The titanium MAG58s and some modern guns are slowly shifting that way, and stuff like the LWAMG point to an even snazzier future for a squad level MMG. by Peter Suciu During World War II, Nazi Germany developed some impressive small arms, including. This eventually led to the Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machine gun) introducing an entirely new concept in automatic firepower. [5] The machine gun crew member responsible for a hot barrel change was issued protective asbestos mitts to prevent burns to the hands. First tests were undertaken in June 1944, but development dragged on and eventually only ten were built. [28], To enable the machine gun for its long-range direct fire and indirect fire support roles, optical sights could be added to a Zielfernrohrhalter (optical sight mounting bracket) on the tripod, allowing operating crews to continue using advanced planned and unplanned firing methods developed during World War I, though plunging fire or indirect fire methods were not as commonly used by machine gunners during World War II as they were during World War I.[29]. The army's quest to develop a tank with leap-ahead antitank technologies led to the second M60 variant, the M60A2. The MG 34 was also quite versatile; not only was it able to be fed from belted ammunition or a saddle drum magazine, it could also be fired from a bipod, an innovative Lafette 34 tripod or various pintle mounts for armored vehicles. But the gun with a 100 round belt on the ground vs the 100 round belt being guided by the AG would have a lower rate of fire. [58] Saginaw Steering Gear did not get the opportunity to correct the flaws that caused the inability to obtain reliable uninterrupted automatic functioning and further optimize and ready the weapon for mass production before World War II ended.[57]. For this reason, the MG 45 is considered a different type of firearm, as the mechanisms of these two guns are different. During World War II the Gurt 34/41-belt family was introduced. The final design, which appeared in 1950, was in most respects still similar to the MG 42, although many components were produced by machining instead of stamping, which increased the weight, the stability and the production costs of the machine gun. The MG 42 is capable only of fully automatic fire. Obviously not sniper rifles, but these GPMG's are all old designs.. and yet to this day very viable weapons still considered some of the best GPMG's ever made. A limited run of about 1,500 of further improved MG 39/41 pre mass-production model guns, was completed in 1941 and by the end of 1941 tested in combat trials. The first version looks very much like the MG42.[69]. The high tech German Rifle would also serve as the spiritual father to the full-powered battle rifles that dominated the early phases of the Cold War and . Post Reply. Dr. Dabbs tells us all about the weapons used in the his personal favorite war movie, Kelly's Heroes. The MG 42 (shortened from German: Maschinengewehr 42, or "machine gun 42") is a German recoil-operated air-cooled general-purpose machine gun used extensively by the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS during the second half of World War II. You can much more easily fit a brick-style pack in the M60, and will need either sticks or butterfly packs for the stock of the MG42. As a mounted weapon they're fine but for dismounted they're heavy as fuck. M27 was as much as anything else an excersize in political gymnastics ,how to buy a new rifle while pretending you are not buying a new rifle. Our need to use machine guns indirectly is not so necessary any more. The way they are used, the tactical doctrine, is different for both weapons. The Assistant Gunner carries the spare barrel and additional ammunition. Barrel changes are pretty easy. Due to the nature of the war and the M60s purpose, it could expect to fire thousands of rounds over the course of a single day. AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types. Subscriber Services. and can be . Later in the war the universal Laufschtzer 43 was introduced that could be used with MG 43 and MG 42 barrel units. For me I like more modern, tactical firearms and would go with a M60E6 setup. Single shots are difficult, even for experienced operators, due to the weapon's high cyclic rate of fire and the ability to fire a short burst of no more than three rounds was usually accepted as the training standard. It used steel of lesser quality, which reduced weight to 9 kilograms (20lb), while retaining the horizontal cocking handle. A German infantry Gruppe (squad) at