An Automatic Support Weapon is a general purpose machine gun that is used to provide support to infantry units. It is also known as "squad automatic weapon". Automatic support weapons are usually light thus allowing a single soldier to fire the weapon. Automatic support weapons come with a bipod which allows the firer to control the gun while firing. In addition, they are also chambered around cartridges of standard assault rifles. Due to this no additional ammunition has to be supplied and this makes it logistically advantageous.

Automatic support weapons are not designed to damage enemy targets. They are designed to force enemy personnel to take cover which will give friendly forces to mobilize and take positions. This will allow friendly troops to make an assault at enemy positions. Automatic support weapons can also be used to defend posts from enemy assault due to its mobility and higher firepower. However, when compared to a heavy machine gun, the firepower offered by an automatic support weapon is comparatively low.

Many automatic support weapons are based on the designs of existing assault rifles. However, they have some modifications. These include a heavier barrel to sustain higher firepower and higher ammunition capacity. Automatic support weapons can also be fed from a belt which ensures higher firing rates. Examples of automatic support weapons include the RPK and the FN-Minimi. The RPK is based on the famous AK-47 with the same chambering. Modifications include a heavier and longer barrel and a bipod.

Here are some advantages of automatic support weapons:

>> Automatic support weapons do not need intensive training that other heavy automatic weapons demand. In addition, automatic support weapons are chambered around ammunition designed for assault rifles. This ammunition is usually cheaper and so low expenses are incurred during training.

>> Automatic support weapons are more effective when compared to conventional assault rifles. They usually have a bipod and thus are easier to control during firing. They also do not tire the firer as they offer lesser recoil due to the bipod and heavier barrel.

>> Automatic support weapons are more reliable in the field. Due to their heavier barrel, they can sustain continuous fire. On the other hand, assault rifles are designed for short-bursts of fire. They can get overheated and may malfunction if used to fire continuously.

The Stoner M63 light machine gun is an American weapons system designed by Eugene Stoner, L. James Sullivan and Robert Fremont. It was employed in limited numbers during the Vietnam War and is also used by several law enforcement agencies in the United States today.

The first working designs of the Stoner M63 were completed in 1962. It was designed to use the 7.62x51mm NATO round and was designated as Stoner M69W. It was named so to indicate its versatility because when the name is read upside down, it still reads the same. Later the gun was modified to use the promising 5.56x45mm cartridge and this came to be known as Stoner 63. Around 200 of these guns were manufactured at the Costa Mesa facility and then production was shifted to the Cadillac gage plant in Warren, Michigan.

The initial versions were sent for field testing and the gun obtained positive reviews. However after months of field testing, the gun was found to be unreliable and unacceptable to be adopted into service. The Army submitted some suggestions which were incorporated into the design. The new version was called Stoner 63A and began production in the year 1966.

The design of the M63 was highly modular. It was chambered for the 5.56x45 mm round and could be configured as a general purpose machine gun with either a bipod or a tripod. It could be fed using 20-round magazine, belt feed or a box belt. It was capable of firing at 700 to 1000 rounds per minute and was effective up to 1000 meters.

The Stoner M63 was the basis of several other variants:

>> Stoner 63/63A Rifle: This version was designed as a standard assault rifle. It was tested by the US Military in 1967.

>> Stoner 63/63A Carbine: This version has a shorter barrel and foldable stock. It is similar to the 63/63A rifle in other regards.

>> Stoner 63/63A Automatic Rifle: This version is a closed-bolt rifle. It didn’t have a semi-automatic firing mode.

>> Stoner 63/63A Light Machine Gun: This variant fired from open-bolt and was fed using a linked ammunition belt from a 100-round polymer box.

>> Stoner 63/63A Medium Machine Gun: This is identical to the light machine gun accept that it could be mounted on tripods.

>> Stoner 63/63A Fixed Machine Gun: It was similar to the light machine gun but its trigger could be activated electrically.

>> Stoner 63/63A Commando: This was a LMG configuration with some of its weight reduced. This version was used on a limited scale in Vietnam.

>> Stoner 63 Survival Rifle: This version features a cut-down pistol grip and was primary intended for use as a self defence weapon by airmen.

The Stoner 63 is a useful weapon in any configuration. There is a possibility that in the future a modernized version of the Stoner 63 may achieve market success and lead to the creation of a new generation of modular weapons.

The Heckler & Koch HK21 is a support machine gun from Heckler & Koch that has been converted from an earlier rifle model. Its design is based on the G3 and comparatively it is closer to a true light machine gun when compared to the HK13 E. The HK21 is chambered for the NATO 7.62x51mm round and comes with a bipod. A variant of the HK21, designated as “HK21E” comes with a fore grip for more effective firing. The HK21 is fed by disintegrating ammunitions belts like the American M13 or the German DM6 or DM1 from the left-hand side. The gun can be switched from belt to magazine by installing an adapter in the feed-block. Once the adapter is installed, the HK21 can use either a 20-round box magazine or 50-round drum magazine.The HK21 retains the M3’s general level of excellence. It is capable of firing in both fully-automatic and bursts. It is effective up to a range of 2000 meters. The barrel of the HK21 is comparatively heavy and features a slotted flash suppressor. Though the gun is primarily designed for the 7.62x51 mm round, it can also converted to fire other rounds such as 7.62x39mm and 5.56x45mm rounds by swapping some of the components such as the barrel, bolt and the feed unit. Several variants of the HK21 have been developed. These include models such as:>> HK21A1: The HK21A features a simpler design with a modified feed mechanism. The gun is also heavier and has a carrying handle. The HK21A has been exported to several countries and has been adopted by the military forces of Greece. >> HK21E: The HK21E is the version that is built manufactured in Mexico under license. “E” stands for “export”.

