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The M60, officially the Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds. The M60 . Federation of American Scientists.
It was adopted in 1960 and issued to units later that year. It has served with every branch of the U.S. military and still serves with the armed forces of other nations. Its manufacture and continued upgrade for military and commercial purchase continues into the 21st century, although it has been replaced or supplemented in most roles by other designs, most notably the M240 machine gun in U.S. service.
The M60 can be accurately fired at short ranges from the shoulder thanks to its design. This was an initial requirement for the design and a hold-over in concept from the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. It may also be fired from the integral bipod, M122 tripod, and some other mounts.
M60 ammunition comes in a cloth bandolier containing a cardboard box of 100 pre-linked rounds. The M60 uses the M13 ammunition link, a change from the older M1 link system with which it was not compatible. The cloth bandolier is reinforced to allow it to be hung from the current version of the feed tray. Historically, units in Vietnam used B3A cans from packs locked into the ammunition box attachment system to roll the ammunition belts over for a straighter and smoother feed to the loading port to enhance reliability of feed. The later models changed the ammunition box attachment point and made this adaptation unnecessary.
The M60 has been adopted by various military agencies around the world. It also has been updated and modernized throughout the years to meet modern military requirements.
The U.S. Army adopted the T161E3 as the M60 in 1957. The decision to adopt the M60 instead of foreign designs, like modified versions of the proven German MG 42 or the still-unproven FN MAG, was largely due to Congressional requirements that preference be given to the designs of U.S. arms manufacturers primarily to avoid licensing fees, but also to support U.S. firms.
The M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition. Vietnam's tropical climate harshly affected weapons, and the M60 was no exception. Its light weight led to it being easily damaged and critical parts like the bolt and operating rod wore out quickly. Even so, soldiers appreciated the gun's handling, mechanical simplicity, and effective operation from a variety of firing positions. United States Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight. Some SEALs had feed chutes from backpacks to have a belt of hundreds of rounds ready to fire without needing to reload. "Life and Times of the M60" . Small Arms Defense Journal, 10 August 2011.
Many incidents demonstrated the effectiveness of the M60 in combat. In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman, a Marine with 1/5 (1st Battalion/5th Marine Regiment), used the M60 to engage superior elements of the 324th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division, defeating two enemy machine gun positions and suppressing enemies in his immediate vicinity, then advancing another 50 meters into the face of more attacking NVA.
In the 1980s, the Army partially replaced the M60 by the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon within infantry squads. Their new doctrine reduced the general-purpose machine gun role in favor of portability and a greater volume of fire. However, many disliked the M249, which was less reliable, accurate, and long-ranged, and fired a 5.56 mm round that was lighter than the M60's 7.62 mm round. The M60 was retained in the vehicle-mounted and the general-purpose roles due to its greater power and range.
The U.S. Marine Corps, which became concerned about the M60's reliability, weight, and the high round counts, adopted the M60E3 to replace most original M60s in infantry units. The M60E3 was five pounds lighter than the original M60. It included a forward pistol grip and had the bipod mounted to the receiver rather than the barrel. The weapon still was not durable and its performance was reduced.
In the early 1990s, Saco Defense addressed Navy Special Warfare requirements to develop a retrofit parts package for the machine gun. Called the M60E4, it was more reliable and durable than the M60E3, had a "duckbill" flash suppressor, and a shorter and thicker positive lock gas cylinder extension. The first NAVSPECWAR units received it in late 1994, when it was designated the Mk 43 Mod 0.
In January 1994, the U.S. Army began the Medium Machine Gun Upgrade Kit program. The only two competitors were M60 and M240 versions. Saco offered an "enhanced" M60E3 with improved parts, and FN offered the M240 variant of its MAG; both weapons were upgrade kits of weapons already in service. Eighteen guns of each were tested until December 1995. There were two main performance areas: mean rounds between stoppages (MRBS-jams) and mean rounds between failures (MRBF-parts breaking). 50,000 rounds were fired through both guns. The M240 had 2,962 MRBS and 6,442 MRBF, compared to the M60's 846 MRBS and 1,669 MRBF. As a result, the M240 was declared the winner and accepted into infantry service. Although the M60 was lighter, had better balance, was more controllable, and there were many in the inventory, it did not work reliably enough. Starting with Ranger battalions, the U.S. Army began adopting and modifying M240 variants to replace their remaining M60s in the early 1990s.
