Machine Gun Terminology - LMG, MMG, SAW, LSW, HMG, GPMG

Cool Forgotten Weapons merch! Today we will look at the various different categories of machine guns - what makes them, why they exist, and what their place in military history is. Specifically... Automatic Rifle: Shoulder or hip fired, limited magazine capacity, minimal sustained fire capacity. Examples: M1918 BAR, Chauchat. LMG: Magazine fed, rifle caliber, bipod fired. Examples: Bren, Madsen, Lewis. HMG: Belt fed, usually water cooled, minimal portability, fired from tripod only. Examples: Maxim, Vickers, Hotchkiss 1914. Evolved into guns of caliber - 20mm, like the M2 and DShK. MMG: Air cooled, tripod fired only, belt fed. Examples: Browning 1919A4, SG-43. GPMG: Bipod or tripod fired, belt fed, rifle caliber, quick-change barrel. Examples: MG42, PKM, M240. SAW/LSW: Intermediate caliber, magazine fed, bipod fired. Examples: L86A1, FN Minimi, RPK. If you enjoy Forgotten Weapons, check out its sister ch
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