Blowback (firearms)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has
insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise
citations. (February 2014)
Blowback is a system of operation for self-loading firearms that obtains energy from the motion of
the cartridge case as it is pushed to the rear by expanding gases created by the ignition of the
propellant charge.[1]
Several types of blowback systems exist within this broad principle of operation, each distinguished
by the level of energy derived through the blowback principle and the methods used to control bolt
movement. In most actions that use blowback operation, the breech is not locked mechanically at
the time of firing: the inertia of the bolt and recoil spring(s), relative to the weight of the bullet, delays
opening of the breech until the bullet has left the barrel.[2] A few locked breech designs use a form of
blowback (example: primer actuation) to perform the unlocking function.
Other operating principles for self-loading firearms include blow forward, gas operation, recoil
operation, Gatling, and chain. The blowback principle may be considered a simplified form of gas
operation, since the cartridge case behaves like a piston driven by the powder gases. [1]
Contents
Blowback je sustav rada za samostalno punjenje oruja koje dobiva energiju iz gibanja sluaju uloka kao to
je gurnuo u stranji irenjem plinova stvorio paljenja potisnog naboja. [1]
Nekoliko vrsta Blowback sustavi postoje u ovom irokom principu rada, svaka razlikuje po razini energije
izvedene kroz Blowback naela i metode koje se koriste za kontrolu vijak pokret. U veini akcija koje koriste
Blowback rad, stranjica nije zakljuana mehaniki u vrijeme palbe: inercija vijak i trzanja proljee (a), u
odnosu na teinu od metka, kanjenja otvaranje zatvara dok Metak je ostavio . cev [2] nekoliko zakljuani
stranjim dizajna koristiti oblik Blowback (primjer: poetnica aktiviranja) za obavljanje funkcije
otkljuavanja.
Ostali poslovni principi za samostalno punjenje oruja su udarac prema naprijed, rad na plin, trzanja rad,
Gatling i lanac.Blowback naelo moe se smatrati pojednostavljeni oblik rada plina, budui aura ponaa
poput klipa kojim je upravljao prakastih plinova. [1]

1 Principle of operation

2 Simple blowback

3 Advanced primer ignition (API) blowback

4 Delayed blowback
o

4.1 Roller delayed

4.2 Lever delayed

4.3 Gas delayed

4.4 Chamber-ring delayed

4.5 Hesitation locked

4.6 Toggle delayed

4.7 Off-axis bolt travel

4.8 Screw-delayed

5 Other blowback systems

o

5.1 Floating chamber

5.2 Primer actuated

5.3 Case setback

6 Limited-utility designs
o

6.1 Blish lock

6.2 Savage rotating barrel

7 Other autoloading systems

8 See also

9 References

10 Bibliography

11 External links

Principle of operation[edit]
The blowback system is generally defined as an operating system in which energy to operate the
firearm's various mechanisms and provide automation is derived from the movement of the spent
cartridge case pushed out of the chamber by rapidly expanding powder gases. [3] This rearward
thrust, imparted against the bolt, is a direct reaction of the total reaction to the forward thrust applied
to the bullet and the expansion of propellant gases. [3] Certain guns will use energy from blowback to
perform the entire operating cycle (these are typically designs using relatively "low power"
ammunition) while others will use a portion of the blowback to operate only certain parts of the cycle
or simply use the blowback energy to enhance the operational energy from another system of
automatic operation.[3]
What is common to all blowback systems is that the cartridge case must move under the direct
action of the powder pressure, therefore any gun in which the bolt is not rigidly locked and permitted
to move while there remains powder pressure in the chamber will undergo a degree of blowback
action.[3] The energy from the expansion of gases on firing appears in the form of kinetic energy
transmitted to the bolt mechanism, which is controlled and used to operate the firearm's operation
cycle. The extent to which blowback is employed largely depends on the manner used to control the

movement of the bolt and the proportion of energy drawn from other systems of operation. [1] How the
movement of the bolt is controlled is where blowback systems differ. Blowback operation is most
often divided into three categories, all using residual pressure to complete the cycle of
operation: simple blowback, advanced primer ignition and delayed blowback or retarded
blowback.
Relating blowback to other types of automatic firearm operation, George M. Chinn wrote that: "In the
larger sense, blowback might well be considered a special form of gas operation. This is reasonable
because the cartridge case may be conceived of as a sort of piston driven by the powder gases.
Actually, blowback involves so many special problems that it is best considered to be in a class by
itself. The question whether or not it should be included within the more general class of gas
operation or recoil operation is purely academic. The important point is that it partakes some of the
properties of both classes and, depending on the particular problem at hand, may be considered to
be either one."[1]

Simple blowback[edit]

The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is a popular example of a simple blowback pistol chambered in.380 ACP.
The resistance provided by the mass of the slide alone is enough to delay opening of the chamber until pressure in
the barrel has dropped to a safe level.

The simple (sometimes referred to as the "straight" or "pure") blowback system represents the most
basic form of blowback operation and demonstrates the basic principles involved in the blowback
cycle.[1] The simple blowback mechanism typically consists of the bolt which rests against the base of
the cartridge case and a recoil spring that is compressed by the kinetic energy of the bolt when it is
thrown back in recoil. The stored energy of the compressed spring then drives the bolt back forward
into firing position.[4]
The cycle begins when the cartridge is fired. With an open-bolt cycle, the bolt is held by the trigger
sear to the rear and the recoil spring is fully compressed. Pulling the trigger releases the sear, the
action spring then propels the bolt forward, which strips a round from the feed system along the way.
The bolt carries a new cartridge into the chamber with considerable velocity and at the end of its
travel the firing pin fires the primer, igniting the propellent. The pressure of expanding gases from the
propellant sends the projectile down the barrel and at the same time applies an opposite,

