.50 caliber machine gun

Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB
M2HB heavy machine gun
Type	Heavy machine gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1933–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	World War II Korean War First Indochina War Suez Crisis Portuguese Colonial War Vietnam War Six-Day War Iran-Iraq war Yom Kippur War Colombian Internal Conflict Cambodian Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Falklands War South African Border War Invasion of Grenada Bougainville Civil War Invasion of Panama Persian Gulf War Somali Civil War Yugoslav Wars Kosovo War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Mexican Drug War Syrian Civil War Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Designer	John M. Browning
Designed	1918
Manufacturer	Current: General Dynamics, Fabrique Nationale, U.S. Ordnance, and Manroy Engineering (UK) Former: Sabre Defence Industries, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Company, High Standard Company, Savage Arms Corporation, Buffalo Arms Corporation, General Motors Corporation (Frigidaire, AC Spark Plug, Saginaw Steering, and Brown-Lipe-Chappin Divisions), Kelsey Hayes Wheel Company, Springfield Armory, Wayne Pump Company, ERMCO, and Ramo Manufacturing, Rock Island Arsenal
Produced	1921–present (M2HB)
No. built	3 million
Specifications
Weight	38 kg (83.78 lb) 58 kg (127.87 lb) with tripod and T&E
Length	1,654 mm (65.1 in)
Barrel length	1,143 mm (45.0 in)
Cartridge	.50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO)
Action	Short recoil-operated
Rate of fire	450-600 rounds/min (M2HB) 750–850 rounds/min (AN/M2) 1,200-1,300 rounds/min (AN/M3)
Muzzle velocity	2,910 ft/s (890 m/s) for M33 ball
Effective firing range	1,800 m (2,000 yd)
Maximum firing range	2,500 m (2,700 yd)
Feed system	Belt-fed (M2 or M9 links)

The M2 Machine Gun or Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun is a heavy machine gun designed toward the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. The M2 uses the much larger and much more powerful .50 BMG cartridge, which was developed alongside and takes its name from the gun itself (BMG standing for Browning Machine Gun). It has been referred to as "Ma Deuce", in reference to its M2 nomenclature. The design has had many specific designations; the official designation for the current infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible. It is effective against infantry, unarmored or lightly armored vehicles and boats, light fortifications and low-flying aircraft. The M2 has been produced longer than any other machine gun.

The Browning .50 caliber machine gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States from the 1930s to the present. It was heavily used during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Falklands War, the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan in the 2000s and 2010s. It is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries, and has been used by many other countries as well. The M2 has been in use longer than any other firearm in U.S. inventory except the .45 ACP M1911 pistol, also designed by John Browning.

The current M2HB is manufactured in the U.S. by General Dynamics and U.S. Ordnance for use by the U.S. government, and for allies via Foreign Military Sales, as well as foreign manufacturers such as FN Herstal.