General-purpose machine gun

The MG-42 type general-purpose machine guns in both bipod and tripod configurations

A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, belt-fed weapon with a quick change barrel that can be used in a variety of roles, from bipod- or tripod-mounted infantry support, to deployment as a helicopter door gun, or a vehicle-mounted support weapon.^[1] Modern GPMGs fire full-power rifle cartridges such as the 7.62×51mm NATO, 7.62×54mmR, 7.92x57mm Mauser, etc.

History

"With the MG 34, the German Wehrmacht introduced an entirely new concept in automatic firepower - the general-purpose machine gun (GPMG).^[2][3][4] In itself the MG 34 was an excellent weapon: an air-cooled, recoil-operated machine gun that could run through belts of 7.92mm ammunition at a rate of 850 rounds per minute, delivering killing firepower at ranges of more than 1,000 meters.^[5][6] Yet simply by changing its mount and feed mechanism, the operator could radically transform its function. On its standard bipod it was a light machine gun, ideal for infantry assaults; on a tripod it could serve as a sustained-fire medium machine gun; aircraft or vehicular mounts turned it into an air defence weapon; and it also served as the coaxial machine gun on numerous tanks.^[7][8]

During World War II, the MG 34 was superseded (although it remained in combat use) by a new GPMG - the MG 42.^[9][10][11] The MG 42 was more efficient to manufacture and more robust, and had a blistering 1,200-RPM rate of fire.^[12][13][14] Nicknamed 'Hitler's buzzsaw' by Allied troops, it was arguably the finest all-round GPMG ever produced, and alongside the MG 34 it inflicted heavy casualties on Allied soldiers on all European and North African fronts.^[15][16][17] Such were its qualities of firepower and usability that it became the foundation of an entire series of postwar machine guns, including the MG 1 and MG 3 - the latter is still in production and service to this day."^{[18][19][20][21]}

Notable post-WWII examples

• German MG3, a direct descendant of the MG42, is still in service with the German Army and others.
• Belgian FN MAG, which copied the MG42's feed-system and trigger-mechanism.^[22] It is the most widely used GPMG among western armies.
• American M60, which uses the MG42's feed-system and stamp-steel construction.^[23] It has been replaced in U.S. service by the M240 itself an FN MAG variant.
• French AA-52, which more or less copies the MG42 feed-system.^[24] It has been largely phased out in favour of the FN MAG and FN Minimi.
• Russian PK/PKM family of multi-purpose machine-guns, widely exported.
• People's Republic of China, the Type 67 and later improved models.
• German Heckler & Koch HK21, based on the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle and widely exported

Gallery

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  MG34

• 

  MG42 top & StG 44 below

• 

  MG3 on display

• 

  IMI Negev and FN MAG GPMG

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  FN MAG GPMG

• 

  An M60 machine gun

• 

  AA-52

• 

  PKM general-purpose machine gun

• 

  The Type 67 on a tripod field mount.

• 

  Belgian M240

• 

  Russian Pecheneg

• 

  HK21A1 general-purpose machine gun

See also

• Light machine gun
• Medium machine gun
• Heavy machine gun
• Squad automatic weapon
• List of firearms

References