rearward, bolt thrust force to the shell case against the breech face of the bolt, accelerating the bolt
and casing rearward with a force equal to F = ma, where m is the mass of the bolt and casing,
and a is the rate of acceleration of the bolt (the resistance of the recoil spring can be considered to
be negligible until the bore pressure drops). The force is also equal to F = PA, where P is the
instantaneous gas pressure inside the bore, and A is the cross-sectional area of the chamber (the
pressure force and inertia force are equal and opposite, i.e. same F but in opposite directions). The
breech is kept sealed by the internal pressure of the cartridge case against the chamber until the
bullet has left the barrel; the inertia of the bolt mass ensures this (mass of the bolt + recoil spring, in
some cases the hammer force too).[4] At this point the bore pressure is zero and the force driving the
bolt back is also zero, but the case and bolt continue to the rear on their own momentum. [4] At the
moment the bullet leaves the barrel, the momentum of the bullet and the rearward travelling bolt are
equal and opposite, assuming a same diameter bore and chamber, such as the sten gun (which is
not true with delayed blowback systems in which some of the momentum is initially transferred
directly to the bulk of the gun, or with necked cartridges where the casing is a larger diameter than
the projectile). The momentum of the bolt is gradually transferred to the body of the gun and the
shooter's body as the recoil spring is compressed. As the bolt travels back, the spent cartridge case
is extracted and ejected, and the firing mechanism is cocked by the rearward travelling bolt. The bolt
eventually reaches a velocity of zero and the kinetic energy from the recoil impulse is now stored in
the fully compressed spring (some energy loss does occur due to friction and the extraction and
ejection sequences).[4] The cycle repeats until the last round is expended or the trigger is released
engaging the sear to hold the bolt in the rear (open-bolt) position.

Simple blowback operation animation.

To remain practical, this system is only suitable for firearms using relatively low pressure cartridges.
Pure blowback operation is typically found on semi-automatic, small-caliber pistols, small-bore semiautomatic rifles andsubmachine guns. Some low-velocity cannon and grenade launchers such as
the Mk 19 grenade launcher also use blowback operation.
The barrel of a blowback pistol is generally fixed to the frame and the slide is held against the barrel
only by the recoil spring tension. The slide starts to move rearward immediately upon ignition of the
primer. As the cartridge moves rearward with the slide, it is extracted from the chamber and typically
ejected clear of the firearm. The mass of the slide must be sufficient to hold the breech closed until
the bullet exits the barrel and residual pressure is vented from the bore. A cartridge with too high a
pressure or a slide with too little mass may cause the cartridge case to extract early, causing a
separation or rupture. This generally limits blowback pistol designs to calibers less powerful
than 9x19mm Parabellum (e.g.,.25 ACP, .32 ACP, .380 ACP, 9x18mm Makarov, etc.). Any larger
and the slide mass starts to become excessive, and therefore few blowback handguns in such

calibers exist (see Recoil operation (Short recoil operation) for the method most commonly used by
these pistols); the most notable exceptions are simple, inexpensive guns such as those made by HiPoint Firearms which includes models chambered in .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .380 ACP and 9x19mm
Parabellum.[5]
Most simple blowback rifles are chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. Popular examples
include the Marlin Model 60 and the Ruger 10/22. Some blowback rifles or carbines are chambered
for pistol cartridges, such as the 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Examples include the MP40 and UZI submachine guns. There were also a few rifles that chambered cartridges specifically
designed for blowback operation. Examples include the Winchester Model 1905, 1907 and 1910. A
very unusual blowback firearm was created by fitting the M1903 Springfield rifle with a mechanism
called the Pedersen device which retrofited a semi-automatic repeating action in the space normally
occupied by the bolt of the firearm.

Advanced primer ignition (API) blowback[edit]

MK 108 cannon bolt cycle (part I)

MK 108 cannon bolt cycle (part II)

In the API blowback design, the primer is ignited when the bolt is still moving forward before the
cartridge is fully chambered Image. In a plain blowback design, the propellant gases have to
overcome static inertia to accelerate the bolt rearwards to open the breech. In an API blowback, they
also have to do the work of overcoming forwardmomentum to stop the forward motion of the bolt.
Because the forward and rearward speeds of the bolt tend to be approximately the same, the API
blowback allows the weight of the bolt to be halved.[6] Because the momentum of the two opposed
bolt motions cancels out over time, the API blowback design results in reduced recoil.
According to Anthony G. Williams, the "API blowback principle is used virtually in all sub-machine
guns", although "the relatively low pressures and velocities mean that extended chambers
and rebated-rim cartridges are not required" for sub-machine guns.[7] In heavier weapons, advanced
primer ignition (API) was originally developed by Reinhold Becker [8] for use on the Becker 20-mm
automatic cannon. It became a feature of a wide range of designs that can be traced back to
Becker's, including the Oerlikon cannon widely used as anti-aircraft weapons during WWII.[7]
To increase performance of API blowback firearms,[6] larger calibre APIB guns such as the Becker
and Oerlikon use extended chambers, longer than is necessary to contain the round, ammunition for
APIB firearms come with straight-sided cartridges with rebated rims (the rear of the cartridge case is
smaller in diameter than the front).[9]The last part of forward motion and the first part of the rearward
motion of the case and bolt happen within the confines of this extended chamber. As long as the gas
pressure in the barrel is high, the walls of case remain supported and the breach sealed, although
the case is sliding rearwards. This sliding motion of the case, while it is expanded by a high internal
gas pressure, risks tearing it apart, and a common solution is to grease the ammunition to reduce
the friction. The case needs to have a rebated rim because the front end of the bolt will enter the
chamber, and the extractor claw hooked over the rim therefore has to fit also within the diameter of
the chamber. The case generally has very little neck, because this remains unsupported during the
firing cycle and is generally deformed; a strongly necked case would be likely to split.
The API blowback design permits the use of more powerful ammunition in a lighter gun that would
be achieved by using plain blowback, and the reduction of felt recoil results in further weight savings.
The original Becker cannon, firing 20x70RB ammunition, was developed to be carried by WWI
aircraft, and weighed only 30 kg.[10] Oerlikon even produced an anti-tank rifle firing 20x110RB
ammunition using the API blowback operation, the SSG36. On the other hand, because the design
imposes a very close relationship between bolt mass, chamber length, spring strength, ammunition
power and rate of fire, in APIB guns high rate of fire and high muzzle velocity tend to be mutually
exclusive.[9] API blowback guns also have to fire from an open bolt, which is not conducive to
accuracy and means they can't be synchronized to fire through a propeller.
API mechanisms are very sensitive to the ammunition used. For example, when the Germans
switched their MG FF (an Oerlikon FFF derivative) to their new, lighter Minengescho shell, they had
to rebalance the spring strength and bolt weight of the gun, resulting a new MG FF/M model with
ammunition not being interchangeable between the two models.[9] The 30 mm MK 108 cannon was
perhaps the apogee of API blowback technology during WWII.
According to an United States Army Materiel Command engineering course from 1970, "The
advanced primer ignition gun is superior to the simple blowback because of its higher firing rate and
lower recoil momentum. However, favorable performance depends on timing that must be precise. A
slight delay in primer function, and the gun reverts to a simple blowback without the benefit of a
massive bolt and stiffer driving spring to soften the recoil impact. [...] The exacting requirements in
design and construction of gun and ammunition reduce this type almost to the point of academic
interest only."[11]
An example of API in sub-machine guns is the L2A3 Sterling submachine gun, where the maximum
chamber pressure is achieved while the breechblock is still moving forward and is about 0.46 mm