the start of the war consisted of ten men; a non-commissioned officer or Unteroffizier squad leader, deputy squad leader, a three-man machine gun team (machine gunner, assistant gunner/loader and ammunition carrier) and five riflemen. Light, rigid, reasonably easy to use (load etc). In fact, the M60E6 suffered fewer failures between shots in tests than the M240. The Germans nevertheless continued widespread production of MG 34s in parallel until the end of the war. The MG 42's belt-feed mechanism was copied and used in the design of the M60 machine gun. The MG42 is capable of firing 1200 rounds a minute, while the M60 fires at a rate of only 500 rounds per minute. Its also interesting to note the US M60 machine guns feed system was based on the German 7.92mm MG42 GPMGs. [30] For its medium machine gun role, the MG 42 was matched to the newly developed Lafette 42 tripod. When the M60 was fresh and new it still wasn't quite as good as the PKM, or the MG-42/MG-3, for that matter. The open-type iron sighting line has a relatively short 430 millimeters (16.9in) radius and consists of a "-type" height adjustable front sight on a folding post and a leaf rear sight with an open V-notch sliding on a ramp, graduated from 200 to 2,000 meters (219 to 2,187yd) in 100 meters (109yd) increments. The legs could be extended with a Lafetteaufsatzstck to allow it to be used in the low level anti-aircraft role, and when lowered, it could be placed to allow the gun to be fired "remotely" while it swept an arc in front of the mounting with fire. It is also the grandfather of the American M-60. In spite of its tendency to overheat, the MG-42 was an excellent weapon that was light-years of ahead of the US counterpart, the Browning M-1919A4 machine gun. The quick barrel changing and belt feed systems were considered some of the best design features. Those bolts also are used along with different recoil springs. [51], Another unique feature of German World War II machine guns was the Tiefenfeuerautomat feature on the Lafette 42 and Lafette 34 tripods. Saddle drums had more resistance, and guns using saddle drums, had lowered rate of fire. The standard MG 42 bolt weight for a 1,500 rounds per minute cyclic rate of fire is 505g (17.81oz).[37]. [64] The MG3 (originally the MG 1 launched in 1958) is the MG 42 design rechambered to 7.6251mm NATO. One of its virtues is how light it is compared to many other designs of the time, such as the M1919A4/A6 it replaced and the FN MAG58. JavaScript is disabled. The initial version of the M60 was officially adopted by the U.S. Army . One of the Einheitsmaschinengewehr (Universal machine gun) roles was to provide low-level anti-aircraft coverage. How has the introduction of the IAR into the Marine Fire team to replace the SAW worked out? The Dreibein 34, for example, was a simple high-standing tripod for mounting the gun in anti-aircraft mode. [68], The Swiss SIG MG 710-3 general-purpose machine gun was based on the design of the MG42V/MG45 using a slight modification of the roller-delayed action and chambered for 7.6251mm NATO. [40] After the war, nearly every army in the world wanted surplus MG-42s, or other weapons with many of the same qualities, and it inspired the development of the MAG 58, the PK, the M60, the AAT-52, and countless others. All these changes were intended to increase, maintain, or accommodate the gun's high cyclic rate of fire and dispersion. 2000. page 379. One of many personal tales: Friend of mine was on a live fire EX in the swamps of GA, sneaking along in the dark as best they can, when he hears a plop rapidly followed by very loud noises. It weighed 11.57kg in the light machine gun role with the bipod, lighter than the MG 34 and easily portable. This enhances the smoothness of the feeding process by improved ammunition belt retention for more precise indexing with the feedway and reduces mechanical stress put on the feed unit and belt links. Some engineering changes were to use a barrel chambered for the .30-06 Springfield service round and an extremely increased weight 47oz (1,332g) bolt and stiffer return spring in an effort to reduce the cyclic rate consistent with US rate requirements. The M60 has a very high ammo capacity and good damage, making it ideal for suppressive firing and dealing large amounts of damage for a long period of time. Just FYI. Initially, the first concept for the M60 was essentially a second model FG-42 with an MG-42 feed system shoehorned onto it. Non-observance of this technical limitation renders the barrel prematurely unusable. I could mention the HK21 as a better Infantry Automatic Rifle in its mag-fed configuration and a suitable GPMG in belt-fed From US Army reports that led to making the M60, from engineering discussions and analysis, from a few people who have fired several of them: The PK is a hell of a gun. [4] Various nations adopted ARs and LMGs like the Minimi/M249/Mk48. The Gunner carries the machine gun and 200 to 1,000 rounds of ammunition. David Fortier gets a look at Roundtable with Nathan Robinson. Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited. This was vital for winter conditions where contact by bare flesh on cold metal could cause severe injury, such as instant frostbite. It could be quickly changed by the machine gun crew and weighed 1.75kg (3.9lb) including the locking piece. The 416 is harder to run suppressed than DI. In order to address these issues, a draft specification was made and a contest was held for an MG 34 replacement. . They favored the weapon as it was much lighter than the M240. But to introduce a modern weapon of its own production the Office of Defence Technology, in cooperation with Steyr Mannlicher and Beretta developed a gun specifically for the Austrian Army. You must log in or register to reply here. Entering production in 1942, it was intended to supplement and replace the earlier MG 34, which was more . [60] By doing so, the Yugoslavs retained the original weapon's design features, making the M53 a near exact copy of the German MG 42. Look at trends in both adopted and proposed machineguns. If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, wed love to hear them. It lengthened the beaten zone by walking the fire in wave-like motions up and down the range in a predefined area. I thought they were almost as good as titties. The newer M60s were prioritized for patrol use, while the Brownings were placed on vehicles or used in base defenses. The butt-stock was produced in various wood and bakelite versions. [38][39], The MG 42 could use non-disintegrating metallic-link belts, which have links that wrap around the cartridge case and are linked by a coiling wire on each side. This powerful German machine gun was built as a cheaper and simpler version of the MG 34. MG 42s were mounted in multiple-gun arrangements, particularly for low level anti-aircraft defence.[55]. The US M60 Machine Gun, AKA The Pig, was the US militarys first General Purpose Machine Gun and it played an important role in Vietnam. Reply . It has had the rate of fire slowed down by about half. He then recycled an existing Mauser-developed operating system and incorporated features from his experiences with army machine gunners and lessons learned during the early stages of the war. A 250-round Patronengurt 33 belt was also issued to machine guns installed in fixed emplacements such as bunkers. The M60 attached to a tripod mount. The spring-loaded dust cover automatically opens when the gun is fired, but the user has to close it after firing to prevent dirt entering the receiver through the open port. The U.S. Navy SEAL teams of Vietnam employed shortened and cut down M60 machine guns, making a substantially more man-portable platform, easier for single-personuse. The process addressed the need to produce more durable machine gun barrels in less time than those produced with traditional methods. Additionally, problems with the trigger group meant it could quite literally fall out, and the feed tray couldnt be closed with the bolt forwards. Firings were discontinued in February 1944 after 51 malfunctions and firing a total of 1,583 rounds by authorization of Major C. Balleisen, O.C.O. The idea that one gun will do all infantry tasks is dead. Used in Vietnam in this configuraton, I can't imagine hauling this thru the jungle. Never seen a 240b jam in combat or training. Love that mg its so simple to operate/ tear down and put together. [19] The advantage of the general-purpose machine gun concept was that it added greatly to the overall volume of fire that could be put out by a squad-sized unit. The weapon stayed in the Liniewski family until 2016 when his son Marty donated the weapon to the Museum. In 2007 he covered the war in Iraq as an embedded journalist. In addition, with its high bullet penetration, the M60 can take on and tear apart very . but just an example that big Army definitely still wants a hard hitting squad and/or platoon level belt fed. The MG 42 was one of the weapons that inspired the design of the M60. After investigation using high-speed photography the rollers in the bolt were found to "bounce" back and forth or oscillate up to 1mm (0.04in) when lock up is proceeding and then they settle into full lock up. The Winchester 350 Legend is built with hunters and sport shooters in mind, 350 Legend is versatile on the range and in the deer woods. 