Best 7.62mm NATO GPMG

[troung]

The most capable GPMG in 7.62 x 51mm caliber is...

Well really this would come down to the FN-MAG/L-7/M-240/C-6/Type-74, SS-77, SIG-710 and the MG-3.

The M-60 is more or less gone from US service and most users got that to the fact America more or less gave them away. The M-60s flaws or more or less known since the war in Vietnam. Even the USA has bought the FN-MAG and called it the M-240B/G. The M-240G is simply an FN-MAG while the M-240B adds a fancy heat shield (along with extra weight).

The AA-52 is admited by even the French to not be a good gun. It's funny to look at pictures of the Algerian War and watch French paratroopers stacking up captured MG-42s while relying on less capable AA-52s. I mean hell when you think about it France has an excellent hevay machine gun (M-2HB) and light machine gun (FN-Minimi Para) but no decent GPMG.

The Swiss SIG-710 is regarded as an excellent GPMG but was to expensive and only exported two 3 nations and ad that only in small numbers.

The SS-77 is a new South African GPMG in both 7.62mm and 5.56mm.

Germany also has the HK-21 which is a G-3 modified to be a light GPMG.

THE FN-MAG and MG-3 are two of the most common and popular general purpose machine guns in the world in 7.62mm NATO caliber. Well the M-60 went to more nations then the MG-3 but I think few would say it was a better combat weapon.


Philippine Marine with an M-60E3
Pakistani paramilitary with an MG-3
Gurkha soldier with an FN-MAG
French Marine with an AA-52
Philippine soldier with an M-240B (FN-MAG)

[Bill]

The M-60 was a piece of crap, but it was actually functional.

Everyone seems to like the M-240 in Iraq, so i guess it's good to go. The SAW is pretty good too, but the plastic mags blow. I hear the cloth mags are a lot better.

[dave angel]

i was surprised to see lots of FN MAG's in american service in iraq and lots of FN Minimi's (SAW) in british hands, i know the british army bought 800 minimi's, but was there a direct swap as well?

the FN MAG is a brilliant weapon, though a little heavy, but its reliability and weight of fire more than make up for that (unless you're the poor bugger carrying the bloody thing!)

[troung]

"i was surprised to see lots of FN MAG's in american service in iraq and lots of FN Minimi's (SAW) in british hands, i know the british army bought 800 minimi's, but was there a direct swap as well?"

Actually not. The USA builts the FN-MAG under license as the M-240B/M-240G. The M-240B as shown in the picture as a several pound heat shield covering the barrel. The UK's Para-Minimis don't have the same heat shield as used on the American M-249 Para model. I think Britain did what France did and went directly to FN for the Para-Minimis.

"The M-60 was a piece of crap, but it was actually functional."

Yeah thats true. I have heard many bad things about it and many good. Makes me wonder why we just didn't go for the FN-MAG sooner. The M-60 was bought over the FN-MAG is my memory holds true back in the 1950s.

We did try and make a 30 caliber MG-42 but the tests failed because of screwing up the recoil mech. They didn't think about it very hard or put much work into it. But it could have worked with a few mods and we could have had a 30 cal MG-42 in Korea for example.

"Everyone seems to like the M-240 in Iraq, so i guess it's good to go. The SAW is pretty good too, but the plastic mags blow. I hear the cloth mags are a lot better."

I have also heard the same for the most part. The plastic mags are big in a lot of nations. The Indonesians build it and still use plastic with the weapons. A lot of NATO nations also still use plastic rather then cloth. I heard the 200 round cloth blows big time and suffers from snags with the belt. Of course the M-249 had been faulted in some circles/AARs for reliablity issues...

Anyone got thoughts on the MG-3/MG-42...

----
British Para with the L-110A1 (FN-Minimi-Para) in Afghanistan (for Dave)
Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan manning a C-6 (FN-MAG)
Philippine Marines before deployment south with thier M-60/M-60E3s
Taiwanese soldiers with the Type-74 (FN-MAG) with its M-60 systle bipod
AUC guerilla with his M-60 machine gun

[lemontree]

The MAG 58 and the MG3

[troung]

So what do the members here think of the MG-3 family?

It was one of the first GPMGs and is still widely in service.

Pakistani troops rocking the MG-3...

[lemontree]

Does the MG3 have a sight to register targets as the MAG58 (see sight of the MAG58 in pic posted by me)?

[troung]

Yeah for sustained fire roles.

[Officer of Engineers]

Pakistani troops rocking the MG-3...

Nice hole, gentlemen. Now fill it back up and move the MG over there.

[lemontree]

Pakistani troops rocking the MG-3...

1st pic: They seem to be digging a trench for using the MG in air defence role.
2nd pic: They are supposedly aiming at an Indian post on the LOC, these pics are from PDF.

[troung]

The first is from Corbis and was taken during the Kargil when India shot down the PN Atlantic.

[TopHatter]

Nice hole, gentlemen. Now fill it back up and move the MG over there.

Colonel,
I just read that post whilst sitting at my desk at work, and promptly cracked up laughing. Thank you very much!!

[Officer of Engineers]

Done that a few times myself. Hope you didn't disturb anyone.

[Bill]

"Nice hole, gentlemen. Now fill it back up and move the MG over there." said Colonel Yu.

"Roger that sir, consider it done", replied the Corporal with a bemused smile.

Spinning on his heel, the smile is replaced with a menacing grimace. The Corporal then gestures to a group of privates and barks out, "Off your asses you lazy dogs, YOU got a hole to dig!".

Hehehehe...

[Officer of Engineers]

Why do I get the feeling that you're just waiting for a green, wet behind the ears LT to make a stupid mistake like digging a MG nest in the wrong spot?