Thx in advance!
Receiver Mystery Hole
- Thread starter Bill Vanagain
- Start date
Thx in advance!
It is a gas relief vent hole to provide an escape for gases in a safe direction in the event that there is a case rupture when the gun is fired.
It is commonly referred to as a Hatcher hole.
It is commonly but not exclusively found on USMC rifles.
It is commonly but not exclusively found on USMC rifles.
Aww...c'mon.your gun has worms , metal eating wood boring worms that feast on human blood .
Play nice with the new guy
That’s Hope Solo’s butthole.your gun has worms , metal eating wood boring worms that feast on human blood .
Sorry, not a crayon eater. I’d need a 2x4 strapped to my ass so I won’t get swallowed.
All 03A3’s had this gas escape hole in the receiver now if it was a 03 or 03A1 with the addition of a gas escape hole then there is the possibility of a Marine connection.
I can tell you the sound it makes one think it's the end of the world. It works.
That hole, my friend is made to potentially save your eyesight and possibly some facial lacerations/scarring should you have the misfortune to experience a case failure/rupture. The resulting onrush of hot gases will be directed to one side and not your face. Receivers and/or bolts have strategically placed holes to relieve/direct pressure and or hot gases safely away from the shooter, hopefully.
The name 'Hatcher Hole" comes from Maj. General Julian Hatcher who did a lot of work with firearms and their ammunition. One of his best books is 'Hatchers Notebook' that should be considered a MUST READ for any shooter or reloader. Some of the stuff he wrote about and experimented with took a lot of imagination.
The name 'Hatcher Hole" comes from Maj. General Julian Hatcher who did a lot of work with firearms and their ammunition. One of his best books is 'Hatchers Notebook' that should be considered a MUST READ for any shooter or reloader. Some of the stuff he wrote about and experimented with took a lot of imagination.
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Outstanding! Thank you all for the deep-dive on the question. Great to be part of such an evidence based community. Bill
Had a chance to look at one of my rifles and the Hatcher Hole is to the shooters right as yours looks to be to the shooters left. In addition the bolt has a 'Hatcher Hole' a short distance back from the locking lugs. It is orientated so it faces down with the bolt open and to the shooters left when the bolt is closed. I have a right hand action so I suppose a left hand action would be different.
One would imagine the bolt hole is to help with punctured primers in that the gases could go through the firing pin hole, travel back a bit, hang a left (shooters left) then go either up and around or down and under the bolt to exit the Hatcher Hole in the receiver to the shooters right. Kind of like driving through a chicane at a Gymkhanna.
At any rate the Hatcher Holes work. I have had cases separate/split, primers puncture, pretty much the whole gamut and look, I am still here to post this. And yes my eyesight and face are intact.
One would imagine the bolt hole is to help with punctured primers in that the gases could go through the firing pin hole, travel back a bit, hang a left (shooters left) then go either up and around or down and under the bolt to exit the Hatcher Hole in the receiver to the shooters right. Kind of like driving through a chicane at a Gymkhanna.
At any rate the Hatcher Holes work. I have had cases separate/split, primers puncture, pretty much the whole gamut and look, I am still here to post this. And yes my eyesight and face are intact.