Most of the squad support weapons are based on existing assault rifles with a heavy barrel added to them. These are usually chambered for large calibre rounds when compared to the parent rifle, but it some cases use the same round. One such example is the Heckler & Koch HK13E. This weapon is based on the HK33 assault rifle. In fact, it is same as the HK33 in terms of functional mechanism and differs from it only in its heavier barrel.Other differences from the parent rifle are very small. After extensive military testing, it was found that a few changes had to be made to the receiver and so the HK13E also has a slightly different and longer receiver. It is also capable of firing in both automatic and three-round burst firing. In addition, it can be fed from both a magazine and a belt and the conversion process is quick.Just like other guns in its class, the HK13E is little more than a heavier and better-powered rifle. When fed with a belt, it is capable of sustaining continuous fire and packing more fire power. However when fed with 20 or 30-round magazines, it cannot pack effective fire power that may be required in field conditions.

The CETME Ameli is a Spanish designed light machine gun that was developed for use by the Spanish Army. It is manufactured by CET (Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales). Design of the gun began in the year in 1974 and the first prototype was unveiled in 1981. After exhaustive trials, the gun was accepted into service in 1982 and designated as M82. The gun comes in two versions: the basic model and a lightweight version weighing 5.2 kilograms.The Ameli resembles the German MG3 externally. However, it differs from the later in terms of operating mechanism. While the MG3 uses roller-locked short recoil mechanism, the Ameli is based on delayed-blowback. The operating mechanism of the Ameli is similar to CETME’s other guns such as the Model A, B, C and L, the Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle and the MP submachine guns. The Ameli’s design is also similar to CETME Model C and L and certain parts can be interchanged between them.

The Ameli is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and is capable of firing 850 to 1250 rounds per minute. The rate of fire can be adjusted by using bolts of different weight. Using lighter bolts produces higher rates of fire (1200 rounds per minute) while using bolts of heavier weight produces slower rates of fire (800 rounds per minute). The gun fires from an open-bolt and makes use of a striker-firing mechanism.The Ameli uses a M27 ammunition belt in its feed mechanism. The feeding belt can either be used loosely or by placing it inside a 100 or 200-round plastic container. The plastic container has a transparent back cover that allows the gunner to view the ammunition levels available to him. The belt is fed from the left side of the gun. The feeding mechanism of the Ameli is modeled after that of the German M42 and thus is quite similar to it. The spent cartridges are expelled downwards from the gun via a chute located in the receiver.The Ameli comes with an air-cooled barrel that is very easy to change when overheated. The barrel is also internally line with chrome and comes with a slotted flash-suppressor. The barrel has a handle attached to it near the chamber that is designed to aid during barrel-change. In the hands of an experienced soldier, a barrel change will take as low as 5 seconds.The CETME Ameli has a polymer stock and comes with a bipod. The height of the bipod can be adjusted by means of adjustment feature. The gun is also deployed using a tripod, especially when it is mounted on vehicles. It also comes with an iron sight with range settings in 300, 600, 800 and 1000 meters. The Ameli is constructed from stamped steel parts that have been welded together. To date the CETME Ameli has been exported to Mexico and is also being used by the Spanish armed forces.

The FN MAG 58 is a general purpose machine gun designed and manufactured in Belgium by Fabrique National. It is chambered for the 7.62x51nn NATO cartridge type. It is used by more than 70 countries and is a standard-issue weapon in close to 25 countries. The FN MAG 58 was developed almost at the same time as that of the M60. It was chambered for the same round as the M60 and was adopted into service by the British Army along with other weapons in the same class. The British Army designated it as “L742 General Purpose Machine Gun”.

The reliability and effectiveness of the FN MAG 58 is comparable to that of the earlier Bren gun. When it is fired mounted on a tripod, it is effective up to a distance of around 1800 meters. When it used with the integral bipod, it is effective to 1200 meters. The integral bipod that comes with the FN MAG 58 is made of aluminum and is attached to the end of the gas cylinder. The bipod can be folded back to use the gun as a forearm. When the gun is fired from the hip, the left leg of the bipod serves as an additional grip. he MAG 58’s quick-change barrel features a slotted flash-suppressor and the chamber and bore are chrome-lined. A handle, front sight base and the gas-operation regulator are attached to the barrel.

The MAG’s rate of firing can be adjusted as required using the gas-operation system regulator. It can fire ammunition anywhere between 650 to 1000 rounds per minute. At the same time, the design is also such that barrel changes are fast and easy. Due to these features and the great versatility the MAG has to offer, the gun is very popular with various armed forces and thus employed by many countries.The L7A2 is employed by the British Army as a standard vehicle-mounted machine gun. However, in the recent years it has been replaced by the L86A1 Light Support Weapon. Despite this, the L7A2 surfaces in action wherever British forces are involved.

Though the design of the MAD is more than fifty years old as of today, it is an excellent battlefield weapon. Very few other weapons compare with the FN MAG 58 when it comes to reliability and effectiveness. The MAG continues to one of the most widely used battle weapons of all time.

