemble the trigger, connector, and sear (F), using a 1-inch d owel rod.

i. Position the trigger and sear group on the receiver.

j Pl th t i i i iti d f t it t th

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

65/82

k. Place the sear p in in p osition, and fasten it to the receiverwith screws.

l. Place on th e trigger spring (use a salvage driving sp ring).

m. Chamber the cartridge, and place stops in the barrel to

prevent the cartridge from going completely into the barrel.n. Paint the ejector on th e receiver.

(1)

(2)

(3)(4)

(5)

99. Charts and O ther Aid s.

a. Some of the points that can best be presented by a chartare:

Steps in functioning.Stoppages.

Steps in care and cleaning.Characteristics and general data.Range orientation.

b. Other helpfu l training aids wh ich can be obtained throu ghnormal supply channels are:

(1) Training films and film strips.(2) Graphic training aids.

65

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

66/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

67/82

67

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

68/82

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

69/82

CH APTER 8

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

100. G eneral.

a. The safety of personn el is the p rimary concern of everyone

during any exercise in w hich live ammunition is fired . To minim-ize the possibility of accidents, certain safety regulations havebeen established and currently are published in AR 385-63. Thesafety precautions given in this chapter are intended to em-phasize and supplement the regulations in AR 385-63.

b. All officers conducting any type of firing are responsiblefor:

(1) Becoming familiar with all safety rules, general andlocal, pertaining to that type of firing an d to the type weap onsand ammunition being fired.

(2) Teaching all men on the ranges the mean ing of thesesafety rules.

c. Each m an is responsible for his own safety and that ofothers around him. Each man is required to enforce safety regula-tions on the range.

101. Safety Precautions, Mechanical Training.

a. Start observing safety precautions as soon as you receivea weapon . Always check the chamber and receiver to insure thatthere is no live cartridge in the weapon.

b. Never playfully or carelessly point a weapon at anyone.

c. Check all dum my cartrid ges to m ake sure that there is nolive ammunition among them.

102. Safety Precautions, Preparatory Marksmanship Training.a. Develop the habit of keeping the muzzle pointed up or down

range.

69

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

70/82

b. Carry the weapon with the magazine removed, chamberempty, bolt forward, and cover closed.

c. Comply with all commands of the officer in charge and thecoach.

103. Safety Precau tion s, Ran ge Firin g.

a. Safety p recau tions m ust be observed on the range, A safetyofficer/ N CO shou ld be d esignated w ith the sp ecific du ty of in-sur ing that all safety precau tions are being observed . Each coachwill require his firer to observe safety precautions.

b. Safety precautions listed above for mechanical training and

preparatory marksmanship training also apply du ring rangepractice.

c. Precautions to be observed pr ior to firing include:(1) Do not draw or issue amm unition u ntil the officer in

charge of firing gives the command.

(2) Do not start firing until:(a) All personnel are oriented regard ing safety regula-

tions and other pertinent information.

(b) Roadblocks are established and road guards are post-ed.

(c) A red stream er is displayed from a p rominent p laceon the range.

(d ) All weap ons are checked by an officer to insure thatnone contain live ammunition. The bores of weapons to be firedmust be checked to insure that they contain no obstructions suchas rust-preventive compound, cleaning patches, mud, or snow.

(e) Markers a re p laced at the right an d left safety lim its,and personnel are warned not to fire outside of the markers.

d. Precautions to be observed during firing include:

(1) Weapons will be loaded and un loaded on the firing line,on command of the officer in charge.

(2) The commands COMMEN CE FIRING and CEASEFIRIN G are given loud and clear (wh istle signa ls may be u sed

w hen n ecessary). Anyone w ho consid ers it necessary to insu resafety may give the command CEASE FIRING. When a firerhears the command CEASE FIRING, he will take his finger off thetrigger, close the cover, and wait for further instructions.

(3) As soon as the firing exercise is com pleted, or on com-mand , the firer w ill clear h is weapon .

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

71/82

(4) No one will move in front of the firing line unless di-rected to d o so by the officer in charge, w ho, before giving thecommand, will have all weapons cleared, checked by the safetyofficer/ NCO or coach, and ground ed.

