General-purpose machine gun: Difference between revisions
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[[File:MG42-Display.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The MG-42 type general-purpose machine guns in both bipod and tripod configurations]] |
[[File:MG42-Display.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The MG-42 type general-purpose machine guns in both bipod and tripod configurations]] |
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A '''general-purpose machine gun''' ('''GPMG''') is an air-cooled, belt-fed weapon with a quick change barrel that can be used in a variety of roles, from bipod- or tripod-mounted infantry support, to deployment as a helicopter door gun, or a vehicle-mounted support weapon.<ref>[http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/support-weapons/1463.aspx]{{ |
A '''general-purpose machine gun''' ('''GPMG''') is an air-cooled, belt-fed weapon with a quick change barrel that can be used in a variety of roles, from bipod- or tripod-mounted infantry support, to deployment as a helicopter door gun, or a vehicle-mounted support weapon.<ref>[http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/support-weapons/1463.aspx] {{wayback|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/support-weapons/1463.aspx |date=20130226162750 }}</ref> Modern GPMGs fire full-power rifle cartridges such as the [[7.62×51mm NATO]], [[7.62×54mmR]], [[8x57mm IS|7.92x57mm Mauser]], etc. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Revision as of 06:22, 26 August 2015
 | This article is missing information about does not cover general development, date of use, non-military use etc. (July 2011) |
A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, belt-fed weapon with a quick change barrel that can be used in a variety of roles, from bipod- or tripod-mounted infantry support, to deployment as a helicopter door gun, or a vehicle-mounted support weapon.[1] Modern GPMGs fire full-power rifle cartridges such as the 7.62×51mm NATO, 7.62×54mmR, 7.92x57mm Mauser, etc.
History
With the MG 34, the German Wehrmacht introduced an entirely new concept in automatic firepower - the general-purpose machine gun (GPMG).[2][3][4] In itself the MG 34 was an excellent weapon: an air-cooled, recoil-operated machine gun that could run through belts of 7.92mm ammunition at a rate of 850 rounds per minute, delivering killing firepower at ranges of more than 1,000 meters.[3][4] Yet simply by changing its mount and feed mechanism, the operator could radically transform its function. On its standard bipod it was a light machine gun, ideal for infantry assaults; on a tripod it could serve as a sustained-fire medium machine gun; aircraft or vehicular mounts turned it into an air defence weapon; and it also served as the coaxial machine gun on numerous tanks.[3][4]
During World War II, the MG 34 was superseded (although it remained in combat use) by a new GPMG - the MG 42.[5][6][7] The MG 42 was more efficient to manufacture and more robust, and had a blistering 1,200-RPM rate of fire.[5][6][7] Nicknamed 'Hitler's buzzsaw' by Allied troops, it was arguably the finest all-round GPMG ever produced, and alongside the MG 34 it inflicted heavy casualties on Allied soldiers on all European and North African fronts.[5][8][7] Such were its qualities of firepower and usability that it became the foundation of an entire series of postwar machine guns, including the MG 1 and MG 3 - the latter is still in production and service to this day."[9][5][6][7]
Notable post-WWII examples
- German MG3, a direct descendant of the MG42, is still in service with the German Army and others.
- Belgian FN MAG, which copied the MG42's feed-system and trigger-mechanism.[10] It is the most widely used GPMG among western armies.
- American M60, which uses the MG42's feed-system and stamp-steel construction.[11] It has been replaced in U.S. service by the M240 itself an FN MAG variant.
- French AA-52, which more or less copies the MG42 feed-system.[12] It has been largely phased out in favour of the FN MAG and FN Minimi.
- Russian PK/PKM family of multi-purpose machine-guns, widely exported.
- People's Republic of China, the Type 67 and later improved models.
- German Heckler & Koch HK21, based on the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle and widely exported
Gallery
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MG34 -
MG42 top & StG 44 below -
MG3 on display -
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FN MAG GPMG -
An M60 machine gun -
AA-52 -
PKM general-purpose machine gun -
The Type 67 on a tripod field mount. -
Belgian M240 -
Russian Pecheneg -
HK21A1 general-purpose machine gun
See also
References
- ^ [1] Archived 2013-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jane's Guns Recognition Guide. Ian Hogg & Terry Gander. HarperCollins Publishers. 2005. page 375
- ^ a b c Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. 7th Edition. Ian V. Hogg & John S. Weeks. Krause Publications. 2000. page 326
- ^ a b c The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Chris Bishop. Sterling Publishing Company. 2002. page 245 & 246
- ^ a b c d Jane's Guns Recognition Guide. Ian Hogg & Terry Gander. HarperCollins Publishers. 2005. page 376
- ^ a b c Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. 7th Edition. Ian V. Hogg & John S. Weeks. Krause Publications. 2000. page 329
- ^ a b c d The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Chris Bishop. Sterling Publishing Company. 2002. page 247
- ^ Military Small Arms of the 20th Century. 7th Edition. Ian V. Hogg & John S. Weeks. Krause Publications. 2000. page 328 & 329
- ^ MG 34 and MG 42 Machine Guns. by Chris McNab. Published by Random House Publishing Group. Oct 23, 2012. Quote taken from leaf.
- ^ "Modern Firearms - FN MAG". World.guns.ru. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
- ^ Weapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. To 2000 A.D. Diagram Visual, p. 217. ISBN 0-312-03950-6.
- ^ Modern Firearms - AAT Mod.52