Light machine gun

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The Belgian Minimi M249 light machine gun, one of the most widespread modern 5.56 mm light machine guns amongst NATO countries. This one is an M249E3 "Para" model. PEO M249 Para ACOG.jpg
The Belgian Minimi M249 light machine gun, one of the most widespread modern 5.56 mm light machine guns amongst NATO countries. This one is an M249E3 "Para" model.
IWI Negev of the Israeli Army IWI-Negev-Zachi-Evenor-01-white.jpg
IWI Negev of the Israeli Army
Bren light machine gun Bren1.jpg
Bren light machine gun
.30-06 Browning Automatic Rifle Model 1918 Army Heritage Museum B.A.R..jpg
.30-06 Browning Automatic Rifle Model 1918

A light machine gun (LMG) is a light-weight machine gun designed to be operated by a single infantryman, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. LMGs firing cartridges of the same caliber as the other riflemen of the same combat unit are often referred to as squad automatic weapons.

Contents

Characteristics

While early light machine guns fired full-powered rifle cartridges, modern light machine guns often fire smaller-caliber rifle cartridges than medium machine guns – generally the same intermediate cartridge fired by a service's standard assault rifle – and are usually lighter and more compact. Some LMGs, such as the Russian RPK, are modifications of existing designs and designed to share the same ammunition. Adaptations to the original rifle generally include a larger magazine, a heavier barrel to resist overheating, a more robust mechanism to support sustained fire and a bipod.

A light machine gun is also defined by its usage as well as its specifications: some machine guns – notably general-purpose machine guns – may be deployed either as a light machine gun or a medium machine gun. Deployed on a tripod and used for sustained fire, it is a medium machine gun; if deployed with a bipod with the operator in a prone position and firing short bursts, it is a light machine gun.

Light machine guns are also designed to be fired from the hip or on the move as a form of suppressive fire intended to pin down the enemy. Marching fire is a specific tactic that relies on this capability.

Lighter modern LMGs have enabled them to be issued down at the fireteam level, with two or three at the section/squad level.

Ammunition feed

Many light machine guns (such as the Bren gun or the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle) were magazine-fed. Others, such as the Hotchkiss M1922, could be fed either from a belt/strip or from a box magazine. Modern light machine guns are designed to fire smaller caliber rounds and, as such, tend to be belt-fed (from a container attached to the gun) or from a detachable high-capacity drum magazine, but some, such as the FN Minimi, will also accept standard rifle magazine feeding as an auxiliary measure when belted ammunition has been exhausted.

History

In 1903, French military theorists noticed that the heavy machine guns of the day were of little use in infantry assaults. They determined that "the machine gun must learn to walk". [1] They researched the possibility of a light machine gun which could be carried by troops. A marching fire tactic was theorised, using incidental suppressive fire, with the advancing troops considered a deadlier threat than the un-aimed bullets, causing the enemy to fall back. The prototype guns were not approved for production, and none were in service when World War I began. [1] The French quickly brought the prototypes to mass production to boost the firepower of advancing infantry.

By the end of World War II, light machine guns were usually being issued on a scale of one per fire team or squad, and the modern infantry squad had emerged with tactics that were built around the use of the LMG to provide suppressive fire.[ citation needed ]

Selected examples

A Chinese soldier with a ZB vz.26 light machine gun. Battle of Changsha.jpg
A Chinese soldier with a ZB vz.26 light machine gun.
The early INSAS LMG, a weapon of Indian origin. INSAS LMG.JPG
The early INSAS LMG, a weapon of Indian origin.
A Romanian soldier instructing a U.S. Marine in clearing a RPK Familiarization with a RPK during Exercise Rescue Eagle 2000.jpg
A Romanian soldier instructing a U.S. Marine in clearing a RPK

The following were either exclusively light machine guns, had a light machine gun variant or were employed in the light machine gun role with certain adaptations.

