Smith & Wesson Offers M&P15R Chambered in 5.45x39mm

Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 156-year old firearms maker, announced that it has introduced the M&P15R, a new addition to the company’s M&P tactical rifle series. The new AR-15 style rifle is capable of firing the economical 5.45x39mm ammunition and is available as a high quality semiautomatic rifle or as a complete upper receiver assembly kit. Based on a combat-proven design, the M&P15R incorporates the standard features found in all Smith & Wesson M&P rifles. Engineered to meet the needs of recreational shooters and AR-15 enthusiasts, the M&P15R features a flat-top receiver and an M4 style post front sight. The rifle is standard with a 16-inch barrel with a twist rate of 1 in 8 inches. Reliability features of the gas-operated rifles include a chrome-lined gas key, bolt carrier and barrel. A six position collapsible stock allows the M&P15R to accommodate a variety of shooting positions. The rifle measures 35 inches in length when fully extended and measures a compact 32 inches with the stock collapsed. The new rifle, which is chambered in the less expensive 5.45x39mm, will allow consumers to spend more time on the range for less cost. The M&P15R will also be available as a complete upper receiver assembly, allowing those who already own an M&P Series rifle, or one of the many other variants, the opportunity to change calibers with ease. The black anodized rifle is manufactured with a durable upper and lower receiver made from 7075 T6 Aluminum. A single stage trigger with a 7 lb. trigger pull is standard, as is the A2 Birdcage compensator. The M&P15R is designed to accommodate a variety of optics or a traditional back-up iron sight. The rifle is shipped with a 30-round magazine and has an unloaded weight of 6.5 pounds. The M&P15R joins a comprehensive family of Smith & Wesson products designed and manufactured to meet the needs of firearms sports enthusiasts worldwide. Other models include the M&P15, M&P15A, M&P15T, M&P15X, M&P15OR, M&P15ORC and the M&P15FT rifle. In addition, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center is also manufacturing a high-end extension to the M&P Rifle Series, the M&P15PC. For more information contact Smith & Wesson, Dept. SAR, 2100 Roosevelt Avenue, Springfield, MA 01101. Phone: (413) 781-8300. Fax: (413) 731-3317. They can be found on the web at www.smith-wesson.com.

CJ Weapons Introduces Cleaning Kits for 37/40mm Launchers

CJ Weapons has introduced two new cleaning kits for 37/40mm weapons systems. The Alpha Kit, made for lethal use of the 37/40mm, includes five round cotton felt cleaning disks with a bore swab, a 14 inch ChamberMaid flex rod, a T-handle and a 37/40mm bore brush. The kit retails for $34.95. The Bravo kit is made for non-lethal use like bean bags or pepper spray used for crowd control and includes the same components as the Alpha Kit except for the bore brush; as there is no need since you don’t have the carbon buildup that you can get with high explosive rounds for lethal 40mm use. The Bravo kit retails for $29.95. The kits feature cotton felt disks that are the unique component of this cleaning kit. They’re sturdy and absorbent, so they’ll take just about any type of solvent. The included disks are of two sizes, so that the larger disks are put on the outer ends and in the middle of the bore swab with smaller disks in between them. This allows the carbon to be trapped around the smaller disks and pulled out of the bore. For more information please contact CJ Weapons Accessories, Dept. SAR, 317 Danielle Court, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Phone: (573) 634-7292. Fax: (573) 634-2355. Website is www.cjweapons.com.

Shooters Ridge Offers New Deluxe Bi-Pod

Shooters Ridge, a leader in shooting accessories, introduces a new bi-pod certain to get shooters on target faster and steadier than ever before. Introducing the new Shooters Ridge Deluxe Bi-pod (MSRP: $145.49). In the quest to provide shooters with stronger, lighter, quieter bi-pods, the Deluxe Bi-pod features extremely durable aluminum legs that reduce weight by 30% (over conventional bi-pods), twist lock legs for rapid/stealthy deployment and dual thrust bearings that allow shooters to swivel and cant their gun to stay on moving targets. The Deluxe Bi-pod also contains an innovative mounting system that makes attaching and detaching the bi-pod fast and easy. Simply affix the mounting block assembly on the forward swivel and the Deluxe Bi-pod slips on and off in seconds. Internal click-locks keep the bi-pod snugly on the firearm while the push button release enables shooters to remove the bi-pod quickly and quietly. This new bi-pod can be used with or without a sling and is available in both 9 to 13 inch and 13 to 21 inch models. For more information you can contact them at http://www.shootersridge.com. ATK Commercial Products/Shooters Ridge – Onalaska Operations, Dept. SAR, N5549 County Trunk Z, Onalaska, WI 54650. Phone: (800) 635-7656. They can be found on the web at www.atk.com.