(5) No weapon is moved in front of the firing line.

(6) No w eapon w ill be removed from the firing line un tilit has been checked , by the safety officer/ NCO or one of hisrepresentatives, to see that it is clear.

(7) Proper care will be given am munition (para 52).

(8) All accidents will be immediately reported to the officerin charge. AR 38563 prescribes the rep ort that w ill be madefor accidents involving faulty weapons or ammunition. AR 385-40 prescribes the report that will be made for accidents that arenot the result of faulty weapons or ammunition.

(9) When guns are being fired from vehicles, a red flag w illbe displayed on each vehicle while the gun in that vehicle isloaded.

e. Precautions to be observed after firing include:(1) All brass and live cartridges will be kept separate. Brass

will be inspected to insure that there are no empty cartridge caseswith unexploded primers.

(2) All card board am m un ition cartons w ill be insp ected to

insure that they contain no live cartridges or brass.(3) Before any w eapon is removed from the firing line orfrom the ran ge, it w ill be checked to insu re that it contains nolive ammunition.

(4) All personnel are inspected to insu re that no un au thor-ized person is carrying live ammunition or brass from the range.

(5) All range flags are taken down, and the road guardsare withdrawn from their posts.

71

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

72/82

APPENDIX A

REFERENCES

1. Army Regulations (AR)

350-4 Qualification and Familiarization with Weap-ons and Weapon Systems.385-40 Accident Reporting and Records.385-63 Regulations for Firing Ammunition for

Training, Target Practice and Combat.

2. DA Pamp hlets (DA Pam)

108-1 Index of Army Motion Pictures and RelatedAudio-Visual Aids.

310-3 Index of Doctrinal, Training, and Organiza-tional Publications.

310-4 Military Publications: Index of TechnicalManuals, Technical Bulletins, Supply Man-uals (Types 7, 8, and 9), Supply Bulletins,and Lubrication Orders.

310-7 Military Publications US Army EquipmentIndex of Modification Work Orders.

3. Field Manu als (FM)

21-5 Military Training Management.21-6 Techniques of Military Instruction.21-40 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nu-

clear Defense.22-5 Drill and Ceremonies.

4. Techn ical Man uals (TM)

3-220 Chemical, Biological, and Radiological (CBR)Decontamination.

9-1005-229-12 Op erators and Organ izational MaintenanceManual, Including Repair Parts and Spe-cial Tools Lists: Submachineguns, Caliber.45: M3, w/ e (1005-672-1767); Subm a-

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

73/82

chinegu n, Caliber .45: M3A1, w / e (1005-672-1771) .

9-1005-229-35 DS, GS, and Depot Maintenance Manual,Including Repair Parts and Special ToolLists for Submachineguns, Caliber .45:

M3, w/ e (1005-672-1767); Submachine-gun Caliber .45: M3A1, w/ e (1005-672-1771).

91300-206 Ammunition and Explosives Standards.9-1305-200 Small-Arms Ammunition (TO llA13-l-

101).9-692021014 Op erator , Organ izational, DS and GS Main-

tenance Manual, Including Basic IssueItems List and Repair Parts List: Small

Arm s Targets and Target Material. (NAV-PERS 15217; AFM 50-27 ; TM 6920-14/ 1.)

73

8/14/2019 FM 23-41 (M3 SMG)

74/82

APPENDIX B

TRAINING SCHEDULE

1. G eneral.

To aid in the ind ividual training phase, a training sched u le forsubm achinegun marksm anship training/ familiarization firing isshow n in p aragraph 2. This sched u le is based on the d esirablenu mber of training h ours for subm achinegun training. Use itas a gu ide in p reparing lesson p lans. Cond itions m ay requ ire alonger or shorter p eriod to complete the training. When time isavailable, more training should be added to the schedule. Whensuggested equipment and training aids are not available, im-provise or substitute the best that are available.

2. Training Schedule.

a. This training sched u le may be u sed as a gu ide for the in-structor in prep aring lesson p lans and for sched u ling periodsof instruction. Training problems peculiar to a given unit or in-stallation m ay n ecessitate m od ification of some p ortions of thetraining outlined herein.

(1) Training management will be guided by FM 2