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M60 Machine gun

Machine Gun, 7.62 mm, M60
M60GPMG.jpeg
M60 machine gun
Type General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1957–present
Used by See Users
Wars Vietnam War
Laotian Civil War
Cambodian Civil War
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
Salvadoran Civil War
The Troubles
Operation Just Cause
Gulf War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Cambodian–Thai border stand-off
Colombian armed conflict
Insurgency in the Philippines
Bougainville Civil War
2013 Lahad Datu standoff
various others
Production history
Designed 1952–57
Manufacturer Saco Defense
U.S. Ordnance
Unit cost $6,000
Produced 1957–present
Variants See Variants
Specifications
Weight 10.5 kg (23.15 lb)
Length 1,105 mm (43.5 in)
Barrel length 560 mm (22.0 in)

Cartridge 7.62×51mm NATO
Caliber 7.62 mm .308 rnd american. (0.308 in)
Action Gas-operated, short stroke gas piston,open bolt
Rate of fire 500–650 rounds/min (rpm)
Muzzle velocity 2,800 ft/s (853 m/s)
Effective firing range 1,200 yd (1,100 m)
Feed system Disintegrating belt with M13 Links
Sights Iron sights

The M60, officially the United States Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds.

Introduced in 1957, it has served with every branch of the U.S. military and still serves with other armed forces. Its manufacture and continued upgrade for military and commercial purchase continues into the 21st century, although it has been replaced or supplemented in most roles by other designs, most notably the M240 in U.S. service.

The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge (.308 Winchester) commonly used in larger rifles. It is generally used as a crew-served weapon and operated by a team of two or three individuals. The team consists of the gunner, the assistant gunner (AG), and the ammunition bearer. The gun's weight and the amount of ammunition it can consume when fired make it difficult for a single soldier to carry and operate. The gunner carries the weapon and, depending on his strength and stamina, anywhere from 200 to 1000 rounds of ammunition. The assistant carries a spare barrel and extra ammunition, and reloads and spots targets for the gunner. The ammunition bearer carries additional ammunition and the tripod with associated traversing and elevation mechanism, if issued, and fetches more ammunition as needed during firing.

The M60 can be accurately fired at short ranges from the shoulder thanks to its design. This was an initial requirement for the design and a hold-over in concept from the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. It may also be fired from the integral bipod, M122 tripod, and some other mounts.


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