Military Arms?

[Daniel Cary]

Those that served & still do are a breed apart. Thank you, foremost.

Familiar with the M-16 & a bit of hx behind it. What was the larger machine gun (depicted in Vietnam) that the soldier usually Bear'd what look like 30-06 ammo around the chest?

And today, any insight to what is used in warfare I'd love to know.
Many thanks.

 

[CZDiesel]

I think you are talking about “The Pig”, The M-60 light machine gun that fires belt fed 308 Winchester
Today the M-249 belt fed 556 and the M-240 belt fed 308 are used but both are being phased out with new platforms that include a medium machine gun that will fire a 338 Mag

 

[flatwater bill]

I think CZ is right. M-60 and Ma Duece only two I ever saw, but I did have one occasion to use a BAR and it fired 30-06. IMO a .338 medium machine gun is long over due........FWB

 

[skydiver386]

Yep, the old M60 7.62. Hated those things like nothing else. They either worked, or they didn't. The FN built MAG58 (also called M240B) was a much better machine gun. I had both as well as the 5.56mm SAW.

With the M240, I was the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla!

 

[speedfire]

M60 was based off the FG42 which is an automatic rifle design rather than a traditional LMG. The americans in 1944 made a belt fed FG42. Essentially went from there with the M60. Incorporating many features from various weapons after seeing how successful the bren gun was as a walking LMG. The M60 became a very mobile and multi purpose Light machine gun.

 

[Red Leg]

You are referring to the M-60, which unfortunately copied only a few of the better characteristics of the MG-42 (Wehrmacht). It was awesome when it functioned. That functioning was based upon a well-trained gunner and no more than a reasonable amount of mud or dust. The M-240 does the same thing far more reliably.

Getting a M2 .50 cal into a firefight is like introducing a tactical nuclear weapon.

 

[SaintPanzer]

Former MOS: 0331. Machine Gunner. As stated, in VN it was the M60. 7.62mm, air cooled, belt fed, open bolt, medium machine gun. Replaced in the mid-80s with the M60E3, and in the early 90s to mid 90s by the M240G. I had the MOS from '86 to '91, so I trained on both. In 2000 I went to school to become an 0303 (Light Armored Vehicle Officer), and both the pintle mount and the coax were M240s.

Biggest difference between the VN era M60 and the M60E3 was the older version of the weapon had the bipod legs attached to the barrel. The M60E3 moved the legs to the receiver, making it much easier to change the barrel, especially on a hot gun.

All of the above comments on the M60 are true. As I have explained it on more than one occasion, my M60 was a lot like my ex-girlfriend. I loved it to death, but it always was letting me down, especially when it was really important.

 

[skydiver386]

Former MOS: 0331. Machine Gunner. As stated, in VN it was the M60. 7.62mm, air cooled, belt fed, open bolt, medium machine gun. Replaced in the mid-80s with the M60E3, and in the early 90s to mid 90s by the M240G. I had the MOS from '86 to '91, so I trained on both. In 2000 I went to school to become an 0303 (Light Armored Vehicle Officer), and both the pintle mount and the coax were M240s.

Biggest difference between the VN era M60 and the M60E3 was the older version of the weapon had the bipod legs attached to the barrel. The M60E3 moved the legs to the receiver, making it much easier to change the barrel, especially on a hot gun.

All of the above comments on the M60 are true. As I have explained it on more than one occasion, my M60 was a lot like my ex-girlfriend. I loved it to death, but it always was letting me down, especially when it was really important.

...and that dang asbestos glove was never where you needed it to be when it was time to change barrels.