[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. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. [41][42][43] For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. [58] 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. As it is recoil-operated and fired from an open bolt, the weapon must be manually charged with the side-mounted charging handle. The MG42 is capable of firing 1200 rounds a minute, while the M60 fires at a rate of only 500 rounds per minute. There is something to say for a high ROF. If you like more historical firearms the MG42 is the way to go. The army's quest to develop a tank with leap-ahead antitank technologies led to the second M60 variant, the M60A2. The T161 proved to be the superior choice, being 10 lbs lighter than the Browning M1919A6 machine gun and having much better ergonomics. A high cyclic rate of fire is advantageous for use against targets that are exposed to a general-purpose machine gun for a limited time span, like aircraft or targets that minimize their exposure time by quickly moving from cover to cover. I also learned to use small bursts of ammunition while firing it, to prevent my weapon from over heating. - Free Online Library", MG34 and MG42 in Norway, Post WW2, by Folke Myrvang, Nazarian`s Gun`s Recognition Guide (FILM) MG 42, proper assault (video clip), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MG_42&oldid=1148886964, 2002,000m (2192,187yd) sight adjustments, Horse leader for horse, cart and trailer (private) rifle, This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 22:34. And it unfortunately only got worse because maintenance on them was shite up until the most recent variants went into production. Saddle drums had more resistance, and guns using saddle drums, had lowered rate of fire. [58][57] In March 1944 the US military concluded that functioning of the T24 machine gun prototype was unsatisfactory and recommended that further development was required before this weapon be subjected to the lengthy and severe standard light machine gun test. In 2007 he covered the war in Iraq as an embedded journalist. You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers. It is also the grandfather of the American M-60. [59], When one of the two T24 machine gun prototypes was fired at Aberdeen Proving Ground, it fired only one shot and failed to eject the cartridge. It uses a constant recoil system too, apparently its fckn awesome to shoot. Found on the shoulders of troops on the ground, on the top of tanks, and in the doors of helicopters, it truly was an all-purpose machine gun. It has had the rate of fire slowed down by about half. Outperformed the then current 7.62NATO sniperrifles, including the SSG69, with "first burst" hits beond 1000m. [5] The ear could not easily discern the sound of individual shots being fired, hearing a sound described as like "ripping cloth" or a buzzsaw. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun Weight 10.5 kg (23.15 lb) Length 1,105 mm (43.5 in) Barrel length 560 mm (22.0 in) Cartridge 7.62x51mm NATO Caliber 7.62 mm (0.308 in) Action Gas-operated, open bolt Rate of fire 500-600 rounds/min (rpm) Muzzle velocity 2,800 ft/s (853 m/s) Effective range 1,200 yd (1,100 m) Some question the utility of 5.56 on belts or in general belt fed weapons without tripods. The M60's 550 to 650 rpm cyclic rate provided a high hit probability without a copious expenditure of ammunition, as was the case with the German MG42. During WWII, U.S. soldiers faced down the advanced MG42 machine gun and FG42 automatic rifle. Perfect for concealed and everyday carry, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is feature-packed and built for rough use. When the decision was made for West Germany to re-arm in the 1950s, they re-introduced the MG-42. 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. It is most notable for its very high cyclic rate for a gun using full-power service cartridges, averaging about 1,200 rounds per minute compared to around 850 for the MG 34, and 450 to 600 for other common machine guns like the M1919 Browning, FM 24/29 or Bren gun. It combined controllability for accurate bursts, or extended strings for suppressive fire. Copyright 1996-2023 AR15.COM LLC. One downside to the M60 design is the bipod is attached to the barrel. [27] In 1944, this was altered to six machine guns in three sections with two seven-man heavy machine gun squads per section as follows: The optimum operating crew of an MG 42 in its medium machine gun role was six men: the squad leader, the machine gunner who carried and fired the gun, the assistant gunner/loader who carried the tripod, and three riflemen who carried 1,800 rounds of ammunition between them, spare barrels, entrenching tools, and other items. The proper buffer is hard if not impossible to find. The MG13 was the result of reengineering the Dreyse Water-cooled machine gun to fit the new requirement. The Mk46 program was right to delete that feature. 251/1 Falke half-track armored personnel carriers to some MG 42 and MG 34 machine guns. Finland acquired 5 MG 42s in July 1943 for evaluation. Is that enough fire in the squad? Afonso, Aniceto and Gomes, Carlos de Matos, Guerra Colonial (2000), pp. The original MG 42 roller-locked action had an undesirable tendency to exhibit bolt-bounce. During January to February 1944, testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground were unsatisfactory. 