ModelCountry of originDesign dateCaliber(s)Weight (base model)Feed systemRate of fire (rounds/min)Model variants
Madsen machine gun Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1883Various9.07 kg (20.0 lb)Box magazine450
Chauchat (Fusil-Mitrailleur Mle 1915 'CSRG')Flag of France.svg  France 19078mm Lebel
.30-06 Springfield
9.07 kg (20.0 lb)Magazine240/360M1918 CSRG Chauchat(USA)
Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
19098mm Lebel
.303 British
.30-06 Springfield
12 kg (26.5 lb)Stripper clip fed400–600
Bergmann MG15 nA Gun Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 19107.92×57mm Mauser12.9 kg (28.4 lb)Belt fed500–600
Vickers-Berthier Flag of France.svg  France
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
1910.303 British11.07 kg (24.4 lb)Box magazine450–600
Lewis Gun Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
1911.303 British
.30-06 Springfield
7.92×57mm Mauser
13 kg (28.7 lb)Drum magazine600 (cyclic)
Huot automatic rifle Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1916.303 British5.9 kg (13.0 lb)Drum magazine155/475
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1917.30-06 Springfield
6.5×55mm
7.92×57mm Mauser
8.8 kg (19.4 lb)Box magazine650 (cyclic) Wz. 1928 (Poland)
Hotchkiss M1922 Flag of France.svg  France 1922Various8.5 kg (18.7 lb)Magazine450
Type 11 light machine gun Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 19226.5×50mm Arisaka10.2 kg (22.5 lb)Stripper clip fed, hopper magazine500 (cyclic)
ZB vz. 26 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 19237.92×57mm Mauser10.5 kg (23.1 lb)Box magazine500
FM-24/29 Flag of France.svg  France 19247.5×54mm French9.1 kg (20.1 lb)Box magazine450 (cyclic)
Maxim-Tokarev Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 19247.62×54mmR12.9 kg (28.4 lb)Belt fed
Lmg 25 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 19257.5×55mm Swiss8.65 kg (19.1 lb)Box magazine≈500
Lahti-Saloranta M/26 Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 19257.62×53mmR9.3 kg (20.5 lb)Magazine450–550
Degtyaryov machine gun Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 19277.62×54mmR9.12 kg (20.1 lb)Drum magazine550
Mendoza RM2 Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 19287×57mm Mauser
.30-06 Springfield
6.3 kg (13.9 lb)Box magazine450–650
Breda 30 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 19306.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano10.6 kg (23.4 lb)Stripper clip fed, internal magazine500 (cyclic)
ZB vz. 30 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 19307.92×57mm9.1 kg (20.1 lb)Box magazine550–650
Bren Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1935.303 British10.35 kg (22.8 lb)Box magazine500–520
Type 96 light machine gun Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 19366.5×50mm Arisaka9 kg (19.8 lb)Box magazine450 (cyclic)
Type 99 light machine gun Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 19397.7×58mm Arisaka10.4 kg (22.9 lb)Box magazine800
RPK Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 19607.62×39mm4.8 kg (10.6 lb)Drum or box magazine600RPK-74

RPK-16

Stoner 63 Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1960s5.56×45mm NATO5.3 kg (11.7 lb)Drum or box magazine1000 (cyclic)
Colt Automatic Rifle Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1970s5.56×45mm NATO5.78 kg (12.7 lb)Drum or box magazine750 (cyclic)Diemaco LSW (CAN)
L86 LSW Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1970s5.56×45mm NATO6.58 kg (14.5 lb)Box magazine775 (cyclic)
FN Minimi Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 19745.56×45mm NATO (standard)
*7.62×51mm NATO
6.85 kg (15.1 lb)Belt fed or box magazine1150 (cyclic) M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (USA)
MK 46 machine gun (USA)
CETME Ameli Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 19745.56×45mm NATO5.3 kg (11.7 lb)Belt fed1200 (cyclic)MG82 (Spain)
Ultimax 100 Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 19775.56×45mm NATO4.75 kg (10.5 lb)Drum or box magazine600 (cyclic)
Steyr AUG H-BAR Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 19775.56×45mm NATO3.9 kg (8.6 lb)Box magazine750 (cyclic)
Negev Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 19855.56×45mm NATO (standard)
7.62×51mm NATO
7.4 kg (16.3 lb)Belt fed or magazine1150 (cyclic)
Heckler & Koch MG4 Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1990s5.56×45mm NATO8.55 kg (18.8 lb)Belt fed885 (cyclic)
Heckler & Koch MG36 Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1990s5.56×45mm NATO3.83 kg (8.4 lb)Drum or box magazine750 (cyclic)
INSAS LMG Flag of India.svg  India 1990s5.56×45mm NATO6.7 kg (14.8 lb)Box magazine650 (cyclic)
SAR-21 LMG Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 19965.56×45mm NATO3.82 kg (8.4 lb)Box magazine650 (cyclic)
Ares Shrike 5.56 Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2000s5.56×45mm NATO3.4 kg (7.5 lb)Belt fed or magazine800 (cyclic)
Type-81 LMG Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 19817.62×39mm5.15 kg (11.4 lb)75-round drum or 30-round STANAG750 (cyclic)BD-15 LMG (Bangladesh)
M27 IAR Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 20085.56×45mm NATO3.6 kg (7.9 lb)Drum or box magazine640 (cyclic)
QJB-95 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 19975.8x42mm3.25 kg (7.2 lb)60900 (cyclic)
Colt IAR6940 Flag of the United States.svg  United States 20085.56×45mm NATO4.32 kg (9.5 lb)Drum or box magazine700 (cyclic)Colt 6940E-SG (Singapore)
RPD Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 19447.62×39mm7.5 kg (16.5 lb)Belt fed650

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 "Fusil mitrailleur Chauchat. FM modèle 1915 C.S.R.G." Les mitrailleuses du premier conflit mondial (in French). mitrailleuse.fr. 2003. Retrieved December 18, 2011.