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| + | [[File:M249SAW.png|thumb|250px|The [[M249 machine gun]], an example of a light machine gun.]] |
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| − | [[Light Machine Gun]]s (or '''LMG''') are a class of small arms that are either adaptations of an [[assault rifle]] (generally with a larger magazine, a longer barrel, reinforced receivers, etc.), or a weapon design in its own right, chambered for an intermediate rifle (assault rifle) cartridge. Light machine guns are man-portable, and may need one or two operators. They can either be magazine-fed or belt-fed, or have the capability for both. Light machine guns usually fire from an open bolt, as this prevents rounds from cooking off due to overheating; however, there are a few exceptions to this rule, the [[RPK]] being one of them. |
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| + | '''Light Machine Gun'''s (or '''LMGs''' for short) are a class of small arms designed to offer short bursts of automatic fire in direct support of infantry operations. They are principally designed to be used from a bipod and typically also able to be fired from the hip or shoulder. |
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| − | Most light machine gun designs also have the ability to quickly swap out the barrel, should it become overheated or a [[malfunction]] occurs that leaves the barrel damaged. |
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| + | Light machine guns can be belt fed but more typically use a magazine: they can fire full-sized rifle rounds, but most modern examples use intermediate rounds. Many modern examples are simply assault rifles with larger magazines and heavy barrels to prevent overheating. |
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| − | ==Roles== |
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| − | Light machine guns are used to provide suppressing fire for maneuvering purposes, usually being fired from a bipod. As a result of this, their [[effective range]] is generally greater than an [[assault rifle]] firing the same type of [[cartridge]]; hit probability is greater on an area target than aimed fire from a comparable [[service rifle]]. |
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| + | [[File:Madsen_gun.png|thumb|250px|[[Madsen machine gun]], the first light machine gun adopted in quantity.]]Some of the earliest developments in light machine gun technology were weapons intended to be used by horse cavalry units, in order to compensate for the lowered accuracy inherent to riding a moving horse. However, they soon found a role in infantry operations, granting suppressing fire capabilities to infantry units that were still mostly armed with bolt-action rifles and greatly improving the firepower of the squad as a whole. In these early days, they were often referred to as "automatic muskets" or "machine rifles." |
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| − | Some light machine guns (namely, the [[M249]]) are pressed into the [[automatic rifle]] role; while they can serve this role, they are not optimal for use here. |
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| + | In World War 2, Germany attempted to develop a "universal machine gun" (what is today called a [[general purpose machine gun]]) which would be able to perform the roles of both light and medium machine gun, depending on whether it was issued with a bipod and belt box or a tripod and long loose belts. While the resulting [[MG 42]] was a superb suppression weapon, it was somewhat poorly suited to the LMG role, and postwar developments saw the adoption of a new wave of light machine guns using the intermediate cartridge concept to compliment the heavier GPMGs. |
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| + | == Examples == |
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| + | * [[FN Minimi]]/[[M249]] |
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| + | * [[RPK]] |
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| + | * [[CETME Ameli]] |
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| + | * [[Chauchat]] |
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| + | * [[Daewoo K3]] |
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| + | * [[Degtyaryov machine gun]] |
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| + | * [[Bren]] |
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[[Category:Light machine guns]] |
[[Category:Light machine guns]] |
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| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Firearms by type]] |
Latest revision as of 02:00, 16 November 2019
The M249 machine gun, an example of a light machine gun.
Light Machine Guns (or LMGs for short) are a class of small arms designed to offer short bursts of automatic fire in direct support of infantry operations. They are principally designed to be used from a bipod and typically also able to be fired from the hip or shoulder.
Light machine guns can be belt fed but more typically use a magazine: they can fire full-sized rifle rounds, but most modern examples use intermediate rounds. Many modern examples are simply assault rifles with larger magazines and heavy barrels to prevent overheating.
Madsen machine gun, the first light machine gun adopted in quantity.
Some of the earliest developments in light machine gun technology were weapons intended to be used by horse cavalry units, in order to compensate for the lowered accuracy inherent to riding a moving horse. However, they soon found a role in infantry operations, granting suppressing fire capabilities to infantry units that were still mostly armed with bolt-action rifles and greatly improving the firepower of the squad as a whole. In these early days, they were often referred to as "automatic muskets" or "machine rifles."
In World War 2, Germany attempted to develop a "universal machine gun" (what is today called a general purpose machine gun) which would be able to perform the roles of both light and medium machine gun, depending on whether it was issued with a bipod and belt box or a tripod and long loose belts. While the resulting MG 42 was a superb suppression weapon, it was somewhat poorly suited to the LMG role, and postwar developments saw the adoption of a new wave of light machine guns using the intermediate cartridge concept to compliment the heavier GPMGs.