The heavy bolt continues rearward, compressing the buffer spring, which then expands, pushing the bolt forward again, picking up a fresh cartridge from the magazine ( or belt in a belt-fed weapon ) and chambering it.
12.
The wire-cutting guns were now tasked with long-range fire into the enemy's rear areas, but the guns were worn out after the long bombardment, many were out of action with broken buffer springs, and their fire was ineffective . The division was pushed back into the German front-line trench and lost very heavily.
13.
For the medium machine gun role a large tripod, the " Lafette 42 ", was available that included a number of features, such as recoil absorbing buffer springs, MG Z 34 or MG Z 40 periscope-type telescopic sight containing special sighting equipment for indirect fire, or the late World War II MG Z 44, designed for direct fire only.