away from the rear face of the chamber.[12] The principle is also used in some automatic grenade
launchers, for example in the US Mk 19 grenade launcher or Russian AGS-30.

Delayed blowback[edit]
For more powerful rounds or for a lighter operating mechanism, some system
of delayed or retarded blowback is often used, requiring the bolt to overcome some initial
resistance while not fully locked. Because of high pressures, rifle-caliber delayed blowback firearms,
such as the FAMAS and G3, typically have fluted chambers to ease extraction. Below are various
forms of delayed-blowback actions:

Roller delayed[edit]

A schematic of the roller-delayed blowback mechanism used in the MP5submachine gun. This system had its origins
in the late-war StG 45(M)assault rifle prototype.

Roller-delayed blowback was first used in the experimental MG 42 derivative MG 42V and the
1945 Mauser StG 45(M) prototypes. Roller-delayed blowback operation differs from rollerlocked recoil operation as seen in the MG 42. Unlike the MG 42, in roller-delayed blowback the
barrel is fixed and does not recoil. As the bolt head is driven rearward, rollers on the sides of the bolt
are driven inward against a tapered bolt carrier extension. This forces the bolt carrier rearward at a
much greater velocity and delays movement of the bolt head. The primary advantage of rollerdelayed blowback is the simplicity of the design compared to gas or recoil operation. [13]
After WWII, former Mauser technicians Ludwig Vorgrimler and Theodor Lffler perfected this
mechanism between 1946 and 1950 while working for the French Centre d'Etudes et d'Armament de
Mulhouse (CEAM). The first full-scale production rifle to utilize roller-delay was
the Spanish CETME followed by the Swiss Sturmgewehr 57, and theHeckler & Koch G3 rifle.
The MP5 submachine gun is the most common weapon in service worldwide still using this system.
The P9 pistol also uses roller-delayed blowback; however, the Czech cz. 52 is roller-locked.

Lever delayed[edit]

A schematic of the lever-delayed blowback mechanism used in the FAMAS assault rifle.

Lever-delayed blowback utilizes leverage to delay the opening of the breech. [14] When the cartridge
pushes against the bolt face, the lever moves the bolt carrier rearward at an accelerated rate relative
to the light bolt. This leverage significantly increases resistance and slows the movement of the
lightweight bolt. John Pedersen patented the first known design for a lever-delay system.[15] The
mechanism was adapted by Hungarian arms designer Pl Kirly(a.k.a. Paul de Kiraly) in the 1930s
and first used in the Danuvia 43M submachine gun. Other weapons to use this system are the TKB517/2B-A-40 assault rifles, the AVB-7.62 battle rifle, the San Cristobal .30 carbine, theFAMAS,

the BSM/9 M1 and FNAB-43 submachine guns, the Hogue Avenger and Benelli B76 pistols,
the Sterling 7.62 and AA-52 machine guns.
[16]

Gas delayed[edit]
Gas-delayed blowback should not be confused with gas-operated. The bolt is never locked, and so
is pushed rearward by the expanding propellant gases as in other blowback-based designs.
However, propellant gases are vented from the barrel into a cylinder with a piston that delays the
opening of the bolt. It was used by some World War II German designs for the 7.9233mm
Kurz cartridge, including the Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 rifle (with little effectiveness) and the Grossfuss
Sturmgewehr (with slightly more efficiency),[17] and after the war by the Heckler & Koch P7, Steyr
GB and M-77B pistols.

Chamber-ring delayed[edit]
When a cartridge is fired, the case expands to seal the sides of the chamber. This seal prevents
high-pressure gas from escaping into the action of the gun. Because a conventional chamber is
slightly oversized, an unfired cartridge will enter freely. In a chamber-ring delayed firearm, the
chamber is conventional in every respect except for a raised portion at the rear of smaller diameter
than the front of the chamber. When the case expands in the front of the chamber and pushes
rearward on the slide, it is slowed as this raised portion constricts the expanded portion of the case
as the case is extracted. TheSeecamp pistol operates on this principle.

Hesitation locked[edit]
John Pedersen's patented system uses a separate breech block within the slide or bolt carrier. When
in battery, the breech block rests slightly forward of the locking shoulder in the frame. When the
cartridge is fired, the bolt and slide move together a short distance rearward powered by the energy
of the cartridge as in a standard blowback system. When the breech block contacts the locking
shoulder, it stops, locking the breech in place. The slide continues rearward with the momentum it
acquired in the initial phase. This allows chamber pressure to drop to safe levels while the breech is
locked and the cartridge slightly extracted. Once the bullet leaves the barrel and pressure drops, the
continuing motion of the slide lifts the breech block from its locking recess through a cam
arrangement, continuing the firing cycle. The Remington Model 51 pistol and SIG
MKMS submachine gun were the only production firearms to utilize this type of operating system
until Remington began producing the R51 pistol, an updated Model 51.

Toggle delayed[edit]

Operation of the Schwarzlose machine gun.

