Quote:
Originally Posted by Platapus
Trying to change an M-60 barrel in combat conditions is a world of fun.... not.
We used to think that it would be better just to carry an extra m-60 with you and switch out. 
Anyone remember the "LC-80"? |
That was one of the serious design flaws of the M-60 the bipod was attached directly to the barrel which meant that the gun was in two halves when the barrel was changed very bad in combat on the MG42(one of the supposed inspirations for the M-60) the barrel is inside a shroud and the bipod is part of the shroud so when the barrel is changed the gun is not in two halves.The FNMAG(aka the GPMG "Gimpy" to the Brits and the M240 to the US) was innovative in that it took the good desgin features of the MG42 but took away the bad high RPM the MG42 had too high a ROF and ate barrels up like made as well as ammo the FNMAG also was one of the first MGs to have the bipod mount closer towards the center of balance of the weapon and not near the end of the barrel and that improves stability alot.
The funny thing is that the FNMAG was available on the market in 1957 and many nations including the UK quickly made it their standard LMG but not the Us no sir we had to use the better engineered(not) M-60 until they started mounting a version of the FNMAG on M1A1s as the coaxial weapon some smart Marines realized that the gun was far better than the M-60 and they jury ordered stocks for them making the M-240G after that the DOD realized that the M-240 kicked the M-60s but and they made it the standard MG only 40 years after many nations had already discovered this.The M-240 is the only small to have received a 100% confidence rating from troops.
The selection of 5.56mm as the new NATO caliber had everything to do with the US NATO does what the US wants the US in the mid 70's was already set on 5.56 and that was that.
I have never heard of an LC-80 though did it go by another name? I assume your are referring to some firearm.Nothing shows up searching for LC-80 well Land Rovers do but no firearms.
As to H&K i think they are sort of snobby and "nothing is ever wrong with our guns" besides the fact that they are often over priced and they often have design flaws I have heard many owners of H&K pistols complain that the magazines are too fragile and that the safety catches and magazine release button/catch are too easily depressed by accident at the times when you do not want your magazine dropping out or inadvertently tripping the safety I have seen both of these complaints even come from some fairly experienced shooters.I do not own any H&K weapons myself but I have fired some G-36s with some German troops before and I honestly was not overly impressed with the G-36 now the G-3 I thought was a great rifle.