# M-16/AR-15 operating mechanism

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-16-ar-15-operating-mechanism/548134>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 27, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-16-ar-15-operating-mechanism/548134 "2010-07-27T01:48:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-16-ar-15-operating-mechanism/548134/21 "2010-07-27T21:25:13Z")

</div>

Never mind.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-16-ar-15-operating-mechanism/548134/22 "2010-07-27T22:16:01Z")

</div>

> [@MichaelEmouse](#):
>
> Or perhaps there’s a good reason to do it and I just don’t know enough about MGs.

I would guess that it was to add some redundancy to the procedure, by pulling the trigger you notice if you forgot to swipe the rounds while you still have a barrel in the weapon and it is pointed in a safe direction.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/m-16-ar-15-operating-mechanism/548134.md?page=1)