Light machine gun
A
light machine gun (commonly abbreviated
LMG) is a categorization type (or class) of
machine guns that are generally lighter than other machine guns of its period, and usually designed to be carried by an individual soldier, but sometimes with an assistant. In practice, they are either
automatic rifles (machine rifles) or
medium machine guns with a
bipod, a
stock, and sometimes a
pistol grip. Modern light machine guns are often chambered for smaller
calibers than medium machine guns, and are mostly considerably lighter and more compact.
Usually, a light machine gun is intended to act as a support weapon, in that it can generate a greater volume of continuous
automatic fire than the usual firearms carried by infantry soldiers, at the cost of greater weight and higher
ammunition consumption.
While it is usually possible to fire a light machine gun "from the hip" or on the move, a soldier would only do this to advance in position. The enemy would stay in cover as the soldier opens fire while moving. Actual accuracy is achieved when fired from a prone position, especially when using a bipod. Early light machine guns (especially those derived from automatic rifles, such as the
BAR) were sometimes
magazine-fed. Modern light machine guns, however, are designed to fire from a
belt of ammunition, which allow them to fire continually for longer periods of time without the need to reload. Other modern light machine guns, such as the
M249, are capable of firing from both an ammunition belt or a detachable box-type magazine.
Light machine guns are often used as
squad automatic weapons (SAW).
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A Romanian soldier aids a United States Marine in clearing an RPK during the weapons familiarization phase of Exercise Rescue Eagle 2000 at Babadag Range, Romania, on July 15, 2000. |
These were either exclusively light machine guns, had a light machine gun variant or were employed in the light machine gun role with certain adaptations:
1900sâ€"1920s
*
Madsen machine gun*
M1909 Benet-Mercie (
.30-06 Springfield)
*
Hotchkiss Mk I (
.303 British)
*
Lewis machine gun (.303 British)
*
Chauchat machine gun
1920sâ€"1950s
*
Browning Automatic Rifle (.30-06 Springfield)
*
ZB vz.26 (
7.92 x 57 mm)
*
Brno series*
Bren gun (
.303 British)
1950sâ€"present
*
PKM (
7.62 mm)
*
IMI Negev (
5.56 x 45 mm NATO)
*LMG 36 (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
RPD (
7.62 x 39 mm)
*
RPK (7.62 x 39 mm)
*
RPK-74 (
5.45 x 39 mm)
*
Colt CMG-1 (
5.45 x 39 mm)
*
M249 (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
L86A1 LSW (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
Steyr AUG/HBAR (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
Colt Automatic Rifle (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
Heckler & Koch G36 equipped with heavier barrel, bipod, and 100-round
drum magazine (designated MG36) (5.56 x 45 mm)
*
Type 81 (
7.62 mm)
*
Ultimax*
Machine gun*
General purpose machine gun*
Medium machine gun*
Heavy machine gun