14, May 25, 1943, "O soldado que transformou em msica uma batalha histrica para o Brasil na 2 Guerra", http://rubi.casaruibarbosa.gov.br/bitstream/20.500.11997/3875/1/Di%2bi%CC%81rio%20Carioca%20-%20DE%20-%2019441945.pdf, SMALL UNITS GROUND WAR. Today, the M60 lives on in memories and old war movies. This weapon was loved and loathed it was a heavy load to carry, but when you were in trouble, the hard-hitting wall of fire the M60 could chuck at the enemy had your back. It combined controllability for accurate bursts, or extended strings for suppressive fire. You are using an out of date browser. And I read somewhere that the M60 was develpoed from the MG42. And Why? It would be easy to adopt 40 round PMAGs. [52][53] A trigger handle, which enabled the operator to fire the gun without affecting the aim, was attached to the Tiefenfeuerautomat searchfire unit. And since you can't increase the amount you carry after the perks or finding a gun for hire with the hoarder perk it doesn't make sense for me. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. The downside is reduced time for the same weight of ammunition. Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. This powerful German machine gun was built as a cheaper and simpler version of the MG 34. Its inspiration was the German MG-42 machine gun of World War II often called a better crew-served weapon than anything the Allies had. During my last deployment with the 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Hood, I was issued an M60 (or as it was also lovingly known "The Pig") and even though it weighs just over 23 pounds, I got used to the weight fairly quickly. When you need to lug the MG around day after day PKM is the best by leaps and bounds , weighs considerably less than MG3 or M240 its closer to SAW , basicaly offsets about 100rounds of ammo . The bipod, the same one used on the MG 34, could be mounted to the front or the center of the gun depending on how and where it was being used. This weapon solved almost all of the previous issues with the weapon, bringing it onto an equal footing with even the very latest machine guns. The story of the M60 begins right after the end of WWII. Some quantities of M53s were exported to Iraq in the 1980s and saw extensive action during both Gulf wars. It was possible for operating crews to lay down a non-stop barrage of fire, pausing only when the barrel had to be replaced. [33] Simultaneously the barrel is pushed forward by a recuperator spring to its starting position. Its cyclic rate of fire is 900 rounds per minute. Even still updated, more so than even the otherwise very nice MAG 58, which has for backwards-compatibility issues been stuck in time in many ways. The LMG-role MG42 unsurprisingly isn't as good as a Bren at what a Bren is specialised to do, and a Bren isn't intended to do what a sited MG42 does. The MG 42 incorporated lessons hard-won on the Eastern Front. While some may say the MG42's rate of. Unlike the old Brownings, the M60 could keep firing, and when its barrel became too hot, the assistant gunner could quickly swap it out for another. Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use. A M60 crew typically consisted of a Gunner, Assistant Gunner and Ammunition Bearer. The German military instructed that sustained fire must be avoided at all costs. [20][21] The MG 42 lent many design elements to the Swiss MG 51 and SIG MG 710-3, French AA-52, American M60 and Belgian MAG general-purpose machine guns and the Spanish 5.5645mm NATO Ameli light machine gun. A heavier bolt uses more recoil energy to overcome inertia, thus slowing the cyclic rate of the machine gun. The M60 fires around 600. The sources I have read rate the M60 as a good weapon. The M60 machine gun bears the nickname "The Pig". Grateful I never had to hump one though. [16][17][18], The German tactical infantry doctrine of the era based a (10-man Gruppe) squad's firepower on the general-purpose machine gun in the light machine gun role. Another technically impressive WWII German weapon was the FG 42, an advanced automatic rifle that filled a similar role as the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). . I forget what it's called but it's about 46lbs IIRC. Print view; Search Advanced search. The roller-locked recoil operation functions as follows: two cylindrical rollers, positioned in tracks on the bolt head, are pushed outwards into matching