M60 Belt - Revision history

Skizmophonic at 04:24, 25 February 2026

2026-02-25T04:24:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:24, 25 February 2026
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	<hr>		<hr>
	The M60 is ~~a belt~~-~~fed~~ machine gun ~~that fires the~~ 7.62×51mm NATO ~~cartridge~~ (similar to .308 Winchester), ~~which is commonly~~ used ~~in larger rifles~~, ~~such as~~ the [[~~M14~~]].		The M60 is an American general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) chambered in [[7.62×51mm NATO]] (similar in performance to .308 Winchester). It is belt-fed, air-cooled, and intended to be used from a bipod, tripod, or vehicle mounts depending on the role. The M60 is widely associated with U.S. service during the [[Vietnam War]] and is well known by its nickname “The Pig.”
			==HISTORY==
			U.S. Army development of the M60 began after World War II as part of efforts to field a lighter 7.62mm machine gun that could cover both mobile and sustained-fire roles. The final evaluation pattern was type-classified in 1957, drawing on proven concepts from wartime German weapons while incorporating U.S. design and production choices, and it entered widespread service as a replacement for older .30 caliber Brownings in many roles. In practice, the M60 could be employed as a bipod-fired squad weapon, a tripod-mounted sustained-fire gun, or mounted on vehicles, which made it flexible across units and missions.

	~~=HISTORY=~~		In Vietnam, the M60 became a common source of squad and platoon automatic fire, and it was also widely used on vehicles and riverine and aircraft mounts where belt-fed reliability and volume of fire were critical. Field experience highlighted both strengths and weaknesses: troops valued its handling and firepower, but heavy use in tropical conditions and high round counts could accelerate wear in key components and drive maintenance demands. Even with these issues, the M60 became one of the most recognizable U.S. machine guns of the era and remained in service in specialized roles well after newer GPMGs were adopted.
	~~The~~ M60 ~~machine gun began development in the late 1940s as~~ a ~~program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. It was partly derived from German guns~~ of ~~World War II (most notably the FG 42~~ and ~~the MG 42)~~, ~~but~~ it ~~contained American innovations as well. The final evaluation version~~ was ~~designated the T161E3~~. ~~It was intended to replace the [[M1918]] Browning Automatic Rifle~~ and ~~[[M1919A6]] Browning machine gun~~ in ~~the squad automatic weapon role,~~ and in the ~~medium~~ machine ~~gun role. One~~ of the ~~weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG~~.

	~~The [~~[U.S. Army~~]] adopted the T161E3 as the M60 in 1957. The decision to adopt the M60 instead of foreign designs, like modified versions of the proven German MG 42 or the still~~-~~unproven FN MAG~~, ~~was largely due to Congressional requirements that preference be given to the designs of U~~.~~S. arms manufacturers primarily to avoid licensing fees~~, ~~but also to support U~~.S. ~~firms~~.		===Sources===
	~~Many~~ U.S. ~~units used the~~ M60 ~~during the [[Vietnam War]~~] as a squad automatic weapon. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier added two M60 gunners beside the main .50-caliber machine gun while the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two .50-cal mounts.		* [https://archive.org/details/OperatorsManualForM60M122M60d U.S. Army Technical Manual (TM 9-1005-224-10): Operator’s Manual for Machine Gun, 7.62-mm, M60]
			* [https://goordnance.army.mil/history/M60Development.html U.S. Army Ordnance Corps: M60 Development (history overview)]
	~~The M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition.~~ [~~[Vietnam]]'s tropical climate harshly affected weapons, and the M60 was no exception~~. ~~Its light weight led to it being easily damaged and critical parts like the bolt and operating rod wore out quickly~~. ~~Even so, soldiers appreciated the gun's handling, mechanical simplicity, and effective operation from a variety of firing positions~~. United States Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight. Some SEALs had feed chutes from backpacks to have a belt of hundreds of rounds ready to fire without needing to reload.		* [https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30030071 Imperial War Museums: M60 General purpose machinegun (collection entry)]
			* [https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/tm_9-1005-224-24p.pdf U.S. Army RPSTL (TM 9-1005-224-24P): M60 / M122 / M60D repair parts and tools list]
	~~Many incidents demonstrated the effectiveness of the M60 in combat. In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman, a Marine with 1~~/~~5 (1st Battalion~~/~~5th Marine Regiment), used the~~ M60 ~~to engage superior elements of the 324th North Vietnamese Army~~ (~~[[NVA]~~]~~) Division, defeating two enemy machine gun positions and suppressing enemies in his immediate vicinity, then advancing another 50 meters into the face of more attacking NVA.~~
	~~<br>~~[https://en.~~wikipedia~~.~~org~~/~~wiki~~/~~M60_machine_gun SOURCE~~]
	<hr>		<hr>

