=To Load.=—Push belt through opening above the box from the left and draw it as far as it will go. Let go the belt. (Never pull on the belt while the gas lever is being operated.) Swing the gas lever downward to the rear until it strikes the bottom plate of the gun. Release gas lever, when it will resume its normal position. The gun is now ready to fire. =To Fire.=—Hold back trigger. The firing will continue until the trigger is released or until all the cartridges in the belt are fired. To hold the gun ready for firing, push the safety latch on right side of gun below rear sight from “fire” to “safe.” =To Draw Belt and Cartridges from the Gun.=— Push forward the knurled head on the right side of the gun near the belt exit and draw the loaded belt out to the left. Then operate the lever once by hand, as in loading, ejecting the loaded cartridge that remains in the chamber. =Missfires.=—Wait a moment in order to make sure that it is a missfire and not a hangfire. Then operate the gas lever by hand, as in loading, which will eject the unexploded cartridge and will re-load ready for continued firing. =Stoppage from any Cause.=—Whether the stoppage occurs from the jamming of a cartridge, missfire, or breakage of a part of the gun, operate the lever once by hand before making any effort to free the mechanism. If the stoppage occurs when the lever is partially retracted, push it backward until it strikes the bottom plate. Never push it forward. This will generally free the mechanism, unless a broken part stops it. If not freed, draw belt and cartridges from the gun and examine for breakages. In case of jamming, due to failure to eject empty shell, draw back the lever until it strikes the bottom plate, letting the live cartridge and carrier descend into the bottom position, and remove shell with cleaning rod. The lever is now free to resume its normal position. In this case, examine the extractor, and, if broken or chipped, or the spring does not work well, replace it. =Precautions to be observed.=—After dismounting mechanism and before firing is begun, a belt of cartridges (preferably dummies) should be placed in the gun and the lever operated several times by hand, as in loading, to see if mechanism is in proper working order. =Caution.=—With the gun hot from rapid firing, a cartridge should not be allowed to remain in the chamber longer than six or seven seconds, as it may be discharged by the heat. In case it is not possible, from any cause, to withdraw the cartridge within this time, and the lever is in its normal position, no harm will be done; but if lever is partially retracted, the bolt is then withdrawn and a “blow back” may occur. In either event, keep away from in front of the muzzle until satisfied that the danger from the explosion of the cartridge by heat is passed. To Dismount Breech Mechanism.