Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 онлайн

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The basic difference between the gas-operated autoloader and the recoil-operated version is that in the former, the operation of the gun uses gases that are bled through a small hole (or holes) at the bottom of the barrel located about midway between the chamber and the muzzle. These gases push the gas piston, which in turn pushes the action bars rearward to cause the ejection of the empty and the subsequent reloading of a fresh round. In the recoil-operated autoloader – whether long recoil, short recoil, inertia, or floating chamber – all of these actions are operated by the force of recoil rather than by escaping gas.

Some today are unfamiliar with the recoil-operated autoloader since many of the older models have been discontinued and are found only in the used gun racks. Compared to the slick and shiny new models found today, the old-timers look downright plain if not shabby! But for many years, ever since its introduction in 1903, the recoil-operated autoloader was the king, especially if it was a Browning made by FN. One could say without reservation that the granddaddy of all autoloaders is the old Browning, more commonly known as the A-5 (aka Auto-5).