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Originally Posted by mugwump
No, it does not normally move forward when the cover is raised.
If the weapon was cocked, opening the feed cover wouldn't allow the bolt to move forward. But if, as TR says, the sear wasn't engaged the bolt could hang up (excess grease or Schmutz?) and then be released when the cover was raised. The gun would then fire.
It is very unwise to open the MG 34 feed cover unless you are certain the gun is cocked. When I was taught to fire it, the stoppage drill called for cocking the gun, making it safe and then opening the feed cover. If the weapon couldn't be made safe (which means it couldn't be cocked) then the cocking handle was to be held to the rear when the cover was raised.
It sounds like this happened exactly as you described -- no trigger pull was necessary. The only thing I'm sceptical about is the 7.62 round. Occam's Razor says it was a 7.92 left in the breech.
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mugwump,
Your experience with machineguns comes from where?
Never open a feed tray cover on a machinegun without placing the weapon on safe. If you cannot place the weapon on safe then you better grab the charging handle.
Usually I grab the charging handle first to ensure that even if the bolt is not engaged that it will not go forward.
It sounds as if the last time the weapon was fired it jammed. The shooter might have thought it was out of ammo and left it.
Student opened the feed tray and BOOM, it did not slam fire, it fired because the sear was not engaged and the bolt was being held by the force of the feed tray and feed tray cover.
So Joe you original question, could it have slam fired, not how you might think but yes, it fired because it was loaded and simply lifting the feed tray would have caused a discharge.
That instructor needs a new line of work, hes dangerous.
TS