M-60
Unofficial
names/slang: n/a
Function:
The 7.62mm M-60 Machine Gun is a general purpose gun
that can be used on a bipod, tripod, or vehicular
mount. It is a belt-fed, air-cooled, gas-operated,
automatic weapon that fires from the open-bolt
position. A metallic split-link belt feeds
ammunition to the M-60. As the gun fires, the belt
links become unlinked and eject from the gun. Issued
with each M-60 is a spare barrel with bipod
assembly.
Date
deployed: unavailable
Contractor:
unavailable
Unit cost:
unavailable
Length:
43.5"
Weight:
23 lbs.
Rate of Fire:
Sustained: 100 rpm; Rapid Fire: 200 rpm; Cyclic:
approx. 550 rpm
Ammo type:
7.62mm ball, tracer, armor piercing, blank, and
dummy rounds - packaged in 100 round bandoleers
weighing approx. 6.5 lbs each. Gunner carries three
bandoleers (one loaded in weapon), assistant gunner,
if assigned, carries three additional bandoleers.
Guidance:
Visual
Range:
approx. 3,725 m |
|
|
Background:
The M-60 machine gun is an air-cooled, belt-fed,
gas-operated automatic weapon. The machine gun was
originally developed for use by ground troops;
however, it is used on many types and classes of
ships, river craft, and combat helicopters.
Operation: The machine gun is designed
to function automatically as long as ammunition is
fed into the gun and the trigger is held to the
rear. Each time a round is fired, the parts of the
machine gun function in a certain sequence. Many of
the actions occur simultaneously and are only
separated for educational purposes. The sequence of
operation is known as the cycle of operation.
- Feeding: A
round is positioned in the feed tray groove.
- Chambering: A
round is stripped from the belt and placed in
the chamber.
- Locking: The
bolt is locked inside the barrel socket.
- Firing: The
firing pin strikes and initiates the primer of
the cartridge.
- Unlocking: The
bolt is unlocked from the barrel socket.
- Extracting: The
empty case is pulled from the chamber.
- Cocking: The
sear engages the sear notch.
|
|
|