			<div class="mw-collapsible" style="border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px; width:100%;">
	<gallery mode="packed" heights="400px">		<div style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;">Real-Life Photos</div>
	File:M60MG.jpg		<div class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top:0.5em;">
	File:Soldiers Laying Down Covering Fire.jpg		<gallery mode="packed" heights="400px">
	File:M60 101st Airborne Division Exercise 1972 crop-2000x1125.jpg		File:M60MG.jpg\|M60 machine gun.
	File:M60 2.jpg		File:Soldiers Laying Down Covering Fire.jpg\|Soldiers laying down covering fire with an M60.
	File:M60ww.jpg		File:M60 101st Airborne Division Exercise 1972 crop-2000x1125.jpg\|M60 in training with the 101st Airborne Division, 1972.
	File:Article-taking-the-pig-for-a-walk-history-of-the-m60-4.jpg		File:M60 2.jpg\|M60 machine gun.
	File:615403 6 .jpg		File:M60ww.jpg\|M60 machine gun.
	</gallery>		File:Article-taking-the-pig-for-a-walk-history-of-the-m60-4.jpg\|M60 (“The Pig”) in use.
			File:615403 6 .jpg\|M60 machine gun.
			</gallery>
			</div>
			</div>

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Skizmophonic at 02:16, 14 November 2024

2024-11-14T02:16:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:16, 14 November 2024
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	! rolspan=2 \| [[Weight]]		! rolspan=2 \| [[Weight]]
	\|-		\|-
	\|[[M60]]\|\|[[LMG]]\|\|Auto\|\|600 RPM\|\|9.23° & 2.42° [[ADS]]\|\|2.1° & 0.66° [[ADS]]\|\|0.925\|\|853 m/s\|\|10 g (154.324 gr)\|\|15 kg (33 lbs)		\|[[M60]]\|\|[[LMG]]\|\|Auto\|\|600 RPM\|\|9.23° & 2.42° [[ADS]]\|\|2.1° & 0.66° [[ADS]]\|\|0.925\|\|853 m/s\|\|10 g (154.324 gr)\|\|13 kg (28.66 lbs)
	\|-		\|-
	\|}		\|}

Skizmophonic at 02:13, 14 November 2024

2024-11-14T02:13:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:13, 14 November 2024
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	! rolspan=2 \| [[Weight]]		! rolspan=2 \| [[Weight]]
	\|-		\|-
	\|[[M60]]\|\|[[LMG]]\|\|Auto\|\|~~550~~ RPM\|\|9.23° & 2.42° [[ADS]]\|\|2.1° & 0.66° [[ADS]]\|\|0.925\|\|853 m/s\|\|10 g (154.324 gr)\|\|15 kg (33 lbs)		\|[[M60]]\|\|[[LMG]]\|\|Auto\|\|600 RPM\|\|9.23° & 2.42° [[ADS]]\|\|2.1° & 0.66° [[ADS]]\|\|0.925\|\|853 m/s\|\|10 g (154.324 gr)\|\|15 kg (33 lbs)
	\|-		\|-
	\|}		\|}

Skizmophonic at 07:52, 5 November 2024

2024-11-05T07:52:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:52, 5 November 2024
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			[[Category:Weapons]]
			[[Category:Weapons of Vietnam]]
	{\| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;text-align: center;width:90%"		{\| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;text-align: center;width:90%"
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Skizmophonic at 20:25, 3 November 2024

2024-11-03T20:25:48Z

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Skizmophonic at 20:24, 3 November 2024

2024-11-03T20:24:58Z

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Skizmophonic at 17:43, 11 October 2024