The L86A1 LSW is one of the best squad support weapons to be ever designed. The weapon was designed in the 1970s and several improvements were made to the design in the later years. “LSW” stands for “Light Support Weapon”. It is manufactured by the Royal Small Arms Factory and the Royal Ordnance in the United Kingdom.

The L86A1 LSW’s design is based on the SA80 assault rifle and shares many of the working components with the former. However, it differs from the former in some design aspects such as the heavier barrel, the bipod and features a different bolt arrangement. The bolt and trigger mechanism of the L86A1 LSW are also modified to enable it to be fired from open-bolt. The SA80 and its variants were designed and manufactured by the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock until 1988. However after 1988, the production was transferred to the Royal Ordnance’s Nottingham Small Arms Facility.

The LSW weighs 6.8 Kgs and overall measures 900 mm in length. Its barrel measures 646 mm. It uses a gas-operated, rotating bolt mechanism and fires the 5.56x45 mm NATO round. It is capable of rates of fire ranging between 610-775 rounds per minute. The final version of the LSW was accepted and by the British Military in the year 1986. Approximately 22,000 of the gun and its variants were manufactured before production was ceased.

The LSW is not exactly a machine gun. In fact, its designers never intended it to be one. It is a light support weapon with has a little more range and firepower when compared with a conventional assault weapon. However, it resembles a conventional assault rifle in many ways, especially in its light weight. Experts believe that the LSW would perfectly suffice in modern combat situations.

The L86A1 LWS is very accurate and features the same optical sight as the SA80. In some cases, it can also be employed as a sniper rifle. However, on the minus side the L86A1 has several minus points and thus is not a very good machine gun. The main disadvantage is that its barrel cannot be changed. Its magazine has a capacity of only 30-rounds which is not sufficient enough taking into account its high rate of fire of 700-rounds per minute. Since the barrel cannot be changed, the gun has to be carefully fired and the firing rate kept low to prevent overheating.

The LSW and its parent weapon—the SA80 have seen action in many wars and conflicts in which the United Kingdom was involved. Most notably it has been deployed in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, the First and Second Gulf Wars and also in Afghanistan. These guns have also been exported to Venezuela in limited numbers. However, because of the weapon’s bad performance in the jungle settings of Venezuela, they have not been favoured.

The FN Minimi is a light machine gun of Belgian design. It was designed by Ernest Vervier in 1974 and is manufactured by FN Herstal. It is currently being used by a number of countries including Australia, France, Canada, Italy, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. The gun is also being manufactured under licence in the USA, Australia and Greece.

The FN Minimi is capable of fully automatic fire only and uses a short-stroke gas piston operating system. It is air-cooled and fires from an open-bolt. The chances of a round cooking off are very low with the Minimi because it is designed in such a way that the barrel is ventilated to remove excessive heat after each shot. This prevents excessive heat from building up and causing the round to ignite prematurely.

In addition, the FN Minimi’s gas exhaust system is designed to direct the gas escaping from the barrel upwards. This prevents dust from getting kicked up which would easily reveal the location of the gun and the gunner in the field. The gas valve can also be manually adjusted in two modes—normal and adverse. The normal mode enables a rate of fire of around 700-850 rounds per minute while the adverse mode enables 95-1150 rounds per minute. The latter mode is used only in extreme conditions and when there is fouling in the gas tubing of the gun.

The FN Minimi uses M27 ammunition belt in its feed mechanism. The M27 is a disintegrating-link belt which is based on the M13 belt. The ammunition belt is fed from the left-hand side The FN Minimi is either fed using the loose belt or the belt enclosed in a polymer box. Magazines can also used by inserting them into a magazine well. Doing so prevents a belt fro being inserted. However, magazines are only employed when the belt ammunition gets exhausted.The FN Minimi’s barrel has a high heat capacity because of which the gun can be fired continuously. The barrel is internally lined with chrome. The barrel can also be changed very quickly if it gets overheated during sustained fire. The gun has a lever on the left-side to unlock the barrel and comes with a handle to assist in changing the barrel. A trained soldier can change the Minimi’s barrel in less than 6 to 7 seconds. Earlier versions of the Minimi had a flash-suppressor with side ports. However, newer models have a cone shaped suppressor with slots.

The FN Minimi has many variants. One such variant is the M249. This version was adopted by the United States Military in the year 1982 and is produced in the United States by a subsidiary of FN. This version features a polymer stock, and have several changes made to the operating mechanism. Other variants include the Minimi SPW (Special Purpose Weapon), the Mk 46 and the Mk 48. Other countries have also produced some variants. Most notable of these is the Chinese made XY 5.56x45. This gun is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO round and has been designed mainly for export to other countries.As of today, the FN Minimi and its variants continue to be used very widely.

The SIG 710 is a general purpose machine gun designed and manufactured in the Switzerland. The gun was designed by SIG (currently Swiss Arms AG) in 1960s and intended mainly for export to other countries. The SIG 710 uses the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge.

The design of the SIG 710 is based on MG45 which was in turn based on the earlier MG42 machine gun. Design and development for the SIG 710, began in 1955 and the model so obtained was designated as “Model 55”. In the year 1957, the model was renamed as “SIG MG 710”. Three variants of the SIG 710 were designed:

>> SIG 710-1: Designed to use the 6.5x55 mm round.

>> SIG 710-2: Designed to use the 7.92x57 mm Mauser round.

>> SIG 710-3: Designed to use the 7.62x51mm NATO round. The design of the SIG 710-3 was completed by the mid-1960s.

