helpful tactical rifle hint

[festus]

My HK91 Clone does not have last shot hold open so this is what works for me.

When I load a mag for tactical purposes the first 2 rounds in the mag are Tracer. Followed by 5 rounds of ball. Another Tracer followed by five more rounds of ball. Yet anothet tracer followed by five rounds of ball and finally a tracer.

Firing sequence is
Tracer
ball
ball
ball
ball
ball
tracer
ball
ball
ball
ball
ball
tracer
ball
ball
ball
ball
ball
tracer
tracer
empty

This allows me to know that
1 I am out of ammo (mag Change)
2 with the first round being tracer if I need to correct, I know which way to hold to ensure hits with the second and subsequent rounds.

[AR Hammer]

Tracers work BOTH directions, VERY easy to locate you when shooting tracers!

Most gun ranges prohibit tracers, and many states restrict tracer ownership and use of them.
Keep that in mind when trying this...

I know of one idiot that had tracers in his rifle during a military engagement,
(night patrol to get into position, attack at daylight, tracers still in from night operations...)

Generally, Afghani/Taliban fighters can't shoot worth a crap, but they were UNUSUALLY accurate and concentrated on one position until the idiot figured it out and changed mags!

[Ropadope]

You could just remember to round count, or tactical reload when your down in the magazine far enough.

[JohnRobert686]

You could just remember to round count, or tactical reload when your down in the magazine far enough.

Round counting will work fine on the range, but probably not under battle stress. I believe it's stupid the HK91 doesn't lock open on the last shot. Big design flaw, IMHO.

[coloccw]

Round counting will work fine on the range, but probably not under battle stress.

Counting rounds helps keep your head in the game and not thinking "holy *****, those rounds are getting close!"

[coloccw]

2 with the first round being tracer if I need to correct, I know which way to hold to ensure hits with the second and subsequent rounds.

Isn't that what those bumpy things on the top of the rifle (sights) are for?

[festus]

Isn't that what those bumpy things on the top of the rifle (sights) are for?

while returning fire ain't the time to go digging through your ruck for a screwdriver and or armorers tool

[coloccw]

while returning fire ain't the time to go digging through your ruck for a screwdriver and or armorers tool

Nor is the the time to sight in...that's why we prepare beforehand. Training, equipment, mindset, etc...

[tpd223]

Round counting will work fine on the range, but probably not under battle stress. I believe it's stupid the HK91 doesn't lock open on the last shot. Big design flaw, IMHO.

Lots of battle rifles do not have a last round hold open, including HK and AKs, they seem to do fine in the real world since they were and are designed to be used in a team environment.

Much of the German military small arms thought was formed in WWI, in the trenches a last round hold open would have allowed dirt and mud into the gun, hence the thought that this was a bad feature to have.

Same reason why they stuck with heel release mag catches on their pistols for so long, full coverage holsters, etc.


For non-military use I'd think tracers would generally be a bad idea. I have also found that when you are behind the gun and on the sights it's near impossible to see your own tracer rounds going downrange.

[JohnRobert686]

Much of the German military small arms thought was formed in WWI, in the trenches a last round hold open would have allowed dirt and mud into the gun, hence the thought that this was a bad feature to have.

Interesting, I hadn't thought about that - thanks for the info. I still think an empty mag hold-open would be a far better approach, though, better than counting rounds or wondering if your gun jammed. But maybe this would require significant design changes in the action in order to implement.