Favorite Machine Gun

Grey Death · Unread post by **Grey Death** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:09 am

Whats your favorite machine gun?
I personally think the greatest MG ever created is the Browning M2HB. Reliability, long range , and heavy firepower. What else can you want?
For a squad automatic MG. I think I would go with the HK21. For these reasons. If your Squad is fielding G3's (I'm also a proponent of the battle rifle) the HK21 with the adaptor to use box magazines is the perfect compement. All the ammo is completely interchangeable with all the weapons in the squad. That and the 7.62 is better suited to dealing with targets behind cover. Being that it has a better chance of pentration.

GhostKnight · Unread post by **GhostKnight** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:32 am

M60. Carried it for 3 years. Fill it with mud, dump it out, keep firing.

Jefffar · Unread post by **Jefffar** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:18 am

For a squad weapon, I rather like the CIS Ultimax. Capable of fully controlled full auto fire from the hip, accepts standard M-16 mags and the proprietary drums and scarecely bigger than a FAL. If it had come out about 5 to 10 years earlier than it did, I think a lot of people that use Minimis would use Ultimax instead.

That being said, I think that the MG is probably best in full powered chamberings, which leads me to the 7.62 chambered guns. When you get there, there are only 4 real stories worth telling. The MG3, the M60, the FN MAG and the RPK. In truth, I can't find enough difference in capability amoung them (except the alleged unreliability of the M60) to put one over on the others.

Rockwolf66 · Unread post by **Rockwolf66** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:41 pm

Lets see...

My Friend Mark Cook owns an HK-21E, and it's a good weapon when cared for and used correctly. it's problems are that it's cyclic rate is very high( Mark's HK-21 is recorded at 1,100 rounds per minute). Also a problem is the abrupt recoil impulse of the weapon. Other than that a properly maintained and used HK-21 is a good weapon.

Ghostknight,

I got to know an M-60E3 last time I was in Nevada. it's a nice weapon and one of my personal favorites. I have to say that Peter G. Kokalis has written more than enough about what went wrong with the M-60 in El Salavador.

As far as Magazine fed weapons go My family has seen and/or used the Bren gun in and out of combat for 60+ years. Yes, it is an old design, and it is rather heavy. Yet Given that we have seen it work from Dunkirk, North Africa, Italy, German, Oman, Aden, Northern Ireland, and the Falklands, I have to say it should have something going for it.

The one Weapon that I want to Try out is an Aries Shrike.

Grey Death · Unread post by **Grey Death** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 11:18 am

CS Jarhead wrote:What are we basing "favorites" on? How can you like a weapon you have never handled?

Not to speak for anyone else. But a lot of people that post here seem to have hands on experience. Military or other wise. To me personally its an acedemic question. Like when I speak about the HK21. I think it has the features needed for a proper squad automatic. You may be correct that I may not like it after firing it. But from a purely technical, and academic stand point it is ideal.

Grey Death · Unread post by **Grey Death** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:25 pm

CS Jarhead wrote:
Grey Death wrote:
CS Jarhead wrote:What are we basing "favorites" on? How can you like a weapon you have never handled?

Not to speak for anyone else. But a lot of people that post here seem to have hands on experience. Military or other wise. To me personally its an acedemic question. Like when I speak about the HK21. I think it has the features needed for a proper squad automatic. You may be correct that I may not like it after firing it. But from a purely technical, and academic stand point it is ideal.

That is like discussing the merits of a car you have never driven. Firearms are tools. You cannot truly appericate a tool reading about it. You have to use it. Anything else is informed speculation. A person can only draw so much from asthetics and techincal read outs.

And don't get me wrong guys there is nothing wrong with that. It is fun to talk about guns! I guess I just have a problem understanding how it can be someones favorite, favorite in comparison to what?

The favorite is the one that you would reach for first regardless of experience with it. Maybe you would dislike like it after using it. Then you would pick another favorite. (so to speak) Similairies between guns can influence ones opinion. Like me and the HK21. I like the G3 (the civilian version). I like the way it handles and shoots. It just feels good in my hands. That would lead me to believe that I would like the HK21. Being based on similar platforms.

I see you listed the MG42 as one of the MG's you have personally fired. What did you think of it? Just curious. From what I have read and talked with people it seems like a pretty good unit. Besides the high cyclic rate.

Rockwolf66 · Unread post by **Rockwolf66** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:09 pm

CS Jarhead wrote:What are we basing "favorites" on? How can you like a weapon you have never handled?

I have spent quality time with everything on my favorites list. While I am not a gunsmith yet I can do minor repairs and modifications on firearms.

I'd love to get my hands on a ultimax, the design sounds good. But what sounds good and what is good are two diffrent things.

To Quote "Weapons of the Navy Seals" by Kevin Dockerty:

After the 1986 safty statement was issued, the Ultimax underwent some operational testing with the teams. Durring these tests, about 25 percent of all stopages happened because the 100-round drum simply fell out of the weapon. In addition, the drums were found to wear out fairly quickly after about 30 loadings and fireings.

That should tell you alot about the Ultimax, and why I do not trust the design.

Jefffar · Unread post by **Jefffar** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:18 pm

Apparently that has been rectified in later production models.

The gun just wasn't ready at the time most people were looking for a NATO pattern light machinegun. A few years later, when the design was mature, everybody had already bought the Minimi.

demos606 · Unread post by **demos606** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 3:17 pm

My favorite to fire is easily the M2, favorite to see in action however is the Mk19. There really is just something about an automatic 40mm grenade launcher that makes me all tingly inside.

jedi078 · Unread post by **jedi078** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:32 pm

I've fired the M-60, M-240, M-249 (SAW), M2 and Mk19.

Never handled the SAW much and I liked the M-60 over the M-240.

I like both the M2 and Mk19 both have there purposes, which could be why an AAV turrent has both weapons in it.

demos606 wrote:My favorite to fire is easily the M2, favorite to see in action however is the Mk19. There really is just something about an automatic 40mm grenade launcher that makes me all tingly inside.

Yes, there's just something about being able to rain death into an enemy trench line...

jedi078 · Unread post by **jedi078** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:00 pm

Lucky wrote:
No sand box for me. How silly is that? Join the Corps in a time of war, and never get to the war. It's absurd.

I bet if you re-up you'll go to the sand box.

Rockwolf66 · Unread post by **Rockwolf66** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:12 pm

Back on subject I would love to spend some time with a Mini-gun, but the only one I know of for rent is at the Mustang Range and I can't afford $200 for a seconds worth of time.

Mind you it would be a great chance for some members to learn about Automatic weapons and what they can do. :-D