[Tomahawk202]

I haven't heard anything, but one reason you may have had to wait such a long time, is due to the fact that it's unsafe and in some cases flat out dangerous to do that. Here's why:

The M430 round has a mechanical gear system in the fuze. Slamming the nose of the fuze into the Ogive Plunger once, to load the round, is ok. But to do it more than once is asking for trouble. If these gears get seperated in the fuze, it could cause the firing pin to slip and bam, airburst at best, catastraphic malfunction at worst. The M430 is an old round, but it's still in use today. The newer rounds are less prone to this type of malfunction, but like previously stated, don't do anything like this unless you know what the hell your doing.
Now, there is a different way to load a previously stripped round, onto the bolt, so you only have to charge the weapon once to operate it. And it goes a little something like this:

Open the feedtray cover. Take linkless, previously fed round in your left hand.

Drop the right handle and slide the bolt to the rear just a little ( about an inch )

While holding the bolt to the rear, take the round and slide the rim of the cartridge under the left lips on the boltface.

Now snap the round to the right, placing the right side of the rim, under the right feedlips on the boltface.

Boom.... there you go. Load the belt of rounds, and charge the weapon.

Rock and Roll.............

Your idea was really good, and I agree, it would save a lot of money. But it's unsafe and lord knows some REMF would probably blow themselves halfway to hell, trying to perform that task.

I am open to feekback, and you gentlemen take care,

Tomahawk sends..............