Image from Pedersen patent[18]describing toggle-delayed blowback mechanism as used in his rifle

In toggle-delayed blowback firearms, the rearward motion of the breechblock must overcome
significant mechanical leverage.[19][20][21] The bolt is hinged in the middle, stationary at the rear end and
nearly straight at rest. As the breech moves back under blowback power, the hinge joint moves
upward. The leverage disadvantage keeps the breech from opening until the bullet has left the barrel
and pressures have dropped to a safe level. This mechanism was used on the Pedersen
rifle and Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 machine gun.[22][20]

Off-axis bolt travel[edit]

John Browning developed this simple method whereby the axis of bolt movement was not in line with
that of the bore.[23] The result was that a small rearward movement of the bolt in relation to the bore
axis required a greater movement along the axis of bolt movement, essentially magnifying the
resistance of the bolt without increasing its mass. The French MAS-38 submachine gun of 1938
utilizes a bolt whose path of recoil is at an angle to the barrel. The Jatimatic and TDI Vector use
modified versions of this concept.

Screw-delayed[edit]
First used on the Mannlicher retarded blowback rifle of 1893, the bolt in screw-delayed blowback
was slowed by the need to rotate steeply pitched interrupted threads on the bolt and receiver. John
T. Thompson designed a rifle that operated on a similar principle around 1920 and submitted it for
trials with the US Army. This rifle, submitted multiple times, competed unsuccessfully against
the Pedersen rifle and Garand primer-actuated rifle in early testing to replace the M1903
Springfield rifle.[24] Mikhail Kalashnikov later developed a prototype submachine gun in 1942 that
operated by a screw-delayed blowback principle, [25] which is also found on the Fox Wasp carbine. A
pair of telescoping screws delayed rearward movement of the operating parts during the firing cycle.
This weapon was ultimately not selected for production. [26]

Other blowback systems[edit]

Floating chamber[edit]
David Marshall Williams (a noted designer for the U.S. Ordnance Office and later Winchester)
developed a mechanism to allow firearms designed for full-sized cartridges to fire .22 caliber rimfire
ammunition reliably. His system used a small 'piston' that incorporates the chamber. When the

cartridge is fired, the front of the floating chamber is thrust back by gas pressure impinging on the
front of the chamber as in a traditional piston. This, added to the blowback energy imparted on the
cartridge, pushes the bolt back with greater energy than either force alone. Often described
as accelerated blowback, this amplifies the otherwise anemic recoil energy of the .22 rimfire
cartridge.[27] Williams designed a training version of the Browning machine gun and the Colt Service
Ace .22 long rifle version of the M1911 using his system. The floating chamber is both a blowback
and gas operated mechanism.[28]

Primer actuated[edit]
Primer actuated firearms used the force of primer setback to power a mechanism that unlocked and
cycled the firearm. John T. Kewish[29] and John Garandwere the first to develop the system in an
unsuccessful bid to replace the M1903 bolt action rifle in the early 1920s. [30] The Soviet
designer Fedor Tokarevalso experimented with this principle in rifles in the 1930s.[31]
U.S. Military 30-06 ammunition was used for both rifles and machineguns. Because 'popped' primers
caused malfunctions in machineguns, the Army adopted ammunition with crimped primers that did
not set back making the Garand rifle unworkable and another Garand design was eventually
adopted. AAI Corporation used their developmental piston primer mechanism in a rifle submitted for
the SPIW competition.[32] A similar system is used in the spotting rifles on the LAW 80 and Shoulderlaunched Multipurpose Assault Weapon use a 9mm, .308 Winchester based cartridge with a .22
Hornet blank cartridgein place of the primer. Upon firing, the Hornet case sets back a short distance,
unlocking the action.[33]

Case setback[edit]
The case cartridge itself has been used experimentally to actuate the action similar to Garand's
primer-actuation. Known prototypes using this method of operation include two 1936 rifle designs,
one by Mihail Mamontov and another by Makar Goryainov at TsKB-14, and a 1980's design by A.F.
Barishev. The Mamontov and Goryainov rifles are only partially automatic; only the bolt unlocking is
powered by the gasses pushing the cartridge back, while the rest of the cycle (ejection, reloading) is
done manually as in a traditional bolt-action rifle. A major problem with using the case cartridge as
piston is that its motion is much faster (about 1 ms) compared to tapping gas further down the bore
through a pistonabout 5 ms in the Dragunov sniper rifle, which used the same cartridge as
Mamontov's rifle. Barishev made a fully automatic, but rather bulky mechanism that used a
mechanical delay. In his system, the case cartridge pushed back a tilting bolt face, that upon
reaching a certain angle pushes backwards an unlocking lever that continues farther before
unlocking the bolt. TheGRAU however still gave a negative evaluation of Barishev's gun, pointing out
that the main problems with reliability of firearms using the cartridge case a piston were known since
the 1930s and still unsolved.[34]

Limited-utility designs[edit]
Blish lock[edit]
Main article: Blish lock
The Blish Lock is a breech locking mechanism designed by John Bell Blish based upon his
observation that under extreme pressures, certain dissimilar metals will resist movement with a force
greater than normal friction laws would predict. In modern engineering terminology, it is called static
friction, orstiction. His locking mechanism was used in the Thompson submachine
gun, Autorifle and Autocarbine designs. This dubious principle was later eliminated as redundant in
the .45 caliber submachine gun. Lubrication or fouling would completely defeat any delay. Whatever
actual advantage a clean, unlubricated Blish system could impart could also be attained by adding a
mere ounce of mass to the bolt.

Savage rotating barrel[edit]

The Savage system employed the theory that the rifling in the barrel caused a rotational force that
would hold the gun locked until the projectile left the barrel. It was later discovered that the bullet had
left the barrel long before any locking could occur. Savage pistols were in fact operating as pure
blow back firearms.[35] The French MAB PA-15 and PA-8 9mm pistols feature a similar design.

Other autoloading systems[edit]

Other autoloading systems are:

Blow forward where the barrel is the only moving component of the weapon that is dragged
forward by the friction of the bullet until it leaves the barrel.

Recoil operation uses the rearward movement of parts of the weapon counter to the ejecta
(bullet and propellant) moving forward, as described byNewton's third law of motion.

Gatling-style crank-operated reloading uses continuous circular motion imparted by the

operator to fire cartridges in succession.

Chain-style mechanisms are similar to Gatling guns but use external energy, such as
electrical or hydraulic, for operation.

Gas-operated reloading

See also[edit]

List of blow forward firearms

List of delayed blowback firearms

References[edit]
1.
2.