tracks in the barrel extension by the striker sleeve and lock the bolt in place against the breech. Unless someone posts 5 shot groups, the whole argument is pointless Well, I've used accurized, scoped MG34s in a long range role for airbase defence. Yeah, MG42's certainly did have changed in rate of fire based on how they were feed. . Following this, the US switched its sights to the FG 42. The US Army wanted to be able to manufacture this general-purpose gun because it was technically advanced and much easier to make than the World War II US light and medium machine guns and it was decided to convert several MG 42s to fire .30-06 Springfield M2 ball ammunition. The MG42 fires over 1000 rounds a minute. Its a silly program. [10] Being made largely out of pressed and stamped appropriately hardened carbon steel metal, only the most important parts were elaborately milled from solid steel, and using spot welding and riveting to connect parts the new design required considerably less machining and fewer high grade steel alloys containing metals that became scarce in Germany during World War II. These included the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), the Caliber .30 M1919A6, M1919A4 and M1917A1 machine guns. All this lead to the MG3, which is basically the MG42 (urban legends say some parts still have the "Reichsadler" engraved), beeing modified to have a lower firerate. [6] According to comparative tests by the US military under battle conditions, 5 to 7 rounds bursts with 22 bursts in a minute were most effective. The M60 has been referred to as "the doorknob" because of its distinctive shape. The new gun boasted a nearly 100% increase in range to 2000 meters and 50% increase in rate of fire to 1500 rounds per minute. The M60 performed well in Vietnam, with its heavy 7.62 mm rounds cutting through the jungle and people with ease. [24][25] Two of the standard issue bolt-action Karabiner 98k rifles in the squad could be replaced with semi-automatic Gewehr 43 rifles and occasionally, StG 44 assault rifles could be used to re-arm the whole squad, besides the machine gun. As personal small arms, the squad leader was issued a rifle, or as of around 1941 a submachine gun, the machine gunner and his assistant were issued pistols and the deputy squad leader, ammunition carrier and the riflemen were issued rifles. However, the MG 34 did have fundamental drawbacks, such as sensitivity to extreme weather conditions, dirt and mud, and comparatively complex and expensive production. 7th Edition. 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A Gunner, Assistant Gunner carries the machine gun prioritized for patrol use, while the Brownings were on... Those bolts also are used, the M60 machine guns those produced traditional!, had lowered rate of feature-packed and built for rough use the addressed! Originally the MG 42 is capable of firing 1200 rounds a minute, while the Brownings were placed on or... Is harder to run suppressed than DI the newly developed Lafette 42.... Fire slowed down by about half time for the M60 fires at a rate of,. Army definitely still wants a hard hitting squad and/or platoon level belt fed use guns! Is prohibited used steel of lesser quality, which reduced weight to kilograms. Fires at a rate of fire slowed down by about half ) introducing an entirely new concept in firepower... The horizontal cocking handle inspired the design of the IAR into the Marine team. And easily portable s certainly did have changed in rate of fire and dispersion reduced time for same! They were feed written consent is prohibited of only 500 rounds per minute by a recuperator spring to its position., had lowered rate of with an MG-42 feed system shoehorned onto it used along with different recoil.! Launched in 1958 ) is the World 's largest firearm community and is a gathering for... About 46lbs IIRC Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use gun and 200 to 1,000 rounds ammunition... Yeah, MG42 & # x27 ; s certainly did have changed rate. German military instructed that sustained fire must be avoided at all costs MG42 & # x27 ; heavy! Was a simple high-standing tripod for mounting the gun 's high cyclic rate of only 500 rounds per.. Emplacements such as bunkers the weapons that inspired the design of the war in Iraq an... Of ammunition led to the Einheitsmaschinengewehr ( Universal machine gun and 200 to 1,000 rounds of ammunition sources I read. 1958 ) is the MG 42 design rechambered to 7.6251mm NATO and down the in... His personal favorite war movie, Kelly 's Heroes lighter than the M240 resistance, and using...