The M60, though largely phased out, continued to be used in the 21st century by U.S. Navy SEALs. It was the main 7.62 mm machine gun used by some U.S. special operations forces to the late 1990s. As of 2005 it was used by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, and some reserve units.
In 2015, the Danish Army adopted an M60E6 variant from U.S. Ordnance to replace their aging MG3s in infantry roles.
The design drew on many common concepts in firearms manufacture of the period, such as stamped sheet metal construction, belt feed (a modified mechanism for belt feed from the MG 42 with a single pawl), quick barrel replacement, a pistol grip and stock, and a semi bullpup design similar to the FG 42 (much of the action occupies the weapon's stock). The M60's operating system of an operating rod turning a rotating bolt was inspired by the FG 42, which was based on the much earlier Lewis Gun. The M60 was even constructed with a secondary assisting firing pin spring that is used in the FG 42 in semi-automatic mode even though it is actually unnecessary in the M60, which operates only in full automatic mode. The M60's gas operation is unique, and drew on technical advances of the period, particularly the White "gas expansion and cutoff" principle also exploited by the M14 rifle. The M60's gas system was simpler than other gas systems and easier to clean.
The M60 was designed for mass production, like the MG 42 it was based on. While the M1919 required much machining for its large, recoil-operated internal mechanisms, the M60's stamped sheet receiver had a gas-operated, carrier-cammed bolt mechanism; the same type of mechanism was used on the Lewis machine gun. The straight-line layout allowed the operating rod and buffer to run directly back into the buttstock and reduce the overall length of the weapon.
As with all such weapons, it can be fired from the shoulder, hip, or underarm position. However, to achieve the maximum effective range, it is recommended that a bipod-steadied position or a tripod-mounted position be used, and the gun fired in bursts of 3–5 rounds. The weapon is heavy and difficult to aim when firing without support, though the weight helps reduce the felt recoil. The large grip also allowed the weapon to be conveniently carried at the hip. The gun can be stripped using a live round of ammunition as a tool.
The M60 is often used with its own integrated bipod or with the M122 tripod. The M60 is considered effective up to 1,100 meters when firing at an area target and mounted on a tripod; up to 800 meters when firing at an area target using the integral bipod; up to 600 meters when firing at a point target; and up to 200 meters when firing at a moving point target. United States Marine Corps doctrine holds that the M60 and other weapons in its class are capable of suppressive fire on area targets out to 1,500 meters if the gunner is sufficiently skilled.
Originally, an experimental M91 tripod was developed for the M60, but an updated M2 tripod design, which became the M122, was selected over it. The M122 was replaced in the 2000s (decade) by a new mount, in time for the M60 to also be used with it.
When firing blanks, the M13 or M13A1 blank-firing adaptor (BFA) is necessary in order to produce enough gas pressure to cycle the weapon with blanks. All ammunition must be fixed in a NATO standard M13 disintegrating metallic split-link belt to feed into the weapon.
The standard combat ammunition mix for the M60 consists of sequences of four ball (M80) cartridges and one tracer (M62) in belts of 100 rounds. The four-to-one ratio theoretically allows the gunner to accurately "walk" the fire into the enemy. Tracer bullets do not fly quite the same trajectory as ball, and the weapon's sights must be used for accurate fire—particularly at ranges in excess of 800 meters, where 7.62×51mm NATO tracer bullets usually burn out and are no longer visible. This is a problem for all weapons in this caliber using this tracer round.
A common complaint was the weapon's weight; though the M60 was among the lightest 7.62 mm machine guns of the era, the weapon was poorly balanced and thus awkward to carry for long periods. The single most common complaint was that the M60 was unreliable in extreme conditions and prone to jamming and other malfunctions during heavy firing, especially when it was dirty. Sometimes spent casings would fail to extract and stay stuck inside the chamber, forcing a barrel change before it could be fired again.
