Infantry weapons / Heavy machine guns / 50MG
50MG
General Facts
- TYPE
Heavy machine gun - ORIGIN
Singapore - NICKNAMES
Senapan Mesin Berat-Quick Change Barrel / SMB-QCB (Indonesian designation) - DESIGNED
Late 1980's - DESIGNER
Chartered Industries of Singapore - PRODUCTION
1988 - present - PRODUCERS
Indonesia - Pindad
Singapore - ST Kinetics - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Limited weight
Double feed
Quick change barrel
Complex feed system
Introduction
The 50MG is a modern heavy machine gun of Singapore origin. It was designed as a lighter and more modern alternative for the M2HB. Lessons of the Ultimax light machine gun and US Dover Devil program are incorporated into the design of the 50MG.
Design
The 50MG is a gas operated weapon with two gas pistons alongside the barrel and uses the constant recoil principle. It is belt fed though a dual feed system. The 50MG features a quick change barrel and is fitted with spade grips.
Firepower
The 50MG fires the 12.7x99mm round at a cyclic rate of fire of 400 to 600 rounds per minute. It is unusual in as it is a dual feed weapon that allows fast switching to another type of ammunition. Depending on the mount the maximum effective range is 1 to 2 km.
Users
The 50MG is mainly used by Singapore but has been exported to a few nations. Given the age of M2HB and DShK in many inventories the 50MG may see more export sales in the future.
50MG
50MG: The 50MG is a heavy machine gun that fires the 12.7x99mm round. It is unusual in as it is a dual feed weapon that allows fast switching to another type of ammunition. This feature is normally found only on autocannon. The 50MG fires from the open bolt position and has a relatively low rate of fire.
- Specifications:
- 50MG
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 12.7x99mm NATO |
| Magazine | Belt fed, dual feed |
| Operation | Constant recoil, dual gas piston |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 400 - 600 rpm |
| Barrel length | 1.141 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 8 grooves, 381 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | ? |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 1.670 mm |
| Width | 190 mm |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 30 kg without tripod |
| Sights | Iron sights, 1.000 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |
M2HB
The 50MG was developed as a lighter and more modern alternative for the ubiquitous US M2HB heavy machine gun.