^ Jump up to:a b c d e Chinn 1955, p. 3

Jump up^ Walter H. B. Smith, Rifles, Military Service Publishing Co., 1948, "blowback
semiautomatic operation" pp.88-89.

3.

^ Jump up to:a b c d Chinn 1955, p. 11

4.

^ Jump up to:a b c d Chinn 1955, p. 12

5.

Jump up^ "Hi-Point Firearms: Handguns". Hi-Point Firearms.

6.

^ Jump up to:a b Chinn 1955, p. 31

7.

^ Jump up to:a b Anthony G. Williams, Rapid Fire, Airlife UK 2000, page 65

8.

Jump up^ Williams, Anthony G., Of Oerlikons and other things

www.quarry.nildram.co.uk article

9.

^ Jump up to:a b c Anthony G. Williams, Rapid Fire, Airlife UK 2000, pages 63-68

10.

Jump up^ Anthony G. Williams, Flying Gun World War I, Airlife UK 2003, pages 89-90

11.

Jump up^ Automatic Weapons, AMC pamphlet no. 706-260, February 1970, page 2-47

12.

Jump up^ Charles Q. Cutshaw (2011). Tactical Small Arms of the 21st Century: A
Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World. Gun Digest Books.ISBN 978-1-44022482-9. Retrieved 8 July 2013.

13.

Jump up^ Stevens, R. Blake, Full Circle: A Treatise on Roller Locking, Collector Grade
Publications (2006). ISBN 0-88935-400-6.

14.

Jump up^http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4603/leverdelayedblowbackani.gif [dead link]

15.

Jump up^ U.S. Patent 1,410,270

16.

Jump up^ Modern firearms - GIAT FAMAS assault rifle (France) world.guns.ru article

17.

Jump up^ , (September 2006), :

: [History: a little-known weapon of World War II: Horn
Assault Rifle], . , , (Kalasnikov:
Weapons, ammunition, equipment) (in Russian): 2026

18.

Jump up^ U.S. Patent 1,737,974

19.

Jump up^ Cliff Carlisle, Japanese Pedersen Semi Auto Rifles & Carbines,
www.carbinesforcollectors.com article

20.

^ Jump up to:a b Marshall Cavendish Corporation (2003). How It Works: Science and
Technology. Marshall Cavendish. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-7614-7314-5.

21.
22.

Jump up^ Automatic Weapons, AMC pamphlet no. 706-260, February 1970, page 2-40
Jump up^ Hatcher, Julian, Hatcher's Notebook, The Military Service Press Company
(1947), pp. 38-44. ISBN 0-8117-0795-4.

23.

Jump up^ U.S. Patent 1,457,961

24.

Jump up^ Hatcher, Julian. (1983). Book of the Garand. Gun Room Pr. ISBN 0-88227014-1

25.

Jump up^ " " 9 (72) 2000 . "

"

26.

Jump up^ http://kalashnikov.guns.ru/models/ka10.html

27.

Jump up^ Charles E. Petty, Delightful diversion, Guns Magazine, March, 2004.

28.

Jump up^ S. P. Fjestad (1991). Blue Book of Gun Values, 13th Ed. p. 291. ISBN 09625943-4-2.

29.

Jump up^ U.S. Patent 1,472,126

30.

Jump up^ Julian S. Hatcher (1962). Hatcher's Notebook. Stackpole Books. pp. 63
66. ISBN 978-0-8117-0795-4.

31.

Jump up^ . .
, Kalashnikov magazine 2011/7, pp. 48-50

32.

Jump up^ Flirting With Flechettes: The US Army's Search for the Ideal Rifle
Projectile Cruffler.com May 2000 article

33.

Jump up^ "9 x 51mm SMAW - International Ammunition Association".

34.

Jump up^ . , .
, Kalashnikov magazine 2012/11, pp. 72-77

35.

Jump up^ Hatcher, Julian (1947), Hatchers Notebook, The Military Service Press
Company, pp. 259261, ISBN 0-8117-0795-4

Bibliography[edit]

Bremner, Derek, The MG42V and the Origins of Delayed Blowback Roller Lock: WWII
German Equipment (Paperback). ISBN 0-9533792-0-5.

Chinn, George M. (1955). The Machine Gun, Volume IV: Design Analysis of Automatic Firing
Mechanisms and Related Components. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Ordnance, Department of
the Navy.

External links[edit]

Lever-delayed blowback

Information about the TZ45 submachine gun and the concept of advanced primer ignition

Blowback action, Animation and explanation at howstuffworks.com

HKPro HKPro page explaining the principle, albeit using the "roller-locking" terminology

Heckler and Koch USA now uses the "roller-delayed blowback" terminology

Blow-Forward operated submachine gun patent

Blow-Forward firearm patent

Lever-Delayed Blowback AK

Lever-Delayed Blowback AK

Lever-Delayed Blowback AK
Categories:
Firearm actions

Firearm terminology
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Etimologija [uredi]
puhati + natrag
Imenica [uredi]
blowback (mnoina blowbacks)
(vatreno oruje) Tip akcije u kojoj je pritisak iz ispalio uloak pue
klizni mehanizam unatrag za izdvajanje ispalio uloak, komorna
drugi uloak, a penis eki.
Neeljene tetne rezultat, pogotovo politikog djelovanja.
(slang) in shotgunning (udisanjem iz cijevi itd i izdisanje u drugi
ustima puaa).
__________________________________________________________
By it's original definition, blowback is the backwards escape of unexploded gunpowder
when firing a handgun. In diplomatic terms, it is an unpredicted, negative response against
a nation in regards to a diplomatic action that country has undertaken.
______________________

________________________________________________________
Blowback Firearms Design: Theory & Practice

Orion's Hammer, 2010-01.

Most high-powered guns have a locking bolt, where locking lugs hold the chamber
closed during firing. This includes bolt-action or break-action rifles, as well as
rotating-bolt semiautos like the AK or AR. "Blowback" guns, by contrast, just use the
inertia of the bolt to hold the chamber closed. Here's a schematic view of a blowback
gun, from George Chinn's 1955 masterpiece, "The Machine Gun", volume 4, part X.
This is a public-domain government publication, so I'm reproducing the figures here
directly.

