The M2 Browning Machine Gun (M2 Machine Gun), commonly known as the .50 heavy machine gun (Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2HB, Flexible.), is a large-caliber, heavy machine gun designed by John Moses Browning that fires 12.7 × 99 mm (.50 BMG) large-caliber ammunition. caliber ammunition, commonly used in infantry mounted fire positions and military vehicles such as tanks and armored personnel carriers, with the primary uses being attacking lightly armored targets, massing living targets, and low-altitude air defense. It has been in service since 1921 until the 21st century.

The M2's .50 BMG ammunition was developed by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the United States to counter German World War I 13mm anti-tank rifle ammunition. In order to catch up, designer Browning (1855-1926) and Winchester technicians collaborated to develop a 12.7mm caliber machine gun based on the M1917 Browning Heavy Machine Gun.The M2 Browning Large Caliber Heavy Machine Gun was actually an enlarged version of the M1917 Browning Heavy Machine Gun (7.62mm caliber), which was formally finalized in 1921 and classified as the U.S. Army's standard The M1917 Browning heavy machine gun (7.62mm caliber) was actually an enlarged version of the M1917 Browning heavy machine gun. The U.S. Army named it M1921 at that time, equipped with water-cooled cooling device, the gun added a hydraulic buffer to absorb excessive barrel recoil, and the flow of oil in the hydraulic buffer is adjustable, the rate of fire is variable with the flow rate; in order to prevent misfiring, the rear stopper iron was added; in order to facilitate the operation of both hands, the small grip was removed, and replaced by a double grip mounted on the back of the receiver. 1920s development of anti-aircraft and anti-armor uses In the 1920s, the M1921 was developed for anti-aircraft and anti-armor use, and the first air-cooled 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun was developed. 1932, the US Army improved the M1921 and officially named it the M2, replacing it with a smaller mass with an air-cooled barrel. In 1933, to solve the problem of overheating, the M2 machine gun with a heavy barrel was developed, known as the M2HB, and the M2QCB and lightweight versions with quick-change barrels were later introduced and are still in use today.

The U.S. M2HB machine gun is one of the most famous large-caliber machine guns in the world, and is currently equipped in more than 50 countries, and is used in most Western countries. In addition to the M2HB machine gun with tripod, the U.S. Army also mounts it on light jeeps and infantry fighting vehicles as a ground support weapon and as a side-by-side machine gun on tanks.

Constructural features

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The M2 large-caliber machine gun uses large-caliber .50 BMG ammunition, which has the advantages of high firepower, smooth trajectory, and very long range, with a rate of fire of 450 to 550 rounds per minute (the aviation version of the World War II version was 600 to 1,200 rounds per minute), and a recoil system that makes it very stable when firing in full auto.

The M2 had a high hit rate, but the low rate of fire also reduced the M2's supporting firepower.

The gun utilizes a short-barreled recoil mechanism and a catch-and-release locking mechanism. When firing, as the cartridge moves forward along the barrel, under the pressure of the gunpowder gas in the chamber, the barrel and the gun recoil simultaneously. After the cartridge flies out of the muzzle, the locking ferrule leaves the locking support surface on the wedge bolt, and the pins on both sides are pressed down by the locking bevel on the sizing plate, so the whole locking ferrule is detached from the locking groove under the receiver, and the receiver is unlocked. Subsequently, the barrel section sleeve slammed into the built-in hook-shaped accelerator, the upper end of the accelerator hit the rear of the gun, accelerating the recoil of the gun. The gun is equipped with a hydraulic buffer mechanism, the barrel and section set recoil, the hydraulic buffer piston is pushed back, compressed buffer tube oil, so that it from the piston around the gap between the inner wall of the oil tube to escape forward, the recoil produces a buffer effect. When the gun is reengaged, the bump at the rear of the gun hits the upper end of the accelerator to turn it forward, and the accelerator releases the hydraulic buffer spring, which pushes the barrel and knuckle holster to reengage. The locking ferrule is forced upward under the action of the locking ramp on the wedge latch into the locking groove under the receiver, and the receiver locks.

The gun adopts a single-pass, two-pass feed mechanism, with the guide pillar at the end of the toggle lever jammed into the curved groove at the top of the receiver, which realizes the feeding action when the receiver is in reciprocating motion.

The gun utilizes a simple lamellar collimator and a standing frame gauge, both of which are housed on the receiver.

The gun fires 12.7×99mmmm caliber rounds, including regular, armor-piercing incendiary, armor-piercing, tracer, armor-piercing tracer, armor-piercing incendiary tracer, stripped armor-piercing, hard-core armor-piercing, and training rounds.

The M2 Browning large-caliber heavy machine gun has a maximum range of up to 7.4 kilometers (4.55 miles) when firing the M2 normal rounds, and has an effective range of 1.8 kilometers (1.2 miles) when mounted on the M3 tripod. The M2 Browning large-caliber heavy machine gun has a net weight of 38 kilograms (84 pounds), and weighs a total of 20 kilograms (44 pounds) on the M3 tripod, and has a V trigger mounted on the end of the magazine with two grips, and the shooter has the option to use the V trigger to shoot the M2 rounds. With a V-trigger mounted on the rear of the receiver and two grips, the shooter can adjust the gun to fire fully or semi-automatically by locking or unlocking the receiver. the M2 is very versatile, and can be converted to right-side magazine feed on short notice without special tools to accommodate different configurations.

Basic specifications

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Gross weight 38 kg (empty), 58 kg (with tripod)

Overall length 1,653 mm

Barrel length 1,143 mm

Ammunition 12.7 x 99 mm (.50 BMG)

Caliber 12.7 mm

Fire rate 450 mm. p>

Rate of fire 450-550 rounds/minute

Muzzle velocity 930 m/s

Effective range 1800 m

Maximum range 7400 m

Feeding method Chain-fed

Sighting type Adjustable mechanical illumination door