Jammin in the rain

[Stixx]

I've played a few TCP/IP games in the rain lately and have had a real problem with my MG's jamming.

At times my .50 cals where Jammed for 2 mins!! and my 30. cals where jamming for atleast a minute.

Is there a reason why these guns are jamming in the rain?

Also does it really take that long for a trained Mg crew to clear a Jam?

In one battle my MG's where jammed for atleast 1/3 the battle, they where not under any enemy fire at all.

[ParaBellum]

Can't help you much with the question about the rain.

But during my days in the german Bundeswehr when firing the MG3 (which is very similar to the MG 42) we sometimes encountered jams that were quite hard to fix.

Especially when the barrel gets too hot, you can get some nasty jams.

So IMO the jam time in CM is modelled quite correctly.

[Stixx]

Well I'm still wondering why they jam more in the rain.

You said they take a while to clear, why is that?

I've never cleared a jam in a automatic belt fed weapon. I have cleared plenty of jams in Semi-Auto pistols and rifles. Simply a matter of dropping the mag ejecting or pulling out the case putting the mag back in and re-cocking.

All over and done with in max 15 seconds.

Care to ilaberate on that?

[ParaBellum]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stixx:

[QB] Simply a matter of dropping the mag ejecting or pulling out the case ...

All over and done with in max 15 seconds.

QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The problem is that ejecting a damaged case sometimes can be quite difficult.

Due to the high rate of fire the barrel gets very hot and a case can get distorted (hope that's the right expression). If that happens ejecting the case will take some time...

[Stixx]

Fair enough. I suppose a gas operated weapon firing at 600-900 Rpm could jam a case in there at some weird angles.

Do you have any idea why this would happen more often in the rain?

I'm just trying to get an understanding of it.

[ParaBellum]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stixx:

I suppose a gas operated weapon firing at 600-900 Rpm could jam a case in there at some weird angles.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Exactly.

I can't see a reason why MG jams occur more frequently during rain.

If there's a weather condition that can hamper the effectiveness of automatic weapons than IMO it is VERY cold winters.

German army had big problems in winter 41/42 due to the lack of special weapons oil to protect the action from freezing.

[Stixx]

Very true. In bolt actions weapons thats not a broblem you simply degrease everything!! take apart the bolt and run solvent through it all.

I don't suppose you can do that in Auto weapons though

So "Jammin in the rain" is still a mystery.

[BloodyBucket]

One of the problems that was discovered with the M-1 Garand had to do with rain. A constant shower would wash the oil off the weapon leading to failures. The solution was to issue grease that would not wash off. That is the only rain related jamming issue I have heard of.

I have never noted increased jamming in the rain, but I haven't looked for it. Extreme cold, dust or sand, dirt and heat could all be environmental factors that effect a weapon's reliability and I have no idea if that is included in CM.

I know one thing that might not occur to a non-military weapons user is the degree of abuse that GI weapons and ammo get. I have seen rifles used as pry bars, etc.

I have wondered if MGs are the only weapon subject to jams in CM, and if the LMGs within the squads are immune.

[Stixx]

Well it depends what section of what nations armed forces you are refering too in the treatment of their weapons. The Foreign Legion (Among Many) where renouned for keeping their weapons in A1 order.

Though your point is valid that "In General" the Average GI's weapon has a hard life.

Well maybe it was just a coincidence that all my and my opponents MG's where jamming in the batlles (in the rain) that we played.

[lcm1947]

Being a hunter all my life, well in the old days anyway ,I have handled and used many different types of weapons ( rifles and pistols) and while in the army M60 machine gun. The only thing I can think of is that CM might be taking into consideration a mud or dirt factor along with the rain. There is no reason water ( rain ) by itself would cause any weapon to jam. What causes a jam is normally a fired shell not ejecting from the throat of the barrel so when the gas pushes back the bolt and trys to place a new round in it, the spent shell is blocking it and this causes the new round to get all twisted and jammed. This can and will cause problems and sometimes a hammer type tool and screwdriver is needed to clear it. They can really get jammed hard!! So, yes I can see it taking 2 or 3 minutes to clear the weapon.

[BloodyBucket]

I did a search and found nothing about rain and jamming, and it seems that weapons in squads are immune from jams.

Now if I could only get that Bob Marley tune out of my head...