1919A4 Dual Feed Guns Now Available

The Browning 1919A4 carries with it a legend that began in World War I. Based on the 1917 water cooled gun, the A4 was the standard machine gun of our armed forces through WWII and Korea. The last and most versatile incarnation of the Browning air cooled guns was the M37 tank gun of the mid fifties, with its reversible feed capability. While this is a rare and valued gun today, it also is visibly different from the popular 1919A4 in its external appearance. This might add to the appeal for the tank gun owner but many individuals love the simple lines of the A4, and yet wish for the ability to feed one from the right side, for dual mount applications. Introducing the 1919A4 Dual Feed. In limited production, there is now an offering to answer the challenge faced by many belt fed shooters who have made or purchased a dual gun mount for the Browning. Before now, it was necessary to space the guns far apart in order to allow room for feeding the right hand gun in between, still from the left side. The 1919A4 Dual Feed utilizes the M37’s famous capability inside, while retaining the normal A4 exterior lines. In outward appearance, the subtle differences from a standard 1919 are hardly noticeable. For the discriminating shooter who takes pride in having the uncommon firearm among his or her collection, the Dual Feed guns will be made with a number of available options to suit the owner’s taste. Jacket style and barrel length are among the choices. Each gun is built carefully by hand at Halo Manufacturing’s facility in Eugene, OR. The development of 1919A4 Dual Feed is the work of Browning enthusiast Rollin Lofdahl of California. Having set an industry standard with their fine line of Browning side plates, the established reputation of Halo quality is combined with Rollin Lofdahl’s innovative hybrid concept and experience. The result is a unique product offering for the Browning belt fed enthusiast. And for water cooled fans, the 1917A1 Dual Feed is also available. For more information please contact Rollin Lofdahl, Dept. SAR, P.O. 8563, Calabasas, CA 91372. Phone: (818) 767-1300. E-mail to rollin@1917A1.com.

“The supply of weapons and ammunition is most difficult, particularly at the time the unit is established, but this problem can always be solved eventually. Guerilla bands that originate in the people are furnished with revolvers, pistols, bird guns, spears, big swords, and land mines and mortars of local manufacture. Other elementary weapons are added and as many new type rifles as are available are distributed. After a period of resistance, it is possible to increase the supply of equipment by capturing it from the enemy.– Mao Tse-Tung, Yu Chi Chan (Guerilla Warfare)

I was reading Mao’s old handbook on guerilla warfare, written in 1937 and translated by Brigadier General Samuel B. Griffith (who also performed the best translation I have seen on Master Sun Tzu’s The Art of War), and was struck by the agelessness of the above passage. It was interesting to note how in other passages, Mao quotes such diverse Western luminaries as Von Clausewitz and Lenin in his book. A significant part of the book is devoted to the tedious details of operating and supplying a hidden army, and that has much in common with the minutiae of the supply chain in modern armies that are far from home. It also has much in common with the guerilla tactics that our soldiers are facing in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Uncle Ho followed The Chairman’s recipes in Vietnam, and perhaps every rebel group has followed it as well. Combining these teachings with the violent capabilities of modern terrorist doctrine makes for a potent threat. Identifying the resources of the insurgents goes beyond simply finding their weapons caches; without food or other supplies, the terrorists and insurgents lose effectiveness.

It is to the great benefit of the modern soldier to have a thorough understanding of the weapons and tactics used by his enemy, and the archives of SAR are certainly a good place to start that education.

Q-I am a subscriber to Small Arms Review and recently received an interesting request from a friend in the UK for some information about the replacement of .50 BMG barrels during combat operations in WWII. My friend is the curator of a small museum at an RAF station, an enthusiastic shooter (when he can be, under current UK law), and an avid collector of militaria. When I read his question I thought you might be able to provide some references or anecdotal information to send to him.