The SIG 710 is an air-cooled machine that fires from an open-bolt. It is recoil-operated and is fed by means of a belt. The bolt mechanism of the gun differs from other contemporary and similar guns in that it used a three piece-design.

The SIG 710 uses three kinds of barrels: a light profile barrel for general use, a heavy profile barrel for use as a heavy machine gun and a special barrel for firing blank rounds. The barrel features a flash-suppressor and has a handle that allows the solder manning the gun to quickly change it on overheating.

The SIG 710 can be either fed using the M13 disintegrating belt or the continuous link German D1 belt (after changing some parts in the feed-block). The cartridges are fed from the left side. However, when the gun is used as a light machine gun, a 50-round metal container is used as the feed system. The feeding mechanism is similar to that of the MAG machine gun (a variant of the MG42 machine gun).   

The SIG 710 weights 9.25 Kg. It measures 1,143 mm with the barrel being 559 mm in length. It is capable of firing 800 to 950-rounds per minute with its muzzle velocity being 790 meters per second. It had a maximum effective range of 1200 meters.

The SIG 710 is notable for its overall quality and is extremely reliable. The design is also such that it is very easy for the soldier to change the barrel when it gets overheated. However, just like other Swiss weapons, the SIG 710 is very expensive to produce and thus has not found favour in other countries. Only few countries of South America like Chile and Bolivia and Brunei currently employ the SIG 710 in active service.

The PKM is a general purpose machine gun of Soviet design that is currently being produced in Russia. It was introduced in the 1960s to replace earlier designs such as the SG-43 and the RPD. The PKM was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and was the basis of a number of variants such as the PKS, PKT, PKMS and PKP. More than 1 millions PKM and its variants have been manufactured till date.

The original PK was a machine gun based on Kalashnikov’s automatic rifle. It fired the 7.62x54mm Soviet cartridge fed by a linked 25-round belt and was equipped with a bipod. This gun was designed both as a squad-level support weapon and also for vehicle mounts.

The PKM was an improvisation of the PK and featured many differences from the original design. Most notable was its reduced weight—the PKM weighed only 7.5 Kg while the PK weighed 9 Kg.

The PKM is gas-operated and use an open-bolt mechanism. It is capable of 650 rounds per minute. The PKT which is a variant of the PKM is capable of higher rates of fire at 800 rounds per minute. With a muzzle velocity of 825 meters per second, the PKM is effective up to a range of 1500 meters.

The PKM has several variants. These include:

>> PKMS: The PKMS is the mounted version of the PKM. It weighs about 12 Kg and uses a type of tripod mounting called the Stepanov’s tripod.

>> PKMSN2: This is a variant of the PKMS designed for operation in low visibility conditions and at night time. This gun comes fitted with the NSPU night vision system.

>> PKT: This is a variant of the PK intended to replace the SG-43 vehicle mounted machine gun. This variant featured a heavier and longer barrel and a electrically-controlled trigger mechanism.

>> PKM-NATO: PKM-NATO is a modified version of the PKM that uses the NATO 7.62x51 mm cartridge instead of the 7.62x54 mm Soviet. It also features other modifications such as a heavier barrel, redesigned lock and a larger chamber. The entire feeding mechanism has been improvised.

>> UKM-2000: This is a Polish variant of the PKM. It uses the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge and uses a 100, 200 or 250-round belt feed system.

>> PKP "Pecheneg": This is a modernized version of the PK that features design improvements such as a heavier, forced air-cooled barrel with radial cooling ribs. Due to these features, the Pecheneg is both more accurate and reliable that its predecessors. The PKP "Pecheneg" is currently being used by the Russian special purpose regiments or Spetsnaz in small numbers.

The PKM and its variants continue to be manufactured in Russia and some other countries under license. They are also being exported to a number of countries across the globe.

The M60 is a family of general purpose machine gun that was designed in the United States. The M60 is designed for use with the 7.62x51 mm cartridge type and can fire ball, tracer and armour piercing ammunition. The gun was introduced in the year 1957 and continues to be in service till date with the US military and many other operators.

The M60’s development stems back to the late 1940s when a need for a lighter machine gun was felt. The United States Military was also searching for a suitable design to replace the earlier Browning Automatic Rifle and the M1919. Finally, the M60 was adopted in 1957.

The M60’s design is based on many concepts of that period such as stamped steel parts, quick barrel replacement and the belt-feed mechanism. The operating system of the M60 is also based on the German MG42. However, the gas mechanism is unique in many ways. At the same time, it is also simpler and this easier to clean and maintain.

The M60 is a gas-operated machine gun that fires from an open-bolt. It is fed by a belt of metallic M13 links. Most variants of the M60 come with a foldable bipod. However, it can also be mounted on some fixed mounts such as the M122 tripod. The gun has an effective range of up to 1,100 meters depending on how it is mounted and fired.

The M60 is designed to be operated by a crew of two or three. The gun weighs around 10.5 Kg and consumes a large amount of ammunition—this makes firing the weapon difficult for a single soldier.

The M60 machine gun was very effective in the field. However, it did have some drawbacks in some field conditions. During its deployment in Vietnam, the common complaint was that it would jam frequently, especially in muddy conditions. Maintenance needed to be meticulous as fine sand and dust entering into the gun mechanism would cause it to get jammed.

In addition, the M60’s barrel was also prone to getting heated-up quickly. The barrel could be easily changed. However, it didn’t have a handle and thus an asbestos glove has to be used. Loss of the glove in field conditions would severely disable the gunning unit and make them prone to enemy fire.

