The First M60 Prototype: FG42 + MG42 = T44

The T44 LMG prototype, a 1946 Springfield Armory project, combined German FG42 and MG42 components to explore post-WWII US light machine gun concepts. Developed by Bridge Tool & Die Works, it aimed to test the feasibility of merging these designs, influencing the later T52 and ultimately the M60.

This review of the M60E3 'The Pig' highlights its design lineage from the Lewis gun and MG42, while detailing significant ergonomic and durability flaws. Issues include a difficult barrel change due to the bipod placement, a fragile fire control group, and gas system components prone to unscrewing. Despite these drawbacks, the M60E3 demonstrates controllable firing characteristics on the range.

This review details the Krieghoff prototype for the FG42 paratrooper rifle, a unique design that competed against Rheinmetall's winning entry. Key features include a bizarre wire stock for weight reduction and recoil absorption, a gas trap system instead of a traditional gas port, and a cable-operated charging handle. Despite its innovative elements, the Krieghoff design was ultimately not selected for production.

This video explores the significant post-war legacy of the German FG42 automatic rifle, despite its limited production. It details how the FG42's innovative design, including its side-mounted magazine and unique firing mechanism, influenced later firearms. Key examples include the British EM-1 Korsak, Swiss Waffenfabrik Bern prototypes, and most notably, the American M60 machine gun, which evolved from an FG42-inspired T44 prototype.

The M240 Bravo, the US Army's FN MAG variant, replaced the M60. It features a simple cross-bolt safety and a unique top cover mechanism with a spring-loaded roller bearing for reliable cycling. The hydraulic buffer in the stock effectively manages recoil, contributing to its stable operation at a rate of fire around 600 rounds per minute.

This review delves into the iconic M-60 machine gun, famously associated with Rambo and the Vietnam War. It highlights the M-60's design lineage from the German MG-42, its operational characteristics like the short-stroke gas system and slow cyclic rate, and its cultural impact. The video features practical demonstrations, including shooting White Claw cans and an old TV, alongside technical explanations of its internal mechanisms and barrel change procedure.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.