[aculeus]

I strongly suspect the Browning .30 cal MG works the same.

You are right. It was also gas-operated as was that other great WWII infantry weapon the BAR.

My analysis: British civilians created this rumor and repeated it to themselves to explain all the deaths from the hushed-up E-Boat attack.

If dozens were "guilty" of killing scores of our own some vets would have talked by now.

[Trailerpark Badass]

You are right. It was also gas-operated as was that other great WWII infantry weapon the BAR.

The Browning .30 cals are recoil operated. They need one of these:

screwed onto the muzzle, as well as a cartridge stop installed in the feed mechanism.

It is highly improbable that a soldier trained enough to get and keep the weapon firing would not know he is firing live ammo.