Now for his technical question. “Last week I visited what was the MOD Pattern Room, which you will remember as a truly fantastic collection of firearms. I was shown two sectioned barrels of Browning 0.5″ M3 machine guns which had been seriously eroded and damaged by prolonged sustained automatic fire. I was informed that the root problem was such that barrels had to be changed after 180 rounds continuous automatic fire on the ground gun and after 150 rounds on the aircraft version.” What my friend wishes to know is: How did the USAAF cope with this problem in WW II when each B17 carried 10 or more of these guns? Did they change all barrels automatically after each sortie? Or, did the armorers have a quick check method to ensure that a barrel was sound?”

A- The short answer is that armorers could tell what needed to be changed out by the ammunition expended on return or with periodic checks of keyholing. The rule of thumb was that if more than 4% of the rounds keyholed at short range, the barrel was shot out. The bases you refer to in the UK had firing pits off the sides of the runways where the armorers could have the gunners test their weapons into large dirt piles. Some of these are still in use today in the UK as firing ranges.

There is more to the story though. All of the guns in the U.S. Army Air Force aircraft early on during the war were the M2 AC variant (AC stands for Air Craft), which was a relatively high speed gun with a rate of fire around 850 rpm. The later guns in 1945 were of the M3 AC-Basic configuration, which had a much higher rate of fire at 1,150 to 1,200 rpm. One of the prime differences from M2 to M3 was in the lining of the barrel. Both guns had lighter barrels than the venerable M2HB whose rate of fire was in the 500 rpm range. As you have noted in your question, there is a difference in the recommended barrel change frequency related to use.

First, let’s look at the mid-war (1943) manual recommendations:

TM 9-225 Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, Aircraft, Basic Section 9-d Permissible bursts of automatic fire.

Aircraft machine guns are air-cooled. As guns are mounted at present, there is little difference in the rate of cooling whether the gun is fired on the ground or in the air. Because of the absence of an efficient cooling medium, the temperature of the barrel of a caliber .50 aircraft machine gun rises rapidly during firing. The longer the burst, the higher the temperature attained. The progressive heating of the barrel gives rise to several effects: (Lists four different ones)…

(2) For firing during training, a maximum burst of 75 rounds may be fired from a cool gun. Approximately 1 minute after firing a 75-round burst, firing may be resumed and a 20-round burst may be fired and repeated each minute thereafter.

(3) Combat firing is unrestricted, but bursts of longer duration than 75-rounds (5 second bursts) decrease accuracy and may lead to a stoppage due to overheating. Furthermore, the barrel will probably have to be scrapped, since a brand new barrel can be ruined by a prolonged burst of one half minute duration. (The manual continues with description of problems in synchronized guns and propellers.)

From this description in the manual, it is clear that the early barrels were considered trashed at about 450 rounds continuous fire. The armorers could tell how much firing was done by the rounds expended and asking the gunners what the burst ratio was – was it all at once in a furious fight, or more stretched out over several engagements. Ground testing was also done to function check the guns, and the armorer could tell about keyholing at this point.

Obviously, the barrels couldn’t be changed during the flight, and as noted in section 3, combat firing was unrestricted. There was no Pollyanna wishful thinking that anyone in combat would do other than put the hammer down in a fight. Barrels were changed out as needed, indicated by the type of fire they went through. Spare barrel supply was a big issue on the M2 AC guns.

The M3 AC-Basic .50 caliber machine gun had a much higher rate of fire, but the barrels were stellite lined and had a much longer life. Chromium plating was also introduced. The incidence of barrel destruction due to prolonged bursts went down, but armorers still had to watch carefully for keyholing and a degradation of accuracy. There was no point in sending out a plane where the gunners couldn’t hit their targets.

Of perhaps more interest to civilian shooters is the danger from long bursts. I have included a picture of a barrel that came from a civilian shoot where the shooter stood on the trigger so long that the barrel heated up to the point of reaching an elastic state. On a scale of good and bad, this is a “Bad” thing. As the metal reaches super high temperatures, the pressure of the expanding gases behind the projectile make the barrel appear to “pulse” white hot with each projectile moving down the bore. While this may make for the colorful combat stories frequently told of Ma Deuce in the fighting against the attacking Chinese human waves during the Korean War, it is a sign of the system reaching critical failure. This particular barrel failed at a shoot, and the projectile split the barrel and exited the side of the barrel jacket. Fortunately, no one was injured and the owner of the gun gave me the barrel to keep at LMO’s classroom as an example of what can go wrong. I am hoping this picture is a wake up call for recreational shooters as to what the real problems are with long bursts out of these air-cooled machine guns. Slow down a bit, and be safer, or buy a water-cooled machine gun for your prolonged bursts. You want one anyway, so here’s your excuse to get one. “Honey, I have to buy a 1917A1 because Raffica says that it isn’t safe or smart to shoot long bursts out of my air-cooled guns anymore. It’s about more safety for the children.” That should work.

