Anchor (rifle)

[lapot]

Hello. I've watching the movie "The hurt locker" and I've come across this sentence:

"My anchor fell out."

This is said by a soldier while they're fighting a bunch of insurgents. Then, he have a problem with some piece of his semi-automatic rifle.
I think 'anchor' here must be a part of that rifle. I've searched on google but I couldn't find nothing interesting.

Can anyone enlighten me on this? Thanks!!

 

[Hau Ruck]

Did you just hear this line or read it on the subtitles? Or some other way? What's the source generation of that line?

 

[Myridon]

I think you've misheard. Could you supply the line before and the line after to help us figure it out?

 

[lapot]

Thanks, guys. Here is some part of the conversation while they're shooting.

"Movement on the roof."
[After shooting at the building] "Yeah?"
"Three meters higher."
"I'm going to adjust." [After several seconds] "My anchor fell out."

This is how the subtitles read. And I think I haven't misheard the sentence "My anchor fell out." But I don't know for sure, really.
By the way, the character is British.

 

[Codyfied]

Is the rifle anchored down somehow as to not move during recoil? Such as a tent anchor [pin] holds a tent down from blowing over.

 

[lapot]

Yeah. It could be. That's the first thing I thought. But searching on google 'gun anchor' some pictures of what I think it's a telescopic scope comes up, so I got a little confused.

 

[Loob]

According to this "quotes from The Hurt Locker" site, what follows I'm going to adjust is
Fuck!
Fuck, he's dead.

 

[sdgraham]

I've been involved in various forms of competitive shooting for 55+ years and the only thing that makes possible sense to me is that we refer to "anchoring" the cheek to the buttstock of the rifle in order to maintain consistent sight alignment.

See this page http://ironrangerifleman.blogspot.com/2013/01/of-cheek-welds-and-stock-packs.html, for example.

 

[Myridon]

The next line in the book of the shooting script (which won't have any ad-libs or last minute changes) is "He's dead." so I'm guessing it's not a scripted line.
I found the video on YouTube. He does mumble something to himself as he adjusts the gun which sounds sort of like "manky fire" or possibly "yankee fanatic" to me. I don't have any trouble understanding other things he has said. He doesn't look like he's dropped anything.

 

[lapot]

Well, I guess nobody here knows Ralph Fiennes... what a shame! I'd like to know what he meant there.
I think Codyfied's interpretation could be the best one here maybe. Although, I think, in that case 'fall out' wouldn't be the best verb to use.

Anyway, thank you everyone for trying to help!

 

[sdgraham]

I think Codyfied's interpretation could be the best one here maybe.

Sniper rifles are not "anchored'" to the ground. Not only does it make them difficult to aim, but it's a real problem when the shooter has to change location quickly.

 

[PaulQ]

I suspect that "My anchor fell out." = "The target upon which I had anchored (i.e. fixed) my sights has fallen out of view."

 

[Codyfied]

Lapot, I was asking "Is it........?" in that I don't know much about firearms. So apologies to my inferring an answer. I yield to those in the know.

 

[srk]

I'm with sdgraham, on this. I don't know the film, but remember the swelling on my cheek. I was never able to use the buttstock directly but depended on a right-hand knuckle.

 

[Codyfied]

I found several references in Archery to "anchor sights" used to help your field of sight and focus to hit your target.

Incidentally, I did also find Amazon.com sells a "bench rest with anchor" for rifle shooting.

here's a description: "Stoney Point Bench Anchor Adjustable Shooting Rest. For the truest test of your rifle's accuracy. . . . Experience the ultimate level of precision and comfort from the bench! . . . .new Adjustable Shooting Rest keeps your rifle locked on target and virtually eliminates felt recoil. "
I don't think this was the reference.

Based on the quotes given --- his "anchor fell out" seconds after attempting to make an adjustment, which indicates a sighting term.

 

[morior_invictus]

I`m sorry, lapot, but I didn`t hear anything similar to your "My anchor fell out." I heard the following:
"Movement on the roof."
[After shooting at the building] "Yeah?"
"Three meters higher."
"I'm going to adjust." [After several seconds - an incomprehensible part where I heard something like "I lost the tie" and not "My anchor fell out"].
"F*ck!" etc.

But as Myridon mentioned, he mumbled this to himself, so only Ralph Fiennes knows what he said.

 

[Hau Ruck]

I've listened to it as well. I agree with Morior and Myridon.

Not to call the OP's validity into question, but I found 3 sources of written scripting for this movie. Two made no mention, whatsoever, of this sentence. One said exactly what the OP said he 'heard'.

I don't think the OP actually heard this......

I am pretty sure we are being told of 'source' that is not actually a valid source.