│ │ series. │ VIII.│Diagonal Traversing (Limits│ 4 sec. │ │ of Traverse). “Traversing│for each │ │ Fire.” │ series. │ IX.│Rectifying Stoppages. “Gun │ Correct │Correct remedy applied and │ Stops.” │procedure│ gun relaid after remedy. │ │begun, 3 │ │ │ sec. │ X.│Belt Filling. │ 1 min. │25 rounds.[1] │ │ 12 min. │ 250 rounds.[1] ─────┴───────────────────────────┴─────────┴─────────────────────────── Footnote 1: Placed in a heap. Pass for inspection when filled. CHARACTERISTICS OF MACHINE GUN. The fact that the gun is mounted upon a platform and the personal factor thus reduced, results in a close grouping of fire, and practically the same results are obtained in war as in peace, the beaten zone being about half the area of that of rifle fire. This gives the following advantages:— Surprise effect. Observation of fire for ranging. Overhead covering fire. Other advantages of the machine gun are:— Narrow frontage (a machine gun only occupying the same frontage as two infantrymen). Difficult to locate. Normal rate of fire about 500 rounds per minute. All-round traverse, which allows gun to be turned in any direction without moving tripod, and with little exposure. Mobility: It can go wherever a man can go on foot. It has, however, the following drawbacks:— Overheating, and consequent stoppage through too prolonged fire. Noise of firing, and steam from barrel casing reveals position. Narrow and scattered objects are unsuitable targets. =It will be seen therefore that the machine gun is a weapon of opportunity particularly adapted for surprise effect, but not for sustained fire action.= FIRE DIRECTION. The following methods should be used:— Ranging Fire. Bursts of fire limited to from 10 to 20 rounds. It is unlikely that observation will be obtained with larger bursts. Rapid Fire. In groups of from 30 to 50 rounds, the firer pausing slightly between each group to confirm the alignment of sights. Traversing Fire. Distributed laterally, and applied in a series of small groups, the object being to cover as wide a front as possible, with a minimum of volume. (Groups should consist of from 5 to 10 rounds only.) A belt of 250 rounds should cover a frontage of 25 yards in one minute. Swinging Traverse. For trench warfare, and against dense targets at close ranges, the traversing clamp being kept fairly loose and the gun traversed evenly and smoothly from side to side, both hands retaining their hold on the traversing handles. Combined Sights.