Q-Do you have a cut off number for pre ban Mini-14 rifles? I want to make a side folder out of my Mini-14.

A- This isn’t really a relevant concern anymore. The so-called Clinton Assault Weapons Ban “sunsetted” in 2004 and went away after ten uneventful and inconsequential years. Like most feel-good legislation, it accomplished nothing other than annoying legitimate firearms owners and giving the regulatory agencies more incomprehensible, technical law to have to deal with. For historical purposes, here are the Ruger manufacturing dates, but today you can take any Mini-14 and put any stock on it as long as you keep it within Title I regulations with a barrel over 16 inches and an overall length over 26 inches. Remember that you may have state or local laws to contend with as well. Anything under that and you have to file a Form 1 to make a Short Barreled Rifle before you make it. This shouldn’t have any effect on your desire to put a folder on a standard Mini-14. This list also doesn’t address which model of Mini-14 was made, rifle, folder, or GB. I have also never been able to determine if there is a misprint in this list as the 1993 serial number range is the same on the Mini-14 and the Ranch Rifle, but this is the best info we have ever had on these dates.

Ruger Manufacture Dates

Q-I have an original low serial number AR-15 that is full auto with ArmaLite markings and I want to make sure I have the right magazine for it for my display. Which one would be correct?

A- This is a tough one, because you didn’t give me the serial number range on the rifle or tell me if it said “Colt” on it as well. Since it is marked ArmaLite AR-15 and is an original gun, then it has to be earlier than the Model 602. Most of the later guns would be correct with any aluminum bodied 20 or 30-round magazine, or the steel bodied 20-rounders. I suspect from your comment that it is a “low serial number” that you have one of the very early guns. This would be worth taking a look at the first two magazines that were made. The Colt Model 601, referred to as an “01”, was marked both Colt and ArmaLite. After the Model 601, the magazine wells only had “Colt” on them and up until the Model 614, they had “AR-15” as a model designation with other markings to indicate “O1” or “614” etc. The first guns were only marked with “ArmaLite”. If, in fact, you have a very early gun that is only marked Armalite, you have a truly special gun. See me after class, we need to talk.

Q-I am in Iraq and have found an AK magazine that looks different. It has a grey color paint and a large rib on the back, and it won’t fit into any of the AKs we have found. It is definitely 7.62×39 caliber. Is this for some odd Iraqi weapon?

A- You didn’t state where you were serving, so I can’t give you any feedback on other groups in your area, but from your description this is for the Czech VZ58 select fire rifle. There are three ways this magazine could have gotten to Iraq and into your hands. There is a contingent of soldiers from the Czech Republic on duty with the Multi National Force, and they have a hospital operation in Basra among other presence. Czech soldiers may be armed with the VZ58, as well as other more modern weapons like their homegrown AK74 variant. The Iraq government had procured some VZ58s at one time, not a primary weapon, but in testing. One of these that had been pimped up with a chrome finish was captured in the Battle of Fallujah. Astute reader, Iraq War vet and long time Rafficarian Andrew Clyde wrote in to us, and the picture of that little chromed out gem appeared in Raffica SAR Volume 8 Number 11. To further complicate the tracking on this magazine, there are a lot of VZ58s floating around on the world market, very inexpensively. We never were able to final track where that chromed example found in Fallujah came from, but our conjecture is that it was a palace guard model. So the exact source of your oddball magazine is ambiguous at best, but it does belong in-country.

I once had a set of VZ58s that were bring-backs from the Vietnam War purportedly taken from an NVA officer, and these were Amnesty registered so they were fully transferable. VZ58s have shown up in numerous places, and will continue to do so. SAR has covered these rifles in the past, as well as the American made semi-automatic VZ2000 from Ohio Ordnance Works, and the Czech offered VZ58S.

Q-I have been told the correct tripod for my M60 is the M122 and that it looks exactly like the tripod for the 1919A4. Is there a difference?

A- The one for the 1919 is marked M2, and the one for the M60 is marked M122. They are essentially the same and are interchangeable, but for technical and historical accuracy, your M60 should be mounted on an M122 marked tripod. There were many of the old 1919A4 tripods designated the “M2” that were remarked as “M122” and no further work was done to them. The primary differences in the shooting platforms are in the pintle and Traverse & Elevation mechanisms (T&E). Some of the later M122s had a smoother transition from the legs to the feet, appearing to be made from one piece and not welded. The best ID is from the photos accompanying this answer.

