Firearms / Machine guns / AAT-52
AAT-52
General Facts
- TYPE
Machine gun - ORIGIN
France - NICKNAMES
AA-52
Arme Automatique Transformable Modèle 1952
AAT-F1 (alternative designation for AAT-NF1) - DESIGNED
1951 - 1952 - DESIGNER
Manufacture dÂ’Armes de Chatellerault - PRODUCTION
1952 - 1980's - PRODUCERS
France - Manufacture dÂ’Armes de Chatellerault
France - Manufacture dÂ’Armes de St Etienne - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Limited weight in LMG role
Requires proper headspace adjustment
Introduction
The AAT-52 is a machine gun of French origin. It was developed in the early 1950’s to replace the various weapons in different calibers in service up to that point. The name AAT-52 stands for Arme Automatique Transformable Modèle 1952, which translates to transformable automatic weapon, model 1952. This refers to its use as a general purpose machine gun, being both carried by infantry, used on tripods and fitted to vehicles.
Design
The AAT-52 has a peculiar design using a lever-delayed blowback mechanism. A telescoping metal buttstock is fitted as well as metal pistol grip with plastic grip plates. The barrel can be easily changed, with a light barrel available for infantry use and a heavy barrel for mounted use. The light barrel is fitted with bipod and carrying handle.
Firepower
The AAT-52 fires the 7.5x54mm French round from interconnectable 50 round belts. The AAT-NF1 is a modified version to cater the 7.62x51mm NATO round using US M13 links. The rate of fire is rather high with a cyclic rate of fire of 900 rpm. The effective range from the bipod is 600 meters. This increases to 1 km when mounted on a tripod or vehicle.
Users
The main user of the AAT-52 was France, using it in the infantry role as well as mounted on various vehicles and aircraft. With the adoption of NATO ammunition the AAT-52 was converted to 7.62x51mm NATO. Large quantities in both calibers have been exported to nations with close ties to France. In French service the AAT-NF1 is being replaced by the Minimi in the infantry role and by the MAG for vehicle use.
AAT-52
AAT-52: Original model chambered in 7.5x54mm. Available with light barrel and bipod for the light machine gun role, known as AAT Légère. The original version is also referred to as the AAT Lourde.
AAT-NF1: AAT-52 modified to take the 7.62x51mm NATO round. Available with both a light and heavy barrel as in the original AAT-52.
AAT-52 Char: AAT-52 or AAT-NF1 for vehicle use with solenoid trigger. The Char No.1 model has a solenoid trigger and is meant for coaxial use. The Char No.2 has a manual trigger, shoulder stock and light barrel and is meant for use on a pintle mount.
AAT-52 Avion: AAT-52 or AAT-NF1 for aircraft use. Available in the versions No.1, No.2 and No.3 with solenoid trigger, plus the No.4 with manual trigger and iron sights.
- Specifications:
- AAT-52 Légère
- AAT-52 Lourde
- AAT-NF1 Légère
- AAT-NF1 Lourde
Type | Machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.5x54mm French |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, lever-delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 700 rpm |
Barrel length | 490 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 820 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 1.145 mm / 980 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 9.85 kg empty |
Sights | Iron sights, barleycorn front and tangent leaf with U-notch rear, 200 to 2.000 m gradations |
Remarks | Optional bipod (0.82 kg) and monopod (0.69 kg) |
Type | Machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.5x54mm French |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, lever-delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 700 rpm |
Barrel length | 600 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 840 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 1.245 mm / 1.080 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 10.57 kg empty |
Sights | Iron sights, barleycorn front and tangent leaf with U-notch rear, 200 to 2.000 m gradations |
Remarks | Optional bipod (0.82 kg) and monopod (0.69 kg) |
Type | Machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, lever-delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 900 rpm |
Barrel length | 490 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 810 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 1.145 mm / 980 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 9.15 kg empty |
Sights | Iron sights, barleycorn front and tangent leaf with U-notch rear, 200 to 2.000 m gradations |
Remarks | Optional bipod (0.82 kg) and monopod (0.69 kg) |
Type | Machine gun |
---|---|
Caliber | 7.62x51mm NATO |
Magazine | Belt fed, 50 rounds |
Operation | Gas operated, lever-delayed blowback |
Fire selector | 0-F |
Rate of fire | 900 rpm |
Barrel length | 600 mm |
---|---|
Rifling | ? |
Muzzle velocity | 830 m/s |
Stock | Retractable |
Length | 1.245 mm / 1.080 mm |
Width | ? |
Height | ? |
---|---|
Weight | 10.55 kg empty |
Sights | Iron sights, barleycorn front and tangent leaf with U-notch rear, 200 to 2.000 m gradations |
Remarks | Optional bipod (0.82 kg) and monopod (0.69 kg) |