Cocking slide

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The clamping slide (also tensioning lever , cocking handle , load lever ) is the part of an automatic firearm , with which the shutter is pulled by the shooter for loading rearwardly, with also the firing mechanism is tensioned. In advance of the closure, the first is at shooting up arms cartridge from the magazine to the cartridge chamber , supplied to the gun is ready to fire. The weapon reloads additional cartridges after each shot. Browning system pistols do not have a cocking slide, the open slide and the breech block are actuated directly.

In previous automatic rifles of the 20th century, the clamping slide was usually how the bolt handle in previous repeating rifles diverted to the closure, during repeat the clamping slide moves together with the shutter back and forth. Examples are the M1 Garand , the M14 , the Simonow SKS-45 or the Kalashnikov family.

Rifles developed later usually have a cocking slide that does not move with the bolt when fired. After the loading movement, it is brought back into the front position by a spring, as for example with the HK G3 or M16 . The advantage of this system is that no injuries can occur to the shooter's hand when the cocking slide is moved, and he cannot get stuck on obstacles such as door frames, personal equipment, etc. and thus disrupt the reloading process. The more complex construction is seen as a disadvantage. With some weapons (e.g. M16) this is increased by an additional locking aid (Bolt Forward Assist). In particular, the cocking slide pulled out on a handle behind the bolt can be bent and twisted more easily due to the leverage and thus negatively affect the function of the weapon.

The advantage of a cocking slide attached directly to the closure is that it can be used to force it to close if this is not done under pressure from the closing spring . This can be helpful with some jams . In addition, the cocking slides attached directly to the lock housing are considered more stable.

The cocking slide of the G36 moves with the slide . However, this aligns itself with a spring along the weapon. To reload the weapon, it can be turned 90 ° to the left and right. It can also be used as a closing aid by pushing it in.

The cocking slide of the HK433 can be dismantled without tools and mounted on both sides of the weapon.

  • Soldier operates the side cocking slide of a Browning M2 with his right hand

  • M1 Carbine : loading lever attached to the side of the lock

  • Galil with vertical cocking slide for two-handed operation

  • T-shaped cocking slide on a Colt AR-15 Sporter Lightweight, on the right below the locking aid

  • AK4 : Foldable loading lever on the front side above the hand guard

  • Cocking slide on a FAMAS

  • The clamping slide of the L85A2 also serves as a sleeve deflector

See also

Clamping slides are also known as a component of tools in metalworking.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Günter Hoffmann: Soldiers Handbook , Edition 12, Wehr und Wissen Verlagsgesellschaft, 1962, pages 89, 103, 106
  2. ↑ Steve Adelmann: Charging-Handle Placement: Does It Matter? September 4, 2019, in: shootingillustrated.com
  3. ↑ Stefan Hesse, Heinrich Krahn, Dieter Eh: Equipment device: Basics and annotated examples , Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH Co KG, 2012, ISBN 978-3-446-43138-6 pages, 68, 299