Send questions to:
Raffica
sareview@aol.com
Or mail to Small Arms Review Attn Raffica
631 N. Stephanie St #562
Henderson, NV 89014

Lead Photo: A squad of South Vietnamese troops patrol armed with a number of U.S. manufactured WWII weapons, including a BAR and M1 carbines. The soldier at the center of the photograph is carrying a 1919A4 machine gun on his shoulder.

While the U.S. 7.62 M60 General Purpose Machine Gun was the most prevalent weapon of its type used during the Vietnam War, it fought alongside a seasoned veteran. The old soldier sharing the machine gun role was the venerable Browning 1919A4 and 1919A6. Early in the war both the 30’06 caliber 1919A4 and 1919A6 machine guns were used by U.S. troops, but as more M60s became available the old workhorse 1919’s were turned over to the South Vietnamese Government. Vietnam was the fourth major U.S. conflict that the old Browning design served in. Ironically enough the M60 GPMG shared many traits of the Browning’s old adversary in WWII, the German MG42 machine gun.

The Browning 1919A4 and 1919A6 machine guns both had their origins in WWI. When the United States entered the First World War on April 6, 1917 the U.S. Army had approximately 1,100 various Maxims, Benet Mercies, and Model ’95 Colt machine guns in its inventory. For a country that was entering a major war being fought with machine guns, the United States’ situation was critical. The same shortage was also faced in virtually all other areas of equipment and weapons.

John Browning first demonstrated his latest water-cooled machine gun in February of 1917. The demonstration was witnessed by many senators, congressman and high-ranking military officers, as well as representatives from many friendly foreign armies. In the months following the demonstration, Mr. Browning continued working to improve his machine gun. In May of 1917 his weapon was again tested at the government proving ground located at the Springfield Armory. Its performance in the test was nothing short of amazing. At a cyclic rate of over six hundred rounds per minute, 40,000 rounds were fired without a malfunction. The results of this test attracted interest as well skepticism. To quell any doubts of the gun’s worth, another test was scheduled for the weapon. In the second test, the gun was fired by Mr. Browning for 48 minutes straight with no malfunctions or stoppages. Duly impressed, the board of five U.S. Army officers who witnessed the testing recommended the weapon for immediate adoption. Unfortunately few of the Browning machine guns made it to Europe before the war ended.

At the conclusion of World War One in 1918, the United States Army had approximately 140,000 machine guns in its inventory. The conservative U.S. Army of the day felt no need for additional weapons. In the years following the war, the various machine guns like the Lewis, Vickers, Marlin and others were one by one declared obsolete. The U.S. Army did however kept the weapons in storage in the event of emergency. By the 1930’s only the Browning model remained as the United States’ standard machine gun.

The Ordnance department was pleased with the model 1917 machine gun, but realized that they needed a more compact machine gun for its fledgling tank corps. The liquid cooled Browning 1917 was simply too large and cumbersome for the job. Browning went to work to design an air-cooled version, the result was the Caliber .30, Tank Machine Gun Model of 1919. The Army also desired an air-cooled variation as a “Light Machine Gun” for infantry and cavalry units. Several modifications to the 1919 “Tank” gun were made eventually resulting in the Model of 1919A4 “Light” Machine Gun. Prior to WWII, the air-cooled .30 caliber Browning machine gun had only existed in blueprints and in a few hand built models at the Rock Island Arsenal.

During WWII, the Browning 1919A4 was considered the “light” machine gun of the United States Army. Its official nomenclature was the Machine Gun, caliber .30, H.B. M1919A4 (H.B. for heavy barrel). The weapon was air cooled, recoil operated and belt-fed. The receiver of the 1919A4 for all practical purposes was the same as the earlier “Heavy” Browning Machine Gun, the water cooled 1917 series.

The 1919A4 machine gun was utilized as a direct fire weapon, designed to deliver automatic fire at close and mid-ranges. Because it was considered a support weapon it was to be kept well forward so that the crew could see both their targets and the location of their own front lines. The flat trajectory of the light machine gun was highly destructive against unsheltered enemy troops, and when well directed, could inflict heavy casualties. When used against a well dug-in enemy the weapon had little effect except to neutralize their fire and pin them down.