Blowback guns are actually a lot easier to build in a garage than locking bolt guns,
because:
There are no mating or rotating parts; in fact, the only moving part can be the
bolt!
You don't need to machine locking lugs into the bolt or chamber.
There is no "headspace", or cartridge slop before the bolt hits the locking lugs.
The force on the bolt face is mostly just compression, instead of the tension at
the back of the lugs (see Dan Lilja or Varmint Al for locking bolt analysis). So
you can build working blowback bolts from crappy materials like mild steel (of
course, harder steel will wear better).
Blowback designs are legal in most US states, as long as you use a semiauto hammer
or striker. The federal government forbids most use of open-bolt (fixed firing pin)
designs, since they're extremely easy to make fully automatic.
Case Head Separation

So why aren't all guns blowback? Well, blowback guns do have this little tendency to
explode if designed incorrectly.
Here's a typical cartridge pressure curve. You can record your own pressure curve
with a strain gauge like a Pressure Trace, but traces from different cartridges and guns
are surprisingly similar, and different mostly in peak pressure (from about 10Kpsi to
60Kpsi).

The tens of thousands of pounds of pressure inside the chamber only last for a
millisecond or two, and they're what push the bullet down the barrel.

Note that the chamber pressure pushes back on the bolt with the same pressure that it
pushes the bullet down the barrel. This is bad, because if the bolt moves back under
pressure, then the cartridge tends to stretch out. If it stretches too far, the case head
may separate from the body of the case, and spray hot gas at tens of thousands of PSI
in all directions. This "case head separation" can and has killed people, for example
by flinging the bolt at high velocity back through the shooter's eye.
Not good.
You can stop the case head from separating by:
Fluting the chamber, like the HK MP5 or G3, which equalizes the pressure
inside and outside the chamber.

 Greasing the cartridges, so the cartridge tends to slide out of the chamber
instead of sticking to the walls. Chinn says heavy grease is needed; light
oil tends to get squished off the high spots.
Pushing back against the case head with enough force. This force can come
from tricky-to-machine locking lugs, but we'd like to just use bolt inertia.
Note that even a tiny 22 long rifle cartridge pushes on the bolt head with a force of
about a thousand pounds, so you can utterly forget about springs (at least, any spring
you could possibly cock by hand!), or friction, or magnets, etc.
That last point bears repeating. From the previously cited Chinn Vol 4, page 15
(underline added by me):
"NOTE: There is one point which requires special clarification at this time. In many
descriptions of blowback actions, it is strongly implied that the driving spring
contributes a substantial portion of the resistance which limits acceleration imparted
to the bolt by the powder gases. Actually, this is not so. Although it is true that the
driving spring absorbs the kinetic energy of the recoiling bolt and thus limits the total
distance it moves, the resistance of the spring does not have any real effect in the early
phase of the cycle of operation. The bolt acceleration occurs mainly while the powder
gas pressures are high and are exerting a force of many thousands of pounds on the
bolt. The driving spring, in order to permit the bolt to open enough to allow feeding,
must offer a relatively low resistance. Although this resistance is sufficient to absorb
the bolt energy over the comparatively great distance through which the bolt moves in
recoil, it is not great enough to offer significant opposition to the powder gas pressure
until the chamber pressure has dropped to a relatively low level well after the
projectile has left the muzzle."
The myth that "a stronger recoil spring will prevent case head separations" persists on
the internet to this day. This is a myth.
In any blowback design, you can reduce the chance of lethal injury after a case head
separation by:
Venting the escaping gases out as wide an ejection port as possible.
Making the bolt's front face fairly small, so the escaping gases push on a
smaller area.
Putting a very beefy rear trunnion at the end of the bolt's rearward travel to
absorb the bolt's extra energy. This is over and above the normal recoil energy.

 Not having loose parts near the chamber (e.g., sights, extractor gizmo) that
could get blown off during an explosion.
Putting distance between the user and the chamber area. Forward-magazine
pistols are good for this (chamber is well forward of the operator's hands),
bullpup rifles are very bad (chamber is right next to the user's cheek!).
How Fast will the Bolt Move Back?

Here's how to figure out the forces acting on the bolt.

The same chamber pressure that pushes the bullet down the bore, pushes the bolt
backwards. If the bolt weighed the same amount as the bullet, then it would fly back
with bullet velocity, shooting the shooter! So our basic tool to keep the bolt velocity
down is mass.
Chinn claims that, ignoring friction:
momentum of bolt = momentum of projectile + momentum of gas (+ momentum of
barrel?)

mbolt * vbolt = mbullet * vbullet + mgas * vgas (+ mbarrel * vbarrel?)

For small cartridges like pistols, a typical charge weight is 3-6 grains of powder to
push a hundred-something grain bullet, so we can usually ignore the momentum
contribution of the gas. However, chamber pressure in any bottlenecked case pushes
the barrel forward quite hard, so I don't think we can safely ignore the barrel's
momentum like Chinn does.
The basic problem here is that though the pressure pushing the bullet and bolt are
equal, the areas are not equal. Cartridges are always at least a little bigger at the back
end, and sometimes much bigger. This causes "bolt thrust" issues with the new short
fat cartridges like 300 WSM, even at quite reasonable chamber pressures. In fact,
unlike Chinn, I'm going to ignore the gas momentum and start out by assuming:

pressure on bolt face = pressure on bullet back

Since pressure = force / area, the forces on the bolt face and bullet will differ by the
ratios of their areas.
force on bolt face / area of bolt face = force on bullet base / area of bullet base
or
force on bolt face = force on bullet base * (area of bolt face / area of bullet base)
Now we're getting somewhere! Momentum is the integral of force over time (force is
actually defined as the time derivative of momentum), so if we integrate both sides
above by time (that is, integrate the pressure curve), then we get:
momentum of bolt = momentum of bullet * (area of bolt face / area of bullet base)
The area of a circle is of course pi * radius 2, or pi/4 * diameter2, so this is equal to:
momentum of bolt = momentum of bullet * (diameter of bolt face / diameter of
bullet base)2
We can easily look up the momentum of a fired bullet. If we scale that by the area
ratio, we get the bolt's momentum. If we divide by the bolt weight, we get the bolt's
velocity. If we divide by a target bolt velocity, we get the required bolt weight.
Blowback Bolt Weight (FINALLY!)