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. The Germans nevertheless continued widespread production of MG 34s in parallel until the end of the war. The roller-locked bolt assembly consists of a bolt head, two rollers, a striker sleeve featuring a wedge-shaped front, bolt body, and a large multi strands around a central coil return spring, which is responsible for pushing the bolt assembly into battery (the locked position) and returning it there when it is unlocked and pushed backwards by the recoil of firing or by the charging handle. Both weapons were converted to use NATOs new 7.62x51mm round and underwent testing. In both of these conflicts US troops fought with various John Browning designs, which while reliable, had various shortcomings. In Yugoslavia this MG 42 variant was built at the state-owned Zavodi Crvena Zastava company as the Zastava M53 using original German machinery, retaining the 7.9257mm Mauser chambering. However, the MG 34 did have fundamental drawbacks, such as sensitivity to extreme weather conditions, dirt and mud, and comparatively complex and expensive production. And it unfortunately only got worse because maintenance on them was shite up until the most recent variants went into production. Production during the war amounted to over 400,000 units (17,915 units in 1942, 116,725 in 1943, 211,806 in 1944, and 61,877 in 1945). 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 MG 42's lineage continued past Nazi Germany's defeat, forming the basis for the nearly identical MG1 (MG 42/59), chambered in 7.6251mm NATO, which subsequently evolved into the MG1A3, and later the Bundeswehr's MG 3, Italian MG 42/59 and Austrian MG 74. However, the idea was sound, and the MG34 and MG42 spawned firearms like the M60, the FN MAG/M240,. Also, the entire gun had to be dismounted from a firing position to change the barrel, as the bipod was attached to it. In addition, with its high bullet penetration, the M60 can take on and tear apart very . James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG. Set up a firering position app 80 - 100 m away with all soldiers facing a camoflaged mg. With the. The Lafette 42 weighed 20.5kg (45.2lb) on its own and was a simplified version of the Lafette 34 used for the MG 34, as the MG 42 could be operated more easily from a Lafette and featured no semi-automatic firing mode. 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. Jesse Beckett is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE, reduced wear on parts by venting off excess gas. The butt-stock was produced in various wood and bakelite versions. The M60 machine gun was a huge step forward in thinking by the US military when it was adopted in 1957. If you are interested in legally purchasing a registered machine gun like an M60 you can visit Ruben Mendiola and Dealernfa at www.DealerNFA.com. Email us atFirearmsNews@Outdoorsg.com. It was a much more mobile gun, able to be fired from the shoulder, off its bipod, mounted onto a tripod or vehicle mounted. Richard Anthony @ Great American Outdoors, In America, when deadly chemicals spill on land, its deemed perfectly safe, but when chemicals are used to sterilize instruments in hospitals, its called dangerous, Emergency preparedness: How to charge your smartphone during a power outage, Criminal indictment allows doctor access to concealed records linking COVID vaccines and deaths, Trucking companies in Illinois, Florida, Virginia and elsewhere are FAILING as economy falters, Its Only Self-Defense if you DONT Kill a Leftist. The last military use of M53s in Yugoslavia was in 1999. This allowed the MG 42 to tie up significantly larger numbers of enemy troops than was otherwise possible. 12 Orlando1701 1 yr. ago You ever actually fired one? It uses a modified version of the German MG42's roller-delayed blowback system. The MG42 sort of blends together the good and bad components of its cousins, the top-tier MG82 from Cold War and the bottom-tier MG34 from Modern Warfare. 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. It lengthened the beaten zone by walking the fire in wave-like motions up and down the range in a predefined area. When closed the Laufschtzer 42 looked like a tubular container with mountings at its ends to attached a carrying/shoulder strap. [45][46] Later produced barrel bores featured hard-chrome plating to make them more durable. The idea that one gun will do all infantry tasks is dead. The bolt assembly locks with the barrel's breech (the end the cartridge is loaded into) via a prong type barrel extension behind the breech. An excellent design, the MG42 was carefully inspected by US Army Ordnance officers during the war. [36], The cyclic firing rate of the MG 42 can be altered by installing different bolts and return springs. The T24 was chambered for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. In addition Blacks Hills Ammunition also launched a 6mm ARC round and a 6.5 PRC. 