Another area where the M60 lacked was in its safety mechanism. In other weapons of the era, such as the M16 rifle, the safety catch had to be moved downwards to engage the weapon. However, in the M60 it was the opposite and thus soldiers who had trained with other weapons found the safety catch system a bit difficult to master.

The M60 had a number of variants. These are:

>> M60E1: Improvised version with a barrel handle, but didn’t enter production.

>> M60E2: This variant was used in vehicles and was electrically fired.

>> M60B and M60C: Variants used on helicopters and aircraft respectively.

>> M60D: Replacement for the M60B.

>> M60E3: An improved version introduced in the 1980s.

>> M60E4: Improvised version of the M60E3 that was introduced in the 1980s.

The United States and many other countries continue to operate the M60. However, it is being replaced by other designs. Newer machine gun designs such as the M240 are slowly replacing the older M60s and so these guns may be phased out of service in the next few years to come.

The MG3 i.e. the Maschinengewehr 3 is a general purpose machine gun designed in West Germany by Rheinmetall in the 1966. The design of the MG3 is based on the MG42, an earlier universal machine gun. The MG3 continues to be used and manufactured till date in more than 30 different countries such as Italy, Spain, Pakistan, Greece, Sudan, Iran and Turkey.

The MG3 is an air-cooled machine gun that is based on the short-recoil, roller locked mechanism. It is chambered for the NATO 7.62x52 mm round and has a peak firing-rate of 1,150 rounds per minute. It has a maximum range of 800 meters and is a fed by a 50-round non-disintegrating belt. Some versions also use a 100-round belt. The MG 3 weighs 11.5 Kg without the tripod and 27.5 Kg when mounted on the tripod.

The MG3 has its roots in the earlier MG42. After the Second World War, the Bundeswehr requested the Rheinmetall arms factory to design a new machine using the standard NATO cartridges. This led to the design of the MG1. Other variants of the MG1 were also designed. These were designated MG1A1, MG1A2 and MG1A3. The earlier MG 42 machine guns were converted to use 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge and renamed as MG 2. The MG3 was an improvisation of the MG1A3 and featured an improved feed mechanism, an anti-aircraft sight and a new ammo-box. Parts of the MG3 and its variants can be easily interchanged with the MG 42 and vice-versa.

The MG 3 has several variants. These are:

>> MG 3E: The MG 3E is a variant of the MG 3 which has several design variations. It is lighter that the MG 3 by 1.3 Kgs. It entered into service in the late 1970s.

>> MG 3A1: This is a variant of the MG 3 designed for fixed mount armour use.

>> MG 42/59: This is an export version of the MG 3 with a slightly lowered rate of fire. It is being used by other European forces such as Austria.

Like its predecessor—the MG34, the MG3 is an excellent general purpose machine gun. Though the design is more than half-a-century old, the MG3 is still ranked as one of the best general purpose machine gun available even today.

The MG 3 is the standard secondary weapon of the Bundeswehr. It is used on most of the German armoured vehicles and also as an infantry weapon. In addition it is also used by a number of other countries such as Canada, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Spain, Poland and Turkey.

The MG3 is being slowly removed from service by the German Armed Forces. There are plans to completely phase it out of service by the year 2012. A replacement for the MG 3 will be introduced in 2011.

The DShK was a heavy machine gun of Soviet design that was designed in 1938 and continues to be in service. The gun was used as an anti-craft machine gun and was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun. The gun was the Soviet Union’s response to the American Browning M2HB. “DShK” stands for “Degtyarova-Shpagina Krupnokaliberny” which translates to “Degtyaryov-Shpagin Large Calibre”. The gun is named after its designers Vasily Degtyaryov and Georgi Shpagin and commonly known by its nickname “Dushka”.

The need for a heavy machine gun was felt in the year 1929 and thus an earlier version known as the Degtyaryov, Krupnokalibernyi was designed to meet this need. However, this gun had many drawbacks. The DShK was based on this design and had an improvised feed mechanism that was developed by Shpagin. After many trials the gun was adopted in the year 1938 and thus came to be designated as DShK 1938.

The DShK was designed to use the 12.7x108 mm round and was gas-operated. It had a rate of fire approximating to 600 rounds per minute and had an effective range of 3,500 meters. The gun measured 1625 mm with the barrel being 1070 mm in length. It was fed by a 50-round belt. A variant called the DShK 1938/46 or the DShKM was also introduced in the year 1946. This variant was a “modernized” version and features several enhancements over the earlier design. One such feature was the replacement of the problematic rotary-feed system with a simpler flat-feed system.

The DShK found use in several roles. When it was used as an anti-aircraft weapon, it used a tripod mounts on Soviet trucks. It was also on tanks and self propelled gun systems such as the IS-2, the T-40 light amphibious tank and the ISU-152. When used as an anti-personnel weapon, it was used with a two-wheeled similar to the earlier Maxim gun. The DShK 38 was the standard machine gun of the Soviet Union and saw action in a number of wars such as the Second World War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. It was used very effectively as an anti-aircraft gun during the Vietnam War. In the recent years, it saw extensive action in both the First and Second Gulf Wars. It was also employed against British forces in 2004 in Iraq. It also saw some action in the ethno-political conflicts in Northern Ireland when several British Lynx Helicopters were shot down with it.