We really want the gun not to blow up when it fires. To do this, we have to hold the
chamber closed until the pressure drops to a reasonable level. A heavy enough bolt
will hold the back of the case on this way. Using the equation for bolt momentum
above, given the basic ballistics (bullet mass and velocity) and caliber information
(diameters of various parts), we can solve for the required bolt mass for any bolt
velocity.
Which bolt velocity do we need? Sadly, this depends greatly on the exact design of
the cartridge case (thicker and stronger walls are better), the chamber (more support is
better), and the powder used (faster burning is better). A typical semiauto has a bolt
travelling about 4m/s (about 12fps). In the half millisecond that it takes to reach peak
chamber pressure, a 4m/s bolt would travel 2mm; the actual travel is substantially less
than this because the bolt is accelerating nonuniformly, and does not reach 4m/s until
the bullet is gone.
ASSUMING a 4m/s bolt velocity is safe, then the required bolt mass is:
bolt mass in pounds = 1.09x10-5 * bullet mass in grains * bullet velocity in fps *
(diameter of bolt face / diameter of bullet base) 2
The conversion constant 1.09x10-5 comes from asking Google to express 1 grain * 1

foot/second / 4 m/s in pounds. Here's the above bolt mass figured for some common
cartridges:
Cartridge

Bolt weight
Units pounds

Bolt thrust

Bullet

Velocity

Caliber

Base

Proof

Kpounds

Grains

Fps

Inches

Inches

KPSI

22lr

0.4

0.9

29

1240

0.223

0.224

31.2

32acp

0.8

1.8

71

905

0.312

0.338

26.7

380acp

1.1

2.4

90

1000

0.356

0.374

28.0

38special

1.3

2.5

110

945

0.358

0.379

28.6

9x19 Parabellum

1.7

4.6

88

1500

0.355

0.391

50.1

7.62x25 Tokarev

2.0

4.0

87

1390

0.312

0.387

44.5

40s&w

2.2

4.9

135

1324

0.400

0.424

45.5

357magnum

2.2

5.0

125

1450

0.358

0.379

57.2

45acp

2.3

3.7

200

975

0.452

0.476

27.3

9x23winchester

2.4

5.4

125

1450

0.356

0.392

58.5

45colt

2.4

2.9

185

1100

0.456

0.480

20.8

45gap

2.5

4.1

185

1150

0.452

0.476

29.9

357sig

2.6

5.6

125

1368

0.355

0.424

52.0

10mm

2.8

5.3

170

1340

0.400

0.425

48.8

410bore

2.8

2.4

109

1755

0.410

0.478

17.6

30 carbine

3.2

4.0

100

2200

0.308

0.356

52.0

44magnum

3.8

5.9

210

1495

0.432

0.457

46.8

454casull

5.4

10.2

240

1916

0.458

0.478

74.1

500s&w

5.5

11.0

275

1650

0.500

0.530

65.0

50ae

6.0

8.1

300

1579

0.500

0.543

45.5

7.62x39

6.3

6.9

123

2350

0.311

0.443

58.5

6.8spc

6.6

8.2

85

2900

0.268

0.421

76.7

223 Remington

7.0

6.9

80

2869

0.224

0.376

80.6

30-30

7.2

6.4

150

2390

0.309

0.420

59.8

7.7arisaka

9.9

8.3

180

2200

0.311

0.473

61.1

45-70

9.9

6.4

400

1900

0.458

0.504

41.6

308 winchester

11.3

10.8

168

2680

0.308

0.470

80.6

8mm Mauser

11.8

9.9

198

2625

0.324

0.470

74.1

7.62x54R

12.2

10.5

180

2575

0.311

0.485

74.1

7mm Mauser

12.3

10.0

154

2690

0.285

0.472

74.1

50alaskan

12.6

8.3

450

2150

0.500

0.548

45.5

30-06

12.8

10.4

190

2700

0.309

0.470

78.0

375h&h

14.2

12.8

235

3000

0.375

0.513

80.6

300wsm

17.4

15.7

150

3300

0.308

0.555

84.5

300 winchester magnum

17.8

13.2

190

3150

0.309

0.513

83.2

338lapua

24.4

18.4

250

3000

0.338

0.587

88.4

300lapua

25.0

18.4

220

2910

0.309

0.587

88.4

50bmg

54.3

27.4

660

3080

0.511

0.804

70.2

20gauge

5.5

4.6

218

1800

0.615

0.699

15.6

16gauge

7.7

5.0

350

1600

0.662

0.746

15.0

12gauge

9.4

7.2

437

1600

0.729

0.812

18.2

10gauge

12.9

6.3

765

1280

0.775

0.855

14.3

Kpounds

Grains

Fps

Inches

Inches

KPSI

Bolt thrust

Bullet

Velocity

Caliber

Base

Proof

Units pounds
Cartridge

Bolt weight

Here's the Excel spreadsheet used above.

As a check, note that the blowback Ruger 10/22 bolt weighs 0.4lbs, exactly as
predicted. Typical pistol-caliber submachinegun (SMG) bolts for 9mm, Tokarev, or
45acp are around 1.4lbs, although open-bolt SMG requires only half as much bolt
mass (the chamber pressure has to slow down and stop the closing bolt before pushing
it open again). Note that most rifle cartridges would require an absurd bolt weighing
over ten pounds, and 50bmg would weigh over 50 lbs. This is of course all
ASSUMING the 4m/s bolt velocity is slow enough to prevent the case from
exploding!
The second column gives the peak-pressure force on the bolt, which is shown
in thousands of pounds (Kpounds). The pressures used for figuring bolt thrust are
proof loads, 30% over the maximum SAAMI or CIP pressure. These huge forces are
the big thing complicating locking designs--the locking lugs have to be really tough!
Your mileage may vary. If you don't understand the above engineering or physics,
stick with factory designs. Like I do, you should STRAP ANY NEW GUN TO A
TREE and fire off dozens of rounds remotely from a safe location, carefully
examining both the gun and the fired cases, BEFORE you fire the gun anywhere near
your body!
______________________________________________________________________________

AUTOMATIC AND SEMIAUTOMATIC FIRING SYSTEMS

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Explain the difference between automatic
and semiautomatic firing systems. Identify and explain the three
basic
types
of
operation
for
small
arms
weapons. Distinguish between range and rates of fire.

