Which statement accurately describes push feed in firearms?

Which statement accurately describes push feed in firearms?

• A. Push feed relies on the extractor popping over the rim of the cartridge.
• B. Push feed is identical to controlled feed.
• C. Push feed uses a rim under extractor during forward slide movement.
• D. Push feed requires a fixed barrel.

Answer: (C)

Push feed involves the bolt pushing the cartridge from the magazine straight into the chamber, with the rim passing under the extractor during the forward stroke. The extractor does not grab or “pop over” the rim as the round is being fed; instead, it comes into play to hold the rim for extraction after the cartridge is fully chambered. This distinction is what sets push feed apart from controlled feed, where the extractor engages the rim earlier to actively control the cartridge during feeding. The other statements either imply the extractor acts during feeding in a way that isn’t characteristic of push feed, equate push feed with controlled feed, or describe a mechanical condition (like a fixed barrel) that isn’t related to feed type.

Push feed involves the bolt pushing the cartridge from the magazine straight into the chamber, with the rim passing under the extractor during the forward stroke. The extractor does not grab or “pop over” the rim as the round is being fed; instead, it comes into play to hold the rim for extraction after the cartridge is fully chambered. This distinction is what sets push feed apart from controlled feed, where the extractor engages the rim earlier to actively control the cartridge during feeding. The other statements either imply the extractor acts during feeding in a way that isn’t characteristic of push feed, equate push feed with controlled feed, or describe a mechanical condition (like a fixed barrel) that isn’t related to feed type.