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  M3M

Sigma KEE - M3M
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M3M machine gun
The M3M is a weapon system rather than just a machine gun. The system has three parts: The Machine Gun, the Medium Pintle Head (MPH) or Soft Mount, and the Cradle, which is used to integrate the weapon into a particular aircraft or vehicle. An optional Integrated Illuminator/Laser spotting device gives this weapon a day/night capability. Three important differences between the M3M and the M2 BMG: 1) The new weapon uses an open bolt 2) has an internal recoil spring, and 3) a significantly longer barrel life. The first difference means that cook-offs are far less likely to occur while the second point means that the M3M has only a third as much non-compensated recoil as compared to the M2 BMG. As a personal note, I have been on a firing range where three out of four M2 BMGs had cook-offs following prolonged firing. Some problems noted during the initial evaluation of this weapon by the US Marines in 2001 included: 1) Significantly increased reload times compared to the M2 BMG. 2) Lengths of rounds were repeatedly pulled from the 100 round magazines by the airstream, resulting in hazards to personnel and equipment. 3) Lack of a flash suppressor, which made this weapon almost impossible to use with night-vision equipment. The feed system for 600 round magazines has been modified to reduce the air stream problem and FN Herstal has added a flash suppressor, as can be seen below in the second photograph. (from http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_50cal-M3M_MG.htm)
Relationships      
Parents heavy machine gun A heavy machine gun refers to either a larger-caliber, high-power machine gun or one of the smaller, medium-caliber (rifle caliber) machine guns meant for prolonged firing from heavy mounts, less mobile, or static positions (or some combination of the two). The latter meaning is generally thought of as an older meaning, and the former as a modern one, but both weapon types have histories extending back to the 1800s. Furthermore, heavier smaller-caliber weapons continue to be used up to the present. A classic example of a rifle-caliber heavy machine gun would be a water-cooled Maxim machine gun that was belt fed, had a water jacket, was crew served, and mounted on tripod or wheeled mount. Other types used linkable strips (such as the Hotchkiss) or large magazines. A common example of a heavy-caliber machine gun would be the Browning M2 .50-caliber machine gun. Firearms with calibers larger than 13 to 15 mm are generally thought of as autocannons instead of heavy machine guns. (from Wikipedia)


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