The DShK was also manufactured in many countries other than the Soviet Union and Russia. Most notably, it was manufactured under licence in Pakistan, China, Sudan and Romania. However, in the recent years its use is declining and it is largely being replaced by NSV and Kord machine gun designs.

The Browning M2HB or the Browning .50 Calibre Machine Gun, as it is also known, is heavy machine gun developed by the famed gun-designer John Browning in the United States towards the end of the First World War. The M2HB is highly effective against armoured vehicles, boats, small fortifications and low-flying aircraft.

The design of the Browning M2Hb is based on earlier machine gun model called the M1917. In other words, the M2HB is an upgraded version of the .30 M1917 which has been chambered for use with the .50 BMG. The M2 is an air-cooled gun which makes operates using the short-recoil mechanism. Different models of the M2 have different rates of fire. The M2HB can fire up to 450-600 rounds per minute. However, in actual practice it is rarely fired at that rate as doing so would cause wear and tear to the gun barrel.

The M2HB weighs approximately 38 Kg. Along with the tripod it weighs about 58 Kg. It measures approximately 1650 mm with the barrel being 1143 mm in length. The muzzle velocity of the M2 2,910 is feet per second. It has an effective range of 1.8 kilometres. The M2 saw widespread use during the Second World War. It was mainly used against aircraft and vehicles because of immense penetrating power. The M2 was capable of puncturing the plates and fuel tanks of armoured vehicles. In addition, a variant of it was also used in plane such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and the B-25 Mitchell Bomber.

During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the M2 also found use as a long-range sniper rifle most notably by the famous US Marine Corps Sniper Carlos Hathcock.  In fact, Hathcock set a record for the longest sniper kill at 2,250 meters using the M2. This record broken was only in the recent years in 2002 in Afghanistan.Several variants of the M2 gun have been developed. Some of the notable ones are:>> M2 E-50: This is a variant of the M2HB that features a quick to replace barrel and several other improvements. This is a developmental version and is also referred under other designations such as “M2E2” or “M2A1”. >> AN/M2 and AN/M3: These are variants of the M2 that were designed to be fired from aircraft. These were designed during the Second World War and operated electrically using solenoid-triggers. The AN/M3 was a faster version of the AN/M2. Other variants in this class include the XM296/M296 which was designed to be fired from helicopters.>> XM213/M213, XM218, GAU-15/A, GAU-16/A and GAU-18/A: These variants are improvised versions of the M2 gun to be used as door mounted guns on helicopters.

The Browning M2HB has been in service with many nations and has been employed in a numbers of wars like World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Falklands War, and others. In the recent years, it saw widespread deployment in the Second Gulf war.

The Breda Modello 30 was a light machine gun used by the Italian army during the Second World War. It was designed and manufactured by a company called Breda Meccnica Bresciana from 1930 to 1945. The Breda 30 weighed 10.6 Kg and was 1230 mm long. The barrel was 450 mm long. It used a blowback mechanism and used the 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano calibre round. It was capable of firing at a rate of 500 rounds per minute and had an effective range of 800 meters.The Breda 30 had many design flaws and was basically unworkable in the field. It had susceptible clips, a slow firing rate and made use of the 6.5x52mm cartridge that didn’t pack enough power. In addition, it was also prone to constant jamming when used continuously.

The machine gun had a detachable box magazine system and the magazine was fed from the right side of the gun. The magazine had a capacity of only 20 rounds which was not sufficient to maintain consistent and continuous firing. On the plus side, the magazine could be quickly filled using rifle chargers i.e. devices used to fill rifles with internal magazines.The barrel design was also lacking. Though the barrel was designed to be quickly changed on overheating, the barrel didn’t have a handle and this made changing the hot barrel unusually difficult. The Breda 30 also made use of an unusual firing mechanism. It has a small lubricating arrangement that sprayed drops of oil on each cartridge when it was introduced into the chamber. This system caused the chamber to get overheated after prolonged use and cause the cartridge to cook off prematurely even before entering the chamber fully. The oil would also pick up dirt and cause the gun to jam and malfunction.The Breda 30 was used to design some variants like the M37 chambered for use with the 7.35 mm. However, none of these variants or the original gun saw widespread use and adoption. The Breda 30 was also used as a mounted machine gun on various Italian armoured vehicles. Though the Breda 30 has some interesting and innovative features, it turned out to be a major failure and quickly disappeared from use in the field.

The RPK is a light machine gun designed by the famed gun-designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. The development of the RPK was done in parallel to the AKM rifle in an effort to standardize the small arms available for use by the Army of the Soviet Union. The RPK replaced the earlier RPD light machine gun. As of today, the RPK is still widely used in many former communist bloc countries and other developing countries of Asia and Africa.

The RPK shares the same design and functional mechanism of the AKM assault rifle. The parts of the RPK can be interchanged with and those of the AKM and vice-versa. However, there are some differences in the construction of the RPK which enable it to possess higher firing capabilities and effective range.

The RPK has a heavier and extended barrel when compared with the AKM. The barrel is lined with chrome and is permanently fixed to the receiver—it cannot be replaced in the field. The barrel also has a bipod fitted to it which adds stability to the gun while firing. In addition, the RPK also differs from the AKM in its return mechanism.

The RPK is designed to use the 7.62x39 mm M43 cartridge. Some variants of the RPK also use the 5.45x39mm M74 cartridge. The gun is capable of firing rates approximating 600-rounds per minute and has an effective range of 1000 meters. The gun is fed by means of a 40-round curved magazine or a 75-round drum magazine. Certain variants also use a 45-round box magazine.

