Rheinmetall MG 3

MG 3
MG 3 on display
Type	General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin	West Germany
Service history
In service	1960–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Iran-Iraq War Turkey-PKK conflict War in Afghanistan Yemeni Civil War (2015) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Designed	1959
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall License-built by: Beretta, MKEK, Ellinika Amyntika Systimata, Defense Industries Organization, Military Industry Corporation, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas
Produced	1960–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	10.5 kg (23.15 lb) 27.5 kg (61 lb) (mounted on tripod)
Length	1,225 mm (48.2 in) 1,097 mm (43.2 in) (without stock)
Barrel length	565 mm (22.2 in)
Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO
Action	Recoil-operated, roller locked
Rate of fire	1000–1300 rpm
Muzzle velocity	820 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range	200–1,200 m sight adjustments
Maximum firing range	600 m (1,969 ft) (bipod) 1,200 m (3,937 ft) (tripod mounted) 3,000 m (9,843 ft) (gun carriage) 3,750 m (12,303 ft) (terminal)
Feed system	50-Round non-disintegrating DM1 belt (can be combined in a drum); 100-Round disintegrating DM6/M13 belt
Sights	Open tangent iron sights

The MG 3 is a German general-purpose machine gun chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The weapon's design is derived from the World War II era MG 42 universal machine gun that fired the 7.92×57mm Mauser round.

The MG 3 was standardized in the late 1950s and adopted into service with the newly formed Bundeswehr, where it continues to serve to this day as a squad support weapon and a vehicle-mounted machine gun. The weapon and its derivatives have also been acquired by the armed forces of over 30 countries. Production rights to the machine gun were purchased by Italy (MG 42/59), Spain, Pakistan (MG 1A3), Greece, Iran, Sudan and Turkey.

Production of the first postwar variant of the MG 42 chambered in a standard NATO caliber (designated the MG 1) was launched in 1958 at the Rheinmetall arms factory as requested by the Bundeswehr. Shortly thereafter, the machine gun was modified, receiving a chrome-lined barrel and sights properly calibrated for the new round; this model would be named the MG 1A1 (known also as the MG 42/58).

A further development of the MG 1A1 was the MG 1A2 (MG 42/59), which had a heavier bolt (950 g, compared to 550 g), a new friction ring buffer and was adapted to use both the standard German continuous DM1 ammunition belt and the American M13 disintegrating belt. Further improvements to the weapon's muzzle device, bipod and bolt resulted in the MG 1A3.

Simultaneously, wartime 7.92×57mm MG 42 machine guns that remained in service were converted to chamber the standard 7.62×51mm NATO round and designated MG 2.

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