Due to the rotating bolt design, the M60 required stoning of burrs or roughness on the lugs, which could increase headspace, occasionally causing cartridge case stretching and head separation. This required replacement of the bolt. The M60 sometimes (depending on the version) tore off the rims from fired cartridge cases during the extraction cycle, causing a jam that required a cleaning rod to be rammed down the barrel to extract the torn cartridge, a potentially deadly procedure while under fire in combat. The barrel latch mechanism (a swinging lever) could catch on the gunner's equipment and accidentally unlatch, causing the barrel to fall out of the gun. On new M60s, the lever was replaced with a push button mechanism that was less likely to be accidentally released, but few of the older M60s were modified due to expense, with many of the extant weapons still bearing them.
The grip/trigger housing assembly is held in place with a rather fragile leaf spring clip instead of the captive pins used in other designs. The spring clip has been known to be prone to breakage since the first trials at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Duct tape and cable ties have been seen on M60s in the field, placed there by their crews in case the spring clip breaks. The sear in the trigger mechanism gained a reputation for wearing down, and a malfunction could cause the gun to "run away". The World Encyclopedia of Rifles and Machine Guns, pp. 93, 196. A second sear notch was eventually added to the operating rod to reduce the chance of this happening.
The M60C was adopted for use on fixed mounts on aircraft. It was characterized by the use of an electric solenoid to operate the trigger and a hydraulic system to charge the weapon. The M60D differed from the base model by employing spade grips, a different sighting system, and lacking a forearm. It was typically employed as a door gun on helicopters or as a pintle-mounted weapon as on the Type 88 K1 tank.
There are many smaller variants among each type, between makers of the firearm, and over time.
The model was type-classified in 1957 and entered production. It saw its first heavy use in the 1960s. The basic design has undergone some smaller changes and has been produced by different manufacturers.
One of the more noticeable changes on the M60E1 is that the bipod attachment point was moved to the gas tube rather than the barrel (like on the later M60E3). It did not, however, have a forward pistol grip, as was added on the E3 variant.
The M60E2 is used on the South Korea's K1 Type 88 tank as a Coaxial weapon, along with an M60D on a pintle mount.
An unusual arrangement of the M60B was done by HA(L)-3 squadron aircrew by removing the sights, shortening the barrel inline to the gas block, removing the stock to shorten the receiver as the shorter buffer spring increased the rate of fire, an improvised side mounted grip was installed on the handguard. This arrangement allowed the door gunners easier movement of the weapon as well as firing sideways improved the belt feed performance.
The reduced-weight components also reduced the durability of the weapon, making it more prone to rapid wear and parts breakage than the original. Most infantry units in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps have now switched over to the M240 as their general-purpose machine gun, which is more reliable (particularly when dirty) and seems to be well liked by the troops for its ruggedness, despite the fact that it weighs 27.6 lb (12.5 kg) compared to the standard M60 at 23.15 lb (10.5 kg).
U.S. Navy SEALs continued to use the "CAR-60" (M60E3) version due to its lighter weight and slower rate of fire, which allows a more effective duration of fire with allowable levels of ammunition carried.
The U.S. Air Force Security Forces received the M60E3 from 1988 to 1989. All USAF M60E3s were withdrawn from general issue by 1990, because it did not meet the vehicle mount requirements of the Cadillac Gage Ranger and due to overheating problems. The M60E3 did remain in the Air Force as weapons converted back to M60 configuration with the E3 X-stamped via locally installed kits issued from depot. The Air Force cut the barrel change times, sustained fire 100 rounds per minute change barrel every 10 minutes (M60) to five minutes (M60E3), and rapid fire 200 rounds per minute change barrel every five minutes to two minutes.
It is the primary light machine gun used in some NATO countries and other U.S. Government export-approved countries. The Mk 43 machine gun currently is manufactured solely by U.S. Ordnance (USORD). USORD has produced it since 2000.