Principle of Operation

In a recoil operation weapon, the rearward force of the expanding powder gases is utilized to mechanically perform the operations of; unlocking the breech, extracting and ejecting empty cartridge cases and feeding a fresh round, as well as cocking, locking and firing. The air cooling system was less efficient making the 1919A4 less capable of rapid, sustained fire than the water-cooled 1917. The air-cooled heavy barrel could keep the A4 weapon at operating temperature for approximately 30 minutes at a rate of fire of about 60 rounds per minute. A rate of approximately 150 rounds per minute could be maintained for about 15 minutes, but faster rates of fire could only be maintained for short periods. The 1919A4 had a heavier barrel than the 1917 to aid in heat dissipation.

Mounting

The 1919A4 light machine gun was mounted on the M2 tripod. The tripod design provided a stable platform and gave maximum strength and rigidity for its light weight. The tripod consisted of three tubular steel legs, articulating in a tripod head, the two rear legs being joined and supported by a traversing bar forming an “A” truss and serving as a rear support for the mounted gun. The tripod head and short front leg provided frontal support. Although the M60 had its own tripod mount, the M122, it could also be used with the earlier M2 tripod by use of a special adapter. The M122 was essentially the older M2 with upgrades.

The 1919A4 light machine gun was considered a rifle company weapon. Its crew could maintain the march rate of a rifleman, but could not move as fast as the individual rifleman. It could deliver a large, rapid volume of fire with good accuracy. It was well suited for support of attacking infantry units by flanking action, and in defense it could supplement the heavy machine gun.

While the 1919A4 was successful in its intended role, a more portable weapon was desired to fill the gap between the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and the tripod mounted 1919A4. The Ordnance department decided to modify the 1919A4 as an expedient solution to the problem. As is the case with most adaptations of existing weapons, the resulting 1919A6 model was less than ideal for the task it was intended to perform.

The 1919A6 Machine Gun

The new version of the 1919A4 was designated as the Browning Machine gun, Caliber .30, M1919A6. The weapon was equipped with a light bipod assembly attached to the front barrel bearing, and a shoulder stock that was attached to the buffer tube. The weapon was capable of delivering rapid automatic fire. The gun was designed primarily as an offensive weapon, and was most effective in employing direct fire against enemy personnel and unarmored vehicles. Its high mobility and low relief adapted it to front-line missions and enabled it to accompany the attacking echelon. At midranges, when mounted on the M2 tripod, its accuracy was approximately that of the heavy machine gun. Its most important characteristic as compared with the heavy machine gun, was its superior mobility, which made it a suitable weapon for use in the rifle company. This advantage, however, was obtained at the cost in the efficiency of the cooling system. The 1919A6 had a lighter barrel than the 1919A4, consequently its rate and length of fire was limited by its tendency to overheat. Although it could fire indefinitely at the slow rate of fire of approximately 40 rounds per minute, it could maintain a medium rate of about 75 rounds per minute from 25 to 30 minutes. At a rapid rate of 150 rounds per minute it begins to overheat after about five minutes firing.

Flash Hider

The function of the flash hider M7, was to conceal the weapon’s muzzle flash, as well as ensure ample recoiling when the weapon was fired at angles other than horizontal. Accomplishing this, the weapon cyclic rate was also increased. The detachable retaining clip assembly secures the flash hider to the front barrel bushing. Therefore when a portion of the expanding powder gases are trapped in the chamber of the flash hider, the rearward force was exerted on the front of floating barrel to aiding in its recoil.

Bipod mount

The A-6 weapon was equipped with a bipod assembly that was attached to the front barrel bearing and was held in place by a lock ring. The bipod legs could be folded back alongside the barrel, or placed in a position at right angles to it. Each leg had a sliding leg that could be pulled out to raise the position of the muzzle. A wing nut and clamp were mounted on the sliding leg assembly, to permit adjustment of bipod legs with one hand. The bipod head rotated around the bearing so that the gun would not be canted when on a slope. The bipod legs were constructed to remain in a position that was vertical or parallel to the barrel when clamped in place. The sliding legs were clamped in place by means of the lower thumbscrews. Fixed rest legs were attached to the bipod head for use when the legs were folded back parallel to the barrel.

