What happens if the magazine spring is weak in a gas-operated firearm?

When the magazine spring is weak in a gas-operated firearm, it directly affects the feeding mechanism. A weak magazine spring may not provide enough tension to properly push the next round into position for the bolt to chamber it. This results in fewer rounds being fed into the chamber than would be expected, leading to potential stoppages or failures to fire.

In gas-operated firearms, the cycling of the action relies on a sequence of events where the bolt must move into position to pick up a round from the magazine. If the spring lacks the necessary strength, it can prevent the next round from aligning correctly, which interrupts the feeding process. Therefore, the correct answer indicates that a weak magazine spring predominantly results in fewer rounds being fed into the firearm, affecting its overall reliability and performance.