

In the 1980s, the M60 was partially replaced by the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon within the infantry squad. 50 cal mounts.ĭuring the Vietnam War, the M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its size. 50 caliber machine gun, and the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier ACAV added two M60 gunners beside the main. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. It later served in the Vietnam War as a squad automatic weapon with many U.S. Army officially adopted the T160E3 as the M60 in 1957. The experimental T-44 machine gun developed from the German FG 42 and MG 42 machine guns. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG. It was intended to replace the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A6 Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role, and in the medium machine gun role. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. Early prototypes, notably the T52 and T161 bore a close resemblance to both the M1941 Johnson machine gun and the FG-42. It was derived from German machine guns of World War II (most notably the FG 42 and to a lesser extent the MG 42), but it contained American innovations as well. The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. The later models changed the ammunition box attachment point and made this adaptation unnecessary. Historically, units in Vietnam used B3A cans from C-rations packs locked into the ammunition box attachment system to roll the ammunition belts over for a straighter and smoother feed to the loading port to enhance reliability of feed. The cloth bandolier is reinforced to allow it to be hung from the current version of the feed tray. The M60 changed from M1 link to the different M13 link, a change from the older link system with which it was not compatible. M60 ammunition comes in a cloth bandolier containing a cardboard box of 100 pre-linked rounds. It may also be fired from the integral bipod, M122 tripod, and some other mounts. This was an initial requirement for the design and a hold-over in concept from the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. The M60 can be accurately fired at short ranges from the shoulder thanks to its design. The ammunition bearer carries additional ammunition and the tripod with associated traversing and elevation mechanism, if issued, and fetches more ammunition as needed during firing.įiring an M60 machine gun from the standing position during the DEFENDER CHALLENGE '88 competition The assistant carries a spare barrel and extra ammunition, and reloads and spots targets for the gunner. The gunner carries the weapon and, depending on his strength and stamina, anywhere from 200 to 1000 rounds of ammunition. The gun's weight and the amount of ammunition it consumes when fired make it difficult for a single soldier to carry and operate. The team consists of the gunner, the assistant gunner (AG in military slang), and the ammunition bearer. It is generally used as crew-served weapon and operated by a team of two or three individuals.

The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge (.308 Winchester) commonly used in larger rifles.

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Its manufacture and continued upgrade for military and commercial purchase continues into the 21st century, though it has been replaced or supplemented in most roles by other designs, notably the M240 in U.S. military and still serves with other armed forces. Introduced in 1957, it has served with every branch of the U.S.

There are several types of live ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds. The M60 (formally named United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60) is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. Gas-operated, short stroke gas piston, open bolt 10.5 kg ( Script error: No such module "Math". lb)ġ,105 mm ( Bad rounding here Script error: No such module "Math". in)ĥ60 mm ( Script error: No such module "Math". in)
