# 50-Caliber Machine Gun v. M-60 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964 "2003-01-26T03:02:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/1 "2003-01-26T03:02:47Z")
I’m not even sure the U.S. military manufacturers .50 machine guns. Do they? And how do they compare with the M-60? Obviously the .50 is larger. Is the M-60 at all comparable to a .30? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/2 "2003-01-26T03:04:21Z")
.50 cal. machine guns are standard equipment on the Abrams M1-A1 assault tank. ---
**Author:** ![3.885AM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/58956e/32.png) [@3.885AM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3.885AM)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/3 "2003-01-26T03:26:54Z")
.50 cal. Browning M2 has been in production since WWI (yes WW one) largely unchanged making it one of the oldest firearm designs still in production. The M60 is chambered for the NATO 7.62x51mm round, the military equivalent of the civilian .308 round, so it is a .30 cal. A somewhat shorter cartridge and a bit lighter projectile than the 30-06 used in WWI and WWII but with similar ballistics. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/4 "2003-01-26T04:18:30Z")
Both are considered crew served weapons, with two men on a team. The [M2](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m2-50cal.htm) has a tripod it sits on for firing from the ground, a tripod which, in no way, shape, or form, can be carried with any degree of comfort in the field. The [M-60E3](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m60e3.htm) can be fired from a bipod that is attached to the front of the weapon. Either weapon can be mounted on a vehicle. Both the M2 and M60 have cyclic rates of 550 rounds per minute, and the M2 can be fired in a single shot mode. The M60 is organic the the USMC Rifle Company in the Weapons Platoon, while the M2 is in the Heavy Weapons Company of the Infantry Battalion. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/5 "2003-01-26T04:21:13Z")
Excuse me, it may no longer be the case about the M60 in the Infantry Company, they may have transitioned to the [M240](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m240g.htm) machine gun, which was to replace the M60. ---
**Author:** ![Firebat023](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Firebat023](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firebat023)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/6 "2003-01-26T05:07:02Z")
Uncle Bill, you’re absolutely right. We no longer use the M-60, and the M240G is a part of any weapons company. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/7 "2003-01-26T11:34:00Z")
The M2 in single-shot mode was actually used as a sniper rifle in Vietnam. This was likely the inspiration for today’s Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/8 "2003-01-26T13:35:08Z")
CG port security “Raiders” carry [both.](http://www.marinelog.com/IMAGESMMI/wtc35.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/9 "2003-01-26T13:42:45Z")
I thought the M249 (SAW) replaced the M60. I’m often wrong though. ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/10 "2003-01-26T13:47:54Z")
Ah, the M249 is a “light” machine gun where as the M240 is a “medium” machine gun. ---
**Author:** ![Texican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@Texican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Texican)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/11 "2003-01-26T13:55:53Z")
I love gun threads. Makes me want to go out and kill some cans. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/12 "2003-01-26T14:40:29Z")
The [SAW](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m249.htm) is Squad Automatic Weapon. It is within the normal Infantry Squad, each Fireteam, I believe. It did not replace anything but another M-16 when it was introduced. ( **Firebat023** , wanna give the true scoop here?) In your average grunt platoon, there are 9 or 12 SAWs. They fire the 5.56mm round, same as the M-16, and can even be fed from an M-16 magazine. No M240G’s, those are at the Company level, in the Weapons Platoon. **UncleBill** who wants to fire the M240G ---
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/13 "2003-01-26T14:44:42Z")
The 50 cal is also much heavier than the M60. Troops have to break it down into the barrel, receiver, and tripod in order to carry it around. And even then, its so damn heavy that nearly all of them are mounted on vehicles instead of carried. M60 is still sort of heavy. They usually give it to the larger men in the unit to carry. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/14 "2003-01-26T16:21:46Z")
When you target practice with a 50 cal, bring a full tank of gas and a passport. ---
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/15 "2003-01-26T17:01:55Z")
And you don’t aim a 50 cal by looking down its barrel. You just point it in the general area of your target, and then “guide” it in depending on where you see your rounds hitting. ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/16 "2003-01-27T00:34:08Z")
UncleBill, it depends on what you mean by ‘replace’. The BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) served in the role of Squad Automatic Weapon during WW2 and up to the 1950s, it’s basically a large fully automatic .30-06 rifle with a 20-round magazine. The Army tried to replace the BAR with the full-auto M-14 and by moving the squad weapons from semi-automatic Garands to full-auto M-16s, but neither one of those really worked out. Technically the M-60 might not have replaced another SAW, but that would only have been because the slot for a SAW was temporarily removed. ---
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/17 "2003-01-27T01:00:46Z")
So, is it correct that the U.S. military has been slowly moving toward lighter and smaller armament? Just how heavy is the .50 machine gun? Also, what the hell machine gun (lookalike) was, um, Rambo/Stallone supposedly firing in those cheesy movies? Obviously no one man could hold (in his arms) and fire an accurate burst from a .50 machine gun–and walk away from it–correct? The SAW has always struck me as a bit light. Please remedy my ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Harrison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5ac83/32.png) [@John\_Harrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Harrison)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/50-caliber-machine-gun-v-m-60/150964/18 "2003-01-27T02:06:51Z")
> [@](#): > > So, is it correct that the U.S. military has been slowly moving toward lighter and smaller armament? Pretty much. > [@](#): > > Just how heavy is the .50 machine gun? Weight: Gun: 84 pounds (38 kilograms) M3 Tripod (Complete): 44 pounds (19.98 kilograms) Total: 128 pounds (58 kilograms) > [@](#): > > Also, what the hell machine gun (lookalike) was, um, Rambo/Stallone supposedly firing in those cheesy movies? [M-60](http://www.olive-drab.com/od_other_firearms_mg_m60.php3) > [@](#): > > The SAW has always struck me as a bit light. Please remedy my ignorance. M-249 SAW Weight: With bipod and tools: 15.16 pounds (6.88 kilograms) 200-round box magazine: 6.92 pounds (3.14 kilograms) 30-round magazine: 1.07 pounds (.49 kilograms)