A semiautomatic weapon unlocks, extracts, ejects, cocks, and

reloads automatically, However, the trigger must be pulled each
time to fire around. By this definition, the .45-cal. M1911A1 pistol is
semiautomatic, though often called automatic. A fully automatic
weapon keeps on firing as long as the trigger is kept pulled.
Two examples of weapons that can be find both automatically and
semiautomatically are the 7.62-mm M14 rifle and the 5.56-mm M16
rifle.
SMALL ARMS OPERATING PRINCIPLES
Automatic and semiautomatic weapons are classified on the basis of
how they obtain the energy required for operation. Fundamentally,
small arms obtain energy from the forces that accompany the
explosion created when a round of ammunition is fired. The use of
these forces does not reduce the effectiveness of the weapon, but
uses otherwise wasted energy.
There are three basic types of operation for semiautomatic and
automatic small arms weapons: gas operated, recoil operated, and
blowback operated. Figure 8-2 shows the three methods.
Gas-Operated Weapons
In gas-operated weapons, a portion of the expanding powder gases
behind the bullet are tapped off into a gas cylinder located beneath
the barrel. (The hole connecting the barrel and cylinder is near the
muzzle end.) As the bullet passes this hole, gases push a piston
rearward. The piston is connected by a rod to an operating
mechanism of the weapon, such as the bolt. The piston carries the
bolt aft with it, unlocking

Figure 8-2.-Types of operation for semiautomatic andautomatic small

arms weapons.
the bolt, extracting and ejecting the ammunition, and cocking the
weapon.
Recoil-Operated Weapons
As a round is fired, high pressures develop behind the bullet and
force it down the barrel. The force behind the bullet is also directed
rearward against the breech. If the barrel and bolt are secured to
one another, the entire force of recoil is felt on the shooter's
shoulder. But, by design, the barrel and breech assembly slide in the
frame so that the rear moving assembly maybe used to compress
springs or move levers, which completes the cycle of operation.
Generally, in recoil-operated weapons, the barrel and the bolt move
rearward together for a short distance. Then the barrel is stopped
and the bolt (now unlocked) continues to the rear against spring
pressure until the empty case is ejected. The force of recoil is also
used to cock the weapon and compress the spring, returning the
bolt to its firing position and cambering a new round in the process.
Blowback-Operated
There are similarities between recoil-operated and blowbackoperated weapons. But there are several major differences. In recoil
operation, the bolt and barrel are locked together until the bullet has

left the barrel, and most of the recoil thrust is spent. The combined
thrust of the recoiling barrel, bolt, and some other parts is used to
operate the weapon. In blowback (inertia) operation, however, the bolt is
not locked to the barrel and in most cases the barrel does not recoil, The bolt
is held closed by spring pressure and the mass of the breechblock. The initial
blow of the exploding cartridge starts the bolt moving rearward, but the
weight of the bolt is such that it does not allow the chamber to be entirely
opened until the round has left the bore. Action by a recoil spring returns the
bolt to the closed position, cambering a new round.
Range and Rate of Fire
Some other important terms that apply to small arms describe their range
and rate of fire. The range of a weapon is stated in terms ofmaximum
range and maximum effective range. The rate of fire of an automatic weapon
is stated in terms of cyclic rate of fire orsustained rate of fire.
MAXIMUM RANGE- The greatest distance the projectile will travel.
MAXIMUM EFFECTIVE RANGE- The greatest distance at which a weapon may be expected
to fire accurately to inflict damage or casualties.
CYCLIC RATE OF FIRE- The maximum rate at which a weapon will fire in automatic
operation, stated in rounds per minute (RPM).

Figure 8-3.-.45-cal. M1911A1 semiautomatic pistol: A. Slide closed; B.

Slide open.
____________________________________________________
Waffeninfo, sortiert nach Kaliber

5,45x39 mm
- AK 74 / AKS 74 / AKS 74 U
- AN 94 Abakan

5,56x45 mm / .223 Remington

- AUG
- AR 15 / M 16 Serie
- FA MAS
- FN CAL
- FN FNC
- G36
- Galil SAR, AR, ARM, Scharfschtzenmodell
- M249 / Minimi
- Stgw 90

5,7x28 mm
- P90

7,62x39 mm
- AK 47 / AKM- AK 74 / AKS 74 / AKS 74 U

SP-4 7,62x42 mm
- PSS

7,62x51 mm / .308 Winchester

- CETME Modelle A, B, C, D
- CETME Modelle L, LC
- FN FAL
- G3
- Galil SAR, AR, ARM, Scharfschtzenmodell
- M 14 / M21
- M 60 Maschinengewehr
- MG 1 / MG 2 / MG 3 / Maschinengewehr 3

7,62x63 / .30-06 Springfield

- Browning Automatic Rifle BAR

8x33 mm
- Stgw 44 / MP44

8x57IS
- FG 42
- K98k, Karabiner 98 kurz
- MG 34 / Maschinengewehr 34
- MG 42 / Maschinengewehr 42

7.62x54R mm
- Dragunow SWD / SVDS

14,5x114 mm, M 41/44

- KPW, Krupnokalibernij Pulemjot Wladimirowa NEU

.300 Winchester Magum

- AW Modelle

.338 Lapua Magnum

- AW Modelle

9 mm Luger
- MAC 10, 11
- MP40 / MP38
- MP 5 / Maschinenpistole 5
- P08
- P38 / P1
- USP / Universal Selbstlade Pistole
- Uzi

9x18 mm
- PB

.357 Magnum
- Desert Eagle

.357 SIG
- USP / Universal Selbstlade Pistole

.40 S&W

- USP / Universal Selbstlade Pistole

.41 Magnum
- Desert Eagle

.44 Magnum
- Desert Eagle

.440 CorBon
- Desert Eagle

.45 ACP
- MAC 10, 11
- USP / Universal Selbstlade Pistole

.50AE
- Desert Eagle

__________________________________________