The M60 General Purpose Machine Gun was adopted by the Ordnance Corps, along with the M14 service rifle in 1957. The 7.62 M60 and the M14 were intended to replace virtually all of the WWII era small arms in the U.S. inventory. Soon after the M60 was being produced in number, the Browning 1919’s began to be phased out of front line service. The M60 offered a lightweight (23.1 pounds versus the 32.5 pounds of the 1919A6 model) weapon that could be fired from its barrel mounted bipod or a tripod. It also had the desirable feature of a true quick-change barrel without the headspace adjustment procedure of the Browings. The M60 however had its share of critics and problems. The weapon was nicknamed “The Pig” by the troops.

The 1919 Browning is very popular with today’s collectors and shooters, and is available in a number of configurations. The most common 1919A4 and A6 Brownings are those that were assembled from surplus parts sets and a “new manufacture” receiver side plate. Completely original Browning machine guns can be obtained, but are difficult to locate and more expensive. Original Browning machine guns are on the BATF’s Curio and Relics list. There are also a number of semi-automatic-only models as well as non-firing display guns being produced by a number of companies.

1919A4 Light Machine Gun General Characteristics

Weight of weapon: 28 pounds
Weight of weapon with pintle and elevating mechanism: 31.25 pounds
Weight of tripod mount, M2: 14.11 pounds
Length of barrel: 24-inches
Rate of fire: 400-550 rounds per Minute
Maximum usable rate of fire: 150 rounds per minute
Sight graduated to (yards): 2400
Muzzle velocity (w / M2 ball cartridge): 2700 feet per second

The U.S. Rifle Caliber .30 M1903- We have them only because we had no other vehicle on which to mount the anti-tank launchers and the remarks with regard to that weapon are the conventional ones-utterly dependable, extremely accurate, very valuable.

The Carbine- My organization being parachutist was equipped with the carbine folding stock, and we found it to be a most effective weapon. It is of sufficiently high velocity to drive its way through the heavy jungle foliage. It is accurate, and most of all, it is light and comfortable, 75 rounds of it on your person leaves you entirely free to carry anything you wish. You don’t even know you have it. The men have confidence in it and it works well. It works extremely well under arduous conditions. I understand that there have been adverse comments on this weapon from the European Theatre to the extent that it lacks precision at ranges in excess of 400 yards. I am entirely ignorant of such circumstances because I have never seen one fired at over 50 yards, at which range they are a splendid weapon. There is a need for carbine tracer ammunition, at first I was required to arm all squad leaders with rifles so that they could use .30 tracer for target designation. If we had carbine tracer, they would have naturally been armed with a carbine, thereby giving them a good deal more mobility. I am told such a thing exists but that the requirement has been rather low, I cannot see why, and I only urge that some thought be given to the distribution. You know that people in the field sometimes do not know what is going on. I didn’t know such a thing existed; and therefore never asked for any. If it had been even hinted that such a thing existed, I dare say, many jungle units would ask for caliber .30 carbine tracer ammunition.

The Bazooka- We used it as an anti-barge weapon against Jap landing barges. I reckon you look upon that as makeshift, but it did an extremely credible job. One round of bazooka ammunition in a Jap landing barge and its all over. Unfortunately you have to get pretty close as they are armed with twin 50’s and on some occasions with twin 20’s, and they take effective measures sometimes to prevent you from getting close. We also use it against pill boxes and bunkers in the embrasure attack, and it is, as you may guess, quite as effective as the M9A1 Grenade and a bit more accurate at ranges exceeding 50 yards. But we condemned it in principal for that particular task for the reason that when do not use it as a bazooka you do not use it at all. Now with the anti-tank grenade on the rifle you still have an effective small arms weapon. We used them (bazookas) but the next time we will leave them behind.

At this moment I would like to interject that weight, even down to ounces, is a critical thing. The men are taxed to their physical utmost to the extent unless they are highly disciplined they will throw essentials away. On occasion it is pretty hard to set yourself to the task of coercing a man to hang onto something that you yourself feel he is not going to use.

It has come to my mind at the moment that I have done Mr. Browning a dreadful injustice in omitting one of the finest pieces of ordnance that has ever been designed, and that is the 1919A4 Light Machine Gun, which we used to prodigious effect. It is the most dependable weapon that ever came down the road. My only comments are those of humility. I am a member of the determined and belligerent school, which says, I repeat, which says we have no need for a water-cooled machine gun so long as we have that splendid weapon (1919A4) in our possession”.

General Barnes: “Any comments, questions? (None) Thank you very much Colonel Krulak”.