M60 Machine Gun

Overview:

The M60 (formally the United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60) is a family of American general purpose machine guns firing 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. It can fire three types of ammunition: ball, tracer, and armor piercing. Introduced in 1957, it has served with every branch of the U.S military and still serves with other armed forces. 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 service. The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge. It is generally used as crew-served weapon and operated by a team of two or three men. The team consists of the gunner, the assistant gunner (A-gunner in military slang), and the ammunition bearer. 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 gunner carries the weapon and, depending on his strength and stamina, anywhere from 200 to 1000 rounds of ammunition. The assistant carries a spare barrel and extra ammunition, and reloads and spots targets for the gunner. 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. The M60 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position and is chambered for the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge. Ammunition is usually fed into the weapon from a 100-round bandolier containing a disintegrating, metallic split-link belt. The design drew on many common concepts in firearms manufacture of the period, such as stamped sheet metal construction, belt feed (a modified mechanism for belt feed from the MG42 with a single pawl), quick barrel replacement, a pistol grip and stock, and a semi-bull pup design similar to the FG42 (much of the action occupies the weapon's stock). The M60's operating system of an operating rod turning a rotating bolt was inspired by the FG42, which was based on the much earlier Lewis Gun. The M60's gas operation is unique, and drew on technical advances of the period, particularly the White "gas expansion and cutoff" principle also exploited by the M14 rifle. The M60's gas system was simpler than other gas systems and easier to clean. The M60 family of weapons are capable of firing standard NATO rounds of the appropriate caliber. Most common in U.S. use are M61 Armor piercing, M62 Tracer, and M80 Ball. For training purposes, M63 Dummy and M82 Blanks are used. The new tungsten cored M993 Armor-piercing rounds may also be fired in the M60 as well, though they did not enter the inventory until after the M60 was withdrawn from service in active-duty units. When firing blanks, the M13 or M13A1 blank-firing adaptor (BFA) is necessary in order to produce enough gas pressure to cycle the weapon with blanks. All ammunition must be fixed in a NATO standard M13 disintegrating metallic split-link belt to feed into the weapon.

Specifications:

Type

• General purpose machine gun.

Place of Origin

• United States.

Weight

• 10.5 kg (23.15 lb).

Length

• 1,105 mm (43.5 in).

Barrel Length

• 560 mm (22.0 in).

Cartridge

• 7.62x51mm NATO.

Caliber

• 7.62 mm (0.308 in).

Action

• Gas-operated.
• Open bolt.

Rate of Fire

• ~550 rounds/min.

Muzzle Velocity

• 2,800 ft/s (953 m/s).

Effective Range

• 1,200 yd (1,100 m).

Feed System

• Disintegrating belt with M13 Links.