The M60E4/Mk 43 is one of the modernized variants in the generations of the old M60 family and incorporates a number of improvements over past versions. Externally, it looks somewhat like the M60E3, but it has many internal changes and improvements that modernize the effectiveness and reliability of this weapon. In general it is a more reliable weapon than all previous M60s. Externally, it features a different forward grip, iron sights, butt stock and bipod. The M60E4/Mk 43 has higher pull for the belt, and is available in a variety of configurations. Older M60 models can be upgraded with a conversion kit manufactured by U.S. Ordnance to the M60E4/Mk 43. The M60E4/Mk 43 were primarily developed in the 1990s and have continued to be redeveloped in the 2000s (decade). Early Mk 43s had some distinct differences from the E4 (such as a duckbill flash suppressor), though by the 2000s these distinctions seemed to have ended.
The Navy has designated this weapon as the Mk 43 Mod 0. It was developed for the U.S. Navy SEALs to replace their existing stock of M60E3 machine guns fitted with shorter "assault barrels". These weapons are identical to standard M60E4s, with the exception of the barrel length, and can be used either as suppressive fire or direct fire weapons. The Mk 43 Mod 1 adds significantly more rail attachment points to the weapon's receiver cover and handguard.
U.S. Ordnance's website states in their FAQ, as of 2005, that the "M60E4 and the Mk 43 are the same weapon system". The M60E4 and Mk 43 variants in the past were roughly similar, although they are part of the same family. While it might be fair to say that the Mk 43s are a type of M60E4, there are technical differences between any given M60E4 model. Early Mk 43s have certain differences over M60E4 from the same period, the most obvious being the duck-bill flash hider and different handguard. This difference is no longer seen on the current Mk 43s still manufactured by U.S. Ordnance.
In Army trials during the 1990s the M60E4 produced by Saco Defense was pitted against the M240E4 (then called) produced by FN for a new medium machine gun to be used by the infantry. The competition was to replace the decades-old M60s. The M240E4 won, and was then classified as the M240B. While the M240B had been more reliable in the tests, it was noted to be a heavier weapon than the M60E4.
The M60E4/Mk 43 is a modern update to the entire series, such that it is also available in many of the previous configurations, such as a co-axial weapon. Kits are offered to convert older models to the E4 standard.
The M60E4/Mk 43 is ambidextrous, and shares its parts with all previous M60 configurations, including vehicle mounts. The adjustable front sight allows for zeroing of the primary and spare barrel, the chrome and induction hardening lengthens service life, and the ammunition is now mounted on the receiver, preventing damage, and thereby feed failure. The machine gun's light weight—20 to 21 pounds (9 to 10 kilograms)—and compact design make it easy to carry long distances and maneuver in tight spaces. It also allows for the weapon to be fired from the shoulder accurately.
The M60E4/Mk 43 Mod 0, typically used as an infantry machine gun, features an injection-molded composite handguard. The weapon system's quick-change barrel is crucial for safety and efficiency, particularly when the operator is under fire. With the lightweight bipod mounted to the receiver, the barrel can be changed without removing the bipod.
The M60E4/Mk 43 Mod 1 has multiple M1913 rail mounting points for mounting optics, aiming lasers, and accessories for around-the-clock capability. It mounts directly or adapts to all standard NATO tripod and vehicle mounts.
Barrels are stellite lined for sustained fire and extended barrel life. They are available in short, long and heavy fluted configurations for use in various applications. All major components of the M60E4/Mk 43 directly interchange with other M60 configurations. U.S. Ordnance manufactures a conversion kit that upgrades older M60s to its M60E4/Mk 43 model.
There are a variety of M60 models, some that have been upgraded to the current M60E4 configuration, on the market as well, but they are heavily regulated and restricted by the National Firearms Act, and they cost over $40,000, with some models, such as a Maremont/SACO upgraded to M60E6 configuration costing as much as $65,000.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Department of the Army Field Manual No. 3-22.68
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