Light machine gun


A light machine gun is an intermediate cartridge machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.

Characteristics

While early light machine guns fired full calibre service ammunition, modern light machine guns often fire smaller-calibre cartridges than medium machine guns – generally the same intermediate cartridge fired by a service's standard assault rifle – and are usually lighter and more compact. Some LMGs, such as the Russian RPK, are modifications of existing designs and designed to share the same ammunition. Adaptations to the original rifle generally include a larger magazine, a heavier barrel to resist overheating, a more robust mechanism to support sustained fire and a bipod.
A light machine gun is also defined by its usage as well as its specifications: some machine guns – notably general-purpose machine guns – may be deployed either as a light machine gun or a medium machine gun. Deployed on a tripod and used for sustained fire, it is a medium machine gun; if deployed with a bipod with the operator in a prone position and firing short bursts, it is a light machine gun.
Light machine guns are also designed to be fired from the hip or on the move as a form of suppressive fire intended to pin down the enemy. Marching fire is a specific tactic that relies on this capability.
Lighter modern LMGs have enabled them to be issued down at the fireteam level, with two or three at the section/squad level.

Ammunition feed

Many light machine guns were magazine-fed. Others, such as the MG 34, could be fed either from a belt or from a magazine. Modern light machine guns are designed to fire more rounds of a smaller caliber and, as such, tend to be belt-fed from a detachable box magazine, but some, such as the FN Minimi, will also accept rifle magazine feeding as an auxiliary measure when belted ammunition has been exhausted.

History

In 1903, French military theorists noticed that the heavy machine guns of the day were of little use in infantry assaults. They determined that "the machine gun must learn to walk". They researched the possibility of a light machine gun which could be carried by troops. A marching fire tactic was theorised, using incidental suppressive fire, with the advancing troops considered a deadlier threat than the un-aimed bullets, causing the enemy to fall back. The prototype guns were not approved for production, and none were in service when World War I began. The French quickly brought the prototypes to mass production to boost the firepower of advancing infantry.
By the end of World War II, light machine guns were usually being issued on a scale of one per fire team or squad, and the modern infantry squad had emerged with tactics that were built around the use of the LMG to provide suppressive fire.

Selected examples

The following were either exclusively light machine guns, had a light machine gun variant or were employed in the light machine gun role with certain adaptations.
ModelCountry of originDesign dateCaliberWeight Feed systemRate of fire Model variants
Madsen machine gunDenmark1883VariousBox magazine450
Chauchat France19078mm LebelMagazine240/360
Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–MerciéUnited States
United Kingdom		19098mm Lebel
.303 British
.30-06 Springfield		Feed/belt400–600
Bergmann MG15 nA GunGermany19107.92×57mm MauserBelt500–600
Vickers-BerthierFrance
United Kingdom		1910.303 BritishBox450–600
Lewis GunUnited States
United Kingdom		1911.303 British
.30-06 Springfield
7.92×57mm Mauser		Drum magazine600
Huot automatic rifleCanada1916.303 BritishDrum magazine155/475
M1918 Browning Automatic RifleUnited States1917.30-06 Springfield
6.5×55mm
7.92×57mm Mauser		Box magazine650 Wz. 1928
Hotchkiss M1922France1922VariousFeed/magazine450
Type 11 light machine gunJapan19226.5×50mm ArisakaHopper magazine, 30 rounds500
ZB vz. 26Czechoslovakia19237.92×57mm MauserBox magazine500
FM-24/29France19247.5×54mm FrenchBox magazine450
Maxim-TokarevSoviet Union19247.62×54mmRBelt
Lmg 25Switzerland19257.5×55mm SwissBox magazine≈500
Lahti-Saloranta M/26Finland19257.62×53mmRMagazine450–550
Degtyaryov machine gunSoviet Union19277.62×54mmRVarious550
Mendoza RM2Mexico19287×57mm Mauser
.30-06 Springfield		Box magazine450–650
Breda 30Italy19306.5×52mm Mannlicher–CarcanoStripper clip fed, internal magazine500
ZB vz. 30Czechoslovakia19307.92×57mmBox magazine550–650
BrenUnited Kingdom1935.303 BritishVarious500–520
Type 96 light machine gunJapan19366.5×50mm ArisakaBox magazine450
Type 99 light machine gunJapan19397.7×58mm ArisakaBox magazine800
M60E3/E4United States1950s7.62×51mm NATOBelt fed550
Stoner 63United States1960s5.56×45mm NATODrum or box magazine1000
Colt Automatic RifleUnited States1970s5.56×45mm NATODrum or box magazine750 Diemaco LSW
L86 LSWUnited Kingdom1970s5.56×45mm NATOBox magazine775
FN MinimiBelgium19745.56×45mm NATO
  • 7.62×51mm NATO
Belt fed or box magazine1150 M249 Squad Automatic Weapon MK 46 machine gun
CETME AmeliSpain19745.56×45mm NATOBelt fed1200 MG82
Ultimax 100Singapore19775.56×45mm NATODrum or box magazine600
Vektor Mini-SSSouth Africa19775.56×45mm NATOBelt fed900
Steyr AUG H-BARAustria19775.56×45mm NATOBox magazine750
NegevIsrael19855.56×45mm NATO
7.62×51mm NATO		Belt fed or magazine1150
Heckler & Koch MG4Germany1990s5.56×45mm NATOBelt fed885
Heckler & Koch MG36Germany1990s5.56×45mm NATODrum or box magazine750
INSAS LMGIndia1990s5.56×45mm NATOBox magazine650
Pecheneg machine gunRussia1990s7.62×54mmRBelt fed or box magazine700
SAR-21 LMGSingapore19965.56×45mm NATOBox magazine650
Ares Shrike 5.56United States2000s5.56×45mm NATOBelt fed or magazine800
Type-81 LMGChina20087.62×39mm100-round drum or 30-round STANAG750 BD-08 LMG
M27 IARGermany20085.56×45mm NATODrum or box magazine640