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 German MG 42/59 that was introduced in 1959 with the Bundeswehr to replace the U.S. machine guns, served as the basis, which was similar to the Austrian 7.62mm MG 42. In the tripod-mounted medium machine gun role, MG 42 users were trained to fire short bursts and bursts of 20 to 50 rounds and strive to optimize their aim between bursts fired in succession. He finally stuffs it into the swamp floor until it sorta blows itself up from clogged muzzle, but not long before the whole damned belt had run it's course. It was intended to replace the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A6 Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role, and the M1919A4 and water-cooled M1917A1 in the medium machine gun role. This is the company to visit if you are interested in acquiring, or leaning how to acquire a registered machine gun! Enough guns were damaged and put out of action for repair or lost to warrant finding the cause and a solution. Impressed with both of these guns, the United States looked to borrow some of their better features for use in future designs. [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. Not the best as exemplified by the adoption of the M240 by the US forces. Light machine guns MAY be on the downswing, in favor of the auto rifle. The M60 machine gun has numerous variants, including dedicated models for use on helicopters, greatly increasing its flexibility and extending out its service life. [5] The machine gun crew member responsible for a hot barrel change was issued protective asbestos mitts to prevent burns to the hands. The development of the weapon was completed in 1974. 12 [deleted] 6 yr. ago Automated would be even scarier [deleted] 6 yr. ago The (slower) rapid firing rate used in emergency/final defensive line situations of the MG 42 was up to 500 rounds per minute. During the war, General Motors was ordered to adapt an MG 42 to fire the .30 caliber round, but this ended in failure due to a number of errors throughout the project. Finland decided to produce 4,000 MG 42s modified to fire 7.6254mmR cartridges but only one modified prototype was ever made.[56]. Check out the new for 2022 Walther Pro SD with James Tarr and Jens Krogh. The 249 on mags is shit. The Assistant Gunner carries the spare barrel and additional ammunition. Besides amplifying recoil and managing and timing rearwards force exerted by propellant gas generated pressure, the recoil booster assembly ends in a muzzle shroud and also functions as a guide sleeve for the barrel and a muzzle flash arrester. The M60 is a lay in the dirt or stand up gun. [7] It was envisaged and well developed to provide portable light and medium machine gun infantry cover, low level anti-aircraft coverage, and even sniping ability. The M60 is a primary weapon in Those Who Remain. SOF will often use a scoped rifle from an SBF position. The method of barrel change made the MG 42 unsuitable for internal secondary or co-axial armament on World War II era German tanks or other armored vehicles with the exception of the Jagdpanzer IV. It also offered the benefits of 100-round. Elite PUBLISHING. When mounted onto a tripod the M60 can perform as a medium machine gun, with the assistant gunner quickly swapping out hot barrels. Mg42 vs M60. In terms of ergonomics, the MG 42 was lighter than comparable allied guns and easier to use. MG 42s were mounted in multiple-gun arrangements, particularly for low level anti-aircraft defence.[55]. Give a Gift Basically trying to get 24 .270 Win performance from a 13 .27-08.. Obviously not gonna get adopted(I hope!) | Here is my RPD, cut down, still heavier than hell. The Germans conceptualized MGs differently and to good effect. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win. and ive shot just about everything. Both weapons continued to be updated and improved, slowly morphing into the shape of the M60. MG 42s captured in Yugoslavia at the end of World War II were put into reserve of Yugoslav People's Army as M53/42s. The MG 42 was first deployed in May 1942 by the Deutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps expeditionary force in Africa) and introduced by mid-1942 on all fronts. Reply . Russians have a .50 that they can dismount and fire from a bipod and use otherwise like a GPMG. The M60 introduced a number of new features to US machine gunners. The Allies did have similar weapons, such as the M1919 Browning machine gun and the Vickers K machine gun, but these were issued more sparsely than the MG 42, with the Vickers K being an aircraft machine gun, only issued to infantry in specialized circumstances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL_LVGQBt6I, http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2013-08-24_MG3KWS.jpg, http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/01/06/bundeswehr-mg3kws-upgrade-program/, http://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/themen_im_fokus/entwicklungsschwerpunkt_effektoren/index.php, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJkJSucWhL8. The downside is reduced time for the same weight of ammunition. New in the MG 42 was that two belt feed pawls are linked to the front end of the feed arm by an intermediate link, in such a way that when one pawl is feeding, the other pawl is riding over the next round in the belt. The length of the beaten zone could be set on the Tiefenfeuerautomat. Various commercial solutions have been presented in 6/6.5mm and 8.59mm. 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. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, wed love to hear them. . 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. Just FYI. 7th Edition. The process addressed the need to produce more durable machine gun barrels in less time than those produced with traditional methods. Con's: heavier than hell Pro's: big bullet, makes the same noise as your enemy and can use their ammo. But that is what I would consider a waste the M60. There's some overlap and if we shift calibers good luck making these distinctions, but 5.56 belt feds are pretty heavy and fussy for the bullets they throw. The Gurttrommel belt container was commonly used until the end of World War II, with the MG 42 and the earlier MG 34. But without the proper hydrolic buffer, the gun will beat itself to death quickly. The M60 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position and is chambered in 7.6251mm NATO. Is the .357 Magnum the Most Versatile Handgun? [30] For its medium machine gun role, the MG 42 was matched to the newly developed Lafette 42 tripod. Its cyclic rate of fire is 900 rounds per minute. And there everafter in Viet Nam and other conflicts. David Fortier gets a chance to shoot the HK MP7 PDW at drivetanks.com. I add picture with a Jaguar with what I beleive is an MG3 on the back of the tank. E.g., being unsure whether the real distance was 2,000 or 2,300m (2,187 or 2,515yd), the gunner could make the mount do an automatic sweep between the elevations for 1,900 to 2,400m (2,078 to 2,625yd) and back. they tried to improve and screwed up the bolt lugs making them uneven. As the striker sleeve is movable back and forth within the bolt assembly, the return spring is also responsible for pushing the striker sleeve forward during locking (described below). The MG42 is focused on sitting in one place with a half dozen infantry feeding it ammo and barrel changes, while it spurts out a ridiculous amount of lead at the enemy. Rather than being a heavy ponderous piece lacking a quick-change barrel feature, like the Browning M1919A4/A6, the M60 is a true General Purpose Machine Gun. Id really like to see the KAC LAMG get adopted. Post Reply. The Gurttrommel assault drum was an alternative feed option and designed to be clipped to the left side of the gun. By changing its mount, sights and feed mechanism, the operator could radically transform an Einheitsmaschinengewehr for several purposes. Both the cocking handle and the catch for the top cover to the working parts were designed so that the gunner could operate them wearing arctic mittens or with a stick or rod. Because of that, feed is performed in two steps, on both the opening and closing movement of the bolt, instead of one step as in the earlier MG 34. [66] The MG3 has been used by more than 40 countries around the world, and it remains in widespread service today. It weighed 11.57kg in the light machine gun role with the bipod, lighter than the MG 34 and easily portable. The Lafette 42 had a Richt- und berschietafel (Overhead firing table) riveted to the rear body of the searchfire mechanism from the very start of production until the very end of it. It also spawned the Yugoslav unlicensed nearly identical Zastava M53. Designed and put into service in 1942, the MG 42 with its stamped metal parts was cheaper, easier to produce, more reliable, more user-friendly and arguably more lethal than the MG 34. Milley wants to penetrate body armor with a SAW. The gun was replaced in most conventional roles by the M240, but the M60 found a new home in specialist roles, such as with US special forces. 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. Just FYI. [14] Like the MG 34, British troops sometimes called it a "Spandau", a traditional generic term for all German machine guns, left over from the famous Allied nickname for the MG 08 Maxim-derivative used by German forces during World War I and derived from its manufacturer's plates noting the city of Spandau where some were produced. 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. It was not a true magazine but held a coiled 50-round belt and corresponding Einfhrstck starter-segment preventing it from snagging, twisting and getting stuck during mobile assaults. But by this time the M60 was being replaced by the M240. [51], Another unique feature of German World War II machine guns was the Tiefenfeuerautomat feature on the Lafette 42 and Lafette 34 tripods. Its relatively light 23-pound weight allows the gun team to keep up with assaulting infantry. And Why? M60 general-purpose machine gun, an American powerhouse inspired by the FG42. Its parts are attached to a 2.5mm (0.1in) thick stamped sheet metal housing that functions as the receiver and barrel sleeve. He was one of my instructors in the Norwegian NG in the early 80'ies. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. 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. Headrest Safe a new way to secure your firearm. A heavier bolt uses more recoil energy to overcome inertia, thus slowing the cyclic rate of the machine gun. Set up one soldier in each square, 64 soldiers total. The riflemen carried additional ammunition, hand grenades, explosive charges or a machine gun tripod as required and provided security and covering fire for the machine gun team.