Infantry weapons / Heavy machine guns / M2HB
M2HB
General Facts
- TYPE
Heavy machine gun - ORIGIN
United States - NICKNAMES
Ma Deuce (popular nickname)
Browning heavy machine gun
Fifty-cal (popular nickname)
GAU-21/A (USAF designation for M3M)
L2A1 (UK designation)
MG50 (German designation)
T90 (Taiwanese designation)
Tung kulspruta / Tksp (Swedish designation) - DESIGNED
1920's - DESIGNER
John Browning - PRODUCTION
1933 - present (M2HB) - PRODUCERS
Belgium - Fabrique Nationale
United Kingdom - Manroy
United States - Saco - QUANTITY
About 3 million - UNIT COST
About $14.000 - CHARACTERISTICS
Rugged and reliable
Very powerful
Accurate
Very heavy
Expensive
Headspacing issues
Introduction
The M2HB is heavy machine gun of US origin. It was developed after World War 1 and is the most widely used heavy machine gun in the world.
Design
The M2HB is a development of the earlier .30-06 Browning M1919 machine gun. Early versions of the M2 were water cooled but the heavy barrel M2HB became the standard version. Over the last decade the M2HB has been fitted with various day and night optics to increase its effectiveness.
Firepower
The M2HB fires the 12.7x99mm round at a cyclic rate of fire of about 550 rounds per minute. Depending on the mount the maximum effective range is 1.8 km. A variety of ammunition types can be fired. The barrel can be changed in case it becomes too hot.
Users
The M2HB was widely used by US forces during World War 2. During the Cold War the M2HB became the NATO standard heavy machine gun and was widely exported to South America, Africa and Asia. It remains in production and is in active use.
M2HB
The M2HB was derived from the original M2 model that was water cooled. The M2HB features a heavy barrel instead of water cooling. It is belt fed and is operated by spade grips and a butterfly trigger. The M2HB has a changeable barrel but some care and asbestos gloves are needed to replace it. Recent models have been fitted with rails for mounting optics.
- Specifications:
- M2HB
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil, closed bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 450 - 575 rpm |
| Barrel length | 1.143 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 887 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.650 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 38.0 kg without tripod |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
M2HB-QCB
The M2HB-QCB is similar to the M2HB but is fitted with a quick change barrel. It can be identified by the carrying handle on the quick change barrel. To change the barrel no asbestos glove is needed and there are no headspacing problems during reinstallation of the barrel.
- Specifications:
- M2HB
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil, closed bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 450 - 575 rpm |
| Barrel length | 1.143 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 887 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.650 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 38.0 kg without tripod |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
M3
The M3 is a variant of the M2HB that fires at a higher rate of fire and is fitted with a heavier barrel. The M3M is a manually operated variant that is used on ships and helicopters. The M3P is a solenoid fired model that is often used in gun pods and other remote controlled environments.
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 950 - 1100 rpm |
| Barrel length | 915 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.689 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | 178 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 48.2 kg mounted |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 950 - 1100 rpm |
| Barrel length | 915 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.689 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | 178 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 36.3 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
AN/M2
The AN/M2 is a variant of the M2HB that was used on aircraft, mainly during World War 2. It is exists in a fixed and flexible model. The AN/M3 is a similar aircraft model with a much higher rate of fire.
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 750 - 850 rpm |
| Barrel length | 0.940 |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | - |
| Length | ? |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 27.7 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed |
| Operation | Short recoil |
| Fire selector | 0-F |
| Rate of fire | 1.150 - 1.250 rpm |
| Barrel length | 0.940 |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | - |
| Length | ? |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 27.7 kg |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
Media
M1919
The M1919 is a .30 caliber machine gun that was also derived from the M1917 machine gun.
DShK
The DShK can be seen as the Soviet counterpart of the M2HB. Both weapons fire 12.7mm rounds and have a roughly similar performance.
