Mendoza RM2
| Mendoza RM-2 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Light machine gun |
| Place of origin |  Mexico |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Mexico |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rafael Mendoza |
| Designed | 1928-1933 |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6,3 kg |
| Length | 1,092 mm |
| Barrel length | 610 mm (24 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.92x57mm Mauser .30-06 Springfield (7.62x63mm) |
| Action | Gas-operated, open bolt |
| Rate of fire | 450-650 round/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 805 m/s (2,640 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 548 m (599 yd) |
| Feed system | 20/32-round detachable box magazine |
The Mendoza RM2 was a light machine gun similar to the M1918 BAR manufactured in Mexico by Productos Mendoza, S.A. It was chambered in .30-06 Springfield and had a 20 round magazine fed from the top.
History
Rafael Mendoza have been producing machine guns for the Mexican Army since 1933 and all have been noted for their lightness and cheap construction without sacrificing reliability. They use a gas cylinder system that delivers a short impulse to the piston, and the bolt is similar to that of the Lewis Gun, rotating and driven by two cams engaged with the piston rod. The RM2 is the most recent model and adds a simplified method of stripping, by simply removing a lock pin, the stock and rear of the receiver can be folded down to allow the bolt and piston to be withdrawn backwards.
Overview
The Mendoza used a gas-operated Lewis LMG operation with improvements, an overhead box magazine and a quick-change barrel, and was very advanced for the time.
Variants
M1933
M1945
The M1945 was virtually the same weapon with additional small changes ( centrally-mounted braced bipod instead of the M1933′s individually-swiveling side-mounted bipod legs, front sight relocated on the barrel to a point above the gas cylinder, smooth pistol grip, perforated muzzle brake, etc. ) and a change in caliber to .30-06 utilizing a slightly-curved magazine.
M1955
The RM2 of 1955 was a greatly simplified version with reduced production costs that differed significantly from its predecessors. It had a fixed smooth barrel with a slash-cut slotted muzzle brake, simplified gas cylinder, different front and rear sights, less-raked handguard / foregrip, separate handguard and buttstock assemblies, side-mounted sling swivel on the left side just above and behind the pistol grip, and a straight sided magazine. It was more of a heavy-barreled automatic rifle than a LMG, and was not as effective as the M1933 or M1945. It was not adopted for general service.
RM2
See also
References
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