All three MAC versions utilize an open bolt firing mechanism, meaning there is no conventional hammer and the firing pin is machined onto the bolt-face (MAC-10), or fixed in place (MAC-11, MAC-11A1). Charging the MAC locks the bolt back in an open position, and pulling the trigger releases the bolt forward which strips a bullet from the magazine and pushes it into the barrel. A fraction of a second later the firing pin strikes the bullet's primer as the bolt closes. Recoil from the discharge resets the bolt to the open position. The bolt will reciprocate and the MAC will continue to fire rounds as long as the trigger is pulled or until the Magazine is empty.
The MAC-11 was used by Israel i Special Operations teams in counterterrorist missions, especially on board aircraft, most probably because of its small size and the bullet's reduced likelihood of puncturing aircraft cabin walls; as well as by terrorist groups around the world.
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