Several variants of the RPK were developed. Some of the notable ones are:

>> RPKS: The RPKS is a variant of the RPK that was intended for use as an air-assault weapon. This weapon featured a side-folding wooden stock.

>> RPK-74: This version was introduced in 1974 along with Ak-74. It was chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge. The gun has a longer and heavier barrel that line with chrome. It also features other new changes made to the return mechanism.

>> RPKS-74: The PRKS-74 is the same as the RPK-74 except for the side-folding wooden stock—a feature which it shares with the earlier RPKS.

>> RPKN, RPKSN, RPK-74N and RPKS-74N: These are the variants of the RPK intended for fighting in the night. These features night-vision systems mounted on them.

>> RPK-74M: This was an improved variant that has a polymer fore grip along with side-folding stock. It also has rails for installing optics.

The RPK saw action in several wars. Most notable of these wars include Vietnam War, Cambodian Civil War, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and many others. Today, the RPK and its variants continue to be employed by the armed forces of many countries.

The Bren gun was a light machine gun used by the British forces from 1930s until 1991. The name of the gun comes from “Brno”, a city in Czechoslovakia where it was designed and “Enfield”, where the manufacturer—the British Royals Arms Factory is located. The Bren machine gun saw extensive action in numerous conflicts such as World War II, the Korean, the Suez crisis and the Indo-Pakistan wars. In the recent years, it was used in the Falklands war (1882) and the 1991 Gulf War.

The design of the Bren is based on an earlier Czechoslovak design—the ZB vz. 26. The Czech design was modified further after the license to manufacture it was acquired. These modifications included changes to the magazine and the barrel. In addition, the gun was also modified to use the .303 British cartridges.

The Bren gun operated on gas and had a tilting-bolt mechanism. It had a firing-rate of 500 to 520-rounds per minute and had an effective range of 550 meters. The gun used a magazine-feed mechanism which slowed down the rate of fire. However, this was advantageous as it preventing unwanted heating of the barrel. Some variants of the gun were fed with a 100-round drum magazine. The initial models of the gun came with a spare barrel for replacement when overheated. However, later models came with a chrome-lined barrel which eliminated for a barrel change.The Bren gun was very reliable overall. However, in extreme conditions like those in North Africa it would regularly jam. It had to be kept meticulously clean and free of mud and sand for effective functioning. Though the magazine had a capacity of 30-rounds, it was usually fired filled with 28 or 29 rounds to prevent jams. Care had to be taken while loading the magazine as loading it wrongly would cause the gun to jam.

The Bren gun needed a crew of two operate. Weighing about 22.83 lb, the Bren was somewhat heavy for a machine gun. On long marches, it was often disassembled and carried by two soldiers. It was also used by mounting it on tanks and other armoured vehicles. Later when the British adopted the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, the Bren gun modified to that calibre and fitted with a new barrel. The variant was designated at L4 and continued in service until the 1990s. Even later when the 5.56 mm NATO cartridge was adopted, the Bren L4 gun was finally phased out of service.

The Bren gun was also had several variants. These include Mark 1 (the original model introduced in 1937), Mark 2 (a simpler version of Mark 1 produced in 1941), Mark 3 (a shorter version introduced in 1944), Mark 4 and L4. There was another variant known as the Taden gun which was a modification to use the British .208 round. The Bren gun was gradually removed from British service in the late 1950s and replaced by the L7 machine gun. The L7 was in turn replaced by L86 light support weapon in the late 1980s. As of today, the Bren gun is still being manufactured by the Indian Ordnance Factory at Ishapore under the designation “Gun, Machine 7.62 mm 1 B”.

The Maschinengewehr 42 or just MG42 is a machine gun designed in Nazi Germany that entered military service in the year 1942. It replaced the MG34 general purpose machine gun though both of them saw almost equal service till the end of the Second World War.

The MG42 has its origins in the earlier MG34. The MG34 was the first general purpose machine gun and was very effective in terms of firepower. However, it was susceptible to dirt and was costly to manufacture. This led the Germans to develop an alternative to the MG34. The MG39 was designed by Ernst Grunow. Strangely, Grunow had no prior knowledge of designing guns. However, he attended a machine gunner’s course and interacted with soldiers to learn key concepts which he incorporated into the design of the MG39. The newer design was not only simpler to manufacture, it was also less expensive.

The MG39 was thoroughly tested and some changes were made to it. The new design was designated as MG42 and production began in the year 1942. Contracts to manufacture the MG42 were awarded to several companies and by 1945, more than 400,000 units were manufactured.

The MG42 was both reliable and durable. At the same time, its operation was also very simple. However the most effective feature of the MG42 was its immense rate of fire. With the rate of firing ranging between 1200 and 1500-rounds per minute, the gun was one of fastest single-barrelled machine guns to be ever designed. There were other contemporary designs with similar firepower, but they couldn’t equate the MG42 because of its belt-feed mechanism and quick-change barrel system.

The MG42 used a roller-locked, short recoil gas assist mechanism to operate. It also fired from an open-bolt and had high recoil. For this reason, it had to be properly seated on its bipod before firing. The gun was designed to use the 7.92x57mm Mauser round and was effective to a range of around 1000 meters.

The MG42 weighed around 11.6 Kg and was comparatively light and mobile than other contemporary machine guns. The barrel of the gun was also thinner and this caused it to get heated much faster. However, it could be replaced very easily within seconds by an expert machine gunner.