2024-10-11T17:43:24Z

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	! Partial!! Empty		! Partial!! Empty
	\|-		\|-
	\|45\|\|×2.3 = 103.5\|\|×1 = 45\|\|×0.95 = 42.75\|\|×0.6 = 27\|\|×0.55 = 24.75\|\|NO\|\|NO\|\| Seconds\|\| Seconds		\|45\|\|×2.3 = 103.5\|\|×1 = 45\|\|×0.95 = 42.75\|\|×0.6 = 27\|\|×0.55 = 24.75\|\|NO\|\|NO\|\|5.5 Seconds\|\|6.166 Seconds
	\|-		\|-
	\|}		\|}

Skizmophonic at 17:33, 11 October 2024

2024-10-11T17:33:59Z

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	! rowspan=2 \| [[Bayonet]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Bayonet]]
	! rowspan=2 \| [[Rifle Grenades]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Rifle Grenades]]
			! colspan=2 \| Reload Speed
	\|-		\|-
	\|45\|\|×2.3 = 103.5\|\|×1 = 45\|\|×0.95 = 42.75\|\|×0.6 = 27\|\|×0.55 = 24.75\|\|NO\|\|NO		! Partial!! Empty
			\|-
			\|45\|\|×2.3 = 103.5\|\|×1 = 45\|\|×0.95 = 42.75\|\|×0.6 = 27\|\|×0.55 = 24.75\|\|NO\|\|NO\|\| Seconds\|\| Seconds
	\|-		\|-
	\|}		\|}

Skizmophonic: /* HISTORY */

2024-10-10T06:22:34Z

HISTORY

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:22, 10 October 2024
Line 63:		Line 63:
	The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. It was partly derived from German guns of World War II (most notably the FG 42 and the MG 42), but it contained American innovations as well. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. It was intended to replace the [[M1918]] Browning Automatic Rifle and [[M1919A6]] Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role, and in the medium machine gun role. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG.		The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. It was partly derived from German guns of World War II (most notably the FG 42 and the MG 42), but it contained American innovations as well. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. It was intended to replace the [[M1918]] Browning Automatic Rifle and [[M1919A6]] Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role, and in the medium machine gun role. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG.

	The U.S. Army adopted the T161E3 as the M60 in 1957. The decision to adopt the M60 instead of foreign designs, like modified versions of the proven German MG 42 or the still-unproven FN MAG, was largely due to Congressional requirements that preference be given to the designs of U.S. arms manufacturers primarily to avoid licensing fees, but also to support U.S. firms.		The [[U.S. Army]] adopted the T161E3 as the M60 in 1957. The decision to adopt the M60 instead of foreign designs, like modified versions of the proven German MG 42 or the still-unproven FN MAG, was largely due to Congressional requirements that preference be given to the designs of U.S. arms manufacturers primarily to avoid licensing fees, but also to support U.S. firms.
	Many U.S. units used the M60 during the Vietnam War as a squad automatic weapon. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier added two M60 gunners beside the main .50-caliber machine gun while the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two .50-cal mounts.		Many U.S. units used the M60 during the [[Vietnam War]] as a squad automatic weapon. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier added two M60 gunners beside the main .50-caliber machine gun while the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two .50-cal mounts.

	The M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition. Vietnam's tropical climate harshly affected weapons, and the M60 was no exception. Its light weight led to it being easily damaged and critical parts like the bolt and operating rod wore out quickly. Even so, soldiers appreciated the gun's handling, mechanical simplicity, and effective operation from a variety of firing positions. United States Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight. Some SEALs had feed chutes from backpacks to have a belt of hundreds of rounds ready to fire without needing to reload.		The M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition. [[Vietnam]]'s tropical climate harshly affected weapons, and the M60 was no exception. Its light weight led to it being easily damaged and critical parts like the bolt and operating rod wore out quickly. Even so, soldiers appreciated the gun's handling, mechanical simplicity, and effective operation from a variety of firing positions. United States Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight. Some SEALs had feed chutes from backpacks to have a belt of hundreds of rounds ready to fire without needing to reload.

	Many incidents demonstrated the effectiveness of the M60 in combat. In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman, a Marine with 1/5 (1st Battalion/5th Marine Regiment), used the M60 to engage superior elements of the 324th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division, defeating two enemy machine gun positions and suppressing enemies in his immediate vicinity, then advancing another 50 meters into the face of more attacking NVA.		Many incidents demonstrated the effectiveness of the M60 in combat. In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman, a Marine with 1/5 (1st Battalion/