Colt's Unicorn MG: The CMG-3

Published on September 21, 2015
Duration: 27:21

The Colt CMG-3 is an extremely rare 7.62x51mm belt-fed light machine gun developed in the early 1970s. Despite its innovative features like a sliding pistol grip charging mechanism and a symmetrical firing pin, it failed durability testing due to receiver cracking, falling short of the 100,000-round service life requirement. The CMG-3 was a successor to the 5.56mm CMG-2, which also lost out to the Stoner 63 in Navy SEAL trials.

Quick Summary

The Colt CMG-3 is an extremely rare 7.62x51mm NATO belt-fed light machine gun developed in the early 1970s. Despite innovative features like a sliding pistol grip charger and symmetrical firing pin, it failed durability testing due to receiver cracking, preventing its adoption.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and CMG History
  2. 02:06CMG-3 Development and Scarcity
  3. 04:16Durability Issues
  4. 05:43Barrel and Bipod Disassembly
  5. 07:43Feed Mechanism and Sights
  6. 10:18Unique Charging Mechanism
  7. 12:35Receiver and Internal Components
  8. 15:14Bolt and Firing Pin Design
  9. 20:57Drum Magazine and Controls
  10. 23:05Range Testing and Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Colt CMG-3?

The Colt CMG-3 is an extremely rare 7.62x51mm NATO belt-fed light machine gun developed by Colt in the early 1970s. It was designed to offer more firepower than the AR-15 platform in a lighter package than the M60, but suffered from durability issues.

Why is the Colt CMG-3 so rare?

Only about five examples of the Colt CMG-3 were ever manufactured. Its development was cut short due to significant durability problems encountered during long-term testing, specifically receiver cracking under sustained fire.

What were the key design features of the Colt CMG-3?

The CMG-3 featured a unique sliding pistol grip charging mechanism, a symmetrical double-ended firing pin for reliability, and a quick-change barrel system. It was constructed from stamped steel using electron beam welding.

What caused the Colt CMG-3 to be canceled?

The Colt CMG-3 failed long-term durability testing because its receivers tended to crack after a relatively low number of rounds. The military required a minimum service life of 100,000 rounds, which the CMG-3 could not achieve.

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