Several variants of the MG42 were developed in the later years. One such variant was the MG45. This variant was developed by taking material shortages of the war into consideration. This variant featured several design variations and has a rate of fire of around 1,350 rounds per minute. However, only ten units of the MG45 were ever built.

The Americans also tried to make clones of the MG42. The T24 machine gun was based on the MG42 and was chambered for the .30-26 cartridge. However, faulty design led to the failure of the project and it had to be abandoned midway.

After the war, several countries manufactured variants of the MG42. Examples include the MG74 (manufactured by Austria) and the M53 (manufactured by Yugoslavia under license). Yugoslavian M53s were exported to Iraq in fair numbers in the 1980s. In the recent years, M53s saw action in the Gulf wars.

The Degtyarev DP (also spelled “Degtyaryov”) was a light machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov in the Soviet Union in 1928. It was highly effective and saw service for a number of years until the 1960s. The DP was designed to fire the 7.62x54mmR cartridge and was gas-operated. With a rate of fire in between 500 to 600-rounds per minute, it was accurate to a distance of 800 meters. The slower firing rate of the gun was advantageous as it prevented excessive overheating when the weapon was fired continuously for long periods of time. The DP used a 47 round pan magazine as its feed system.

The Degtyaryov DP was very easy to manufacture. The manufacturing procedure was also relatively cheap. Early versions of the DP had less than 80 parts that could easily be built and assembled by unskilled labour. The gun was mass produced in large quantities during the war. Approximately 795,000 units were manufactured from 1927 to the 1950s.Just like other Soviet guns, the DP was extremely reliable and robust. It could withstand dirt and operate perfectly even in the most extreme climatic conditions. In tests conducted to prove its effectiveness, it was observed that it could fire 500 rounds of more even after being buried in mud and sand.

Despite its advantages, the DP still did have some minus points. Its main drawback was its bipod and the drum feed system. Both these were susceptible to damage and broke very easily. Another drawback of the DP was its magazine which held only 47-rounds. The low capacity of the pan magazine meant that the gun couldn’t continuous fire unlike other machine guns in its class which used a belt-feed mechanism. At the same time, changing the magazine was also time-consuming. The gas-operation system also had a slight design flaw. The gas piston-spring was close to the barrel. This caused it to get heated and weaken over a period of time, ultimately causing the mechanism to completely fail.

Several variants of the DP were designed. Some of these include:>> DPM: This version was designed and adopted in 1943-44 and included a more robust bipod along with other modifications.>> DA: This version was designed for use as an aircraft-mounted machine gun. >> DT and DTM: These versions were designed for use with armoured fighting vehicles.>> RP-46: This was the belt-fed version of the DP. The pan magazine on the top was replaced with a belt-feed mechanism. This version was also manufactured in China under the designation “Type 58”.

The DP and its variants saw service in a number of wars and conflicts. Most notable of these wars include the Spanish Civil War, the Winter War, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and the Cambodian Civil War. The gun was also employed by many other countries falling under the Communist bloc such as China, North Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam and Finland. The DP was eventually replaced by more modern guns such as the RPD machine gun and later-on with the PK machine gun. By the 1960s, the DP was no longer in Soviet service.

The MG43, or the Maschinengewehr 34, was a general purpose machine gun designed in Nazi Germany. It was adopted by the German Army in the year 1934 and deployed in substantial numbers the following year. The performance of the MG34 was comparable to other medium machine guns of that time.

The MG34 was designed to use the 7.92x57mm Mauser round. Early versions of the gun were capable of firing 600 to 1000 rounds per minute. However, in the later versions the rate of fire was decreased to 800 to 900 rounds per minute. The MG 43 used either 50/200-round belts or a 75-round drum magazine based feed mechanism. Similar to other machine guns of that time, the barrel of the gun could be easily replaced to prevent overheating during continuous firing.

Throughout the 1930s, the MG34 remained in use by the German Army as a anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapon. Though a newer machine gun—the MG42—was designed with the intention of replacing the MG34, it was never manufactured on the required scale and thus the MG34 saw widespread deployment until the end of the Second World War.

The design of the MG34 was based on an earlier machine gun called the Solothurn 1930. Design enhancements included the addition of an air-cooling shroud around the barrel, changes to the feed mechanism and adjustment of the rate of fire. Once the MG34 was designed, it was immediately accepted by the German Army and pressed into service.

Though the MG34 had many innovative features and was used to great effect, it was expensive to manufacture. The manufacturing process was too resource-intensive and so the requirements of the expanding armed forces in the light of the war couldn’t be met. Despite superior firepower and advantages it offered, the MG34 has some drawbacks that proved to be costly. One such drawback was its tendency to get jammed in the muddy conditions of trenches.

The MG34 spawned several variants and also influenced the design of other guns. Notable of these variants are the MG34/41 or MG34S, the MG34 Panzerlauf and the MG81. The MG34/41 was a variant which had higher firing rates of about 1200 rpm and higher weight. Limited numbers of this variant were manufactured. The MG34 Panzerlauf was the version that equipped most German tanks of that era to be used as secondary armament. This variant had a thicker barrel-shroud and lacked the butt-stock. The third variant—the MG81—was designed primarily as an aircraft mounted machine gun.

The MG34 was extensively used throughout the Second World War by the Germans. However, after Germany lost the war, production was stopped. In total approximately 354,000 MG34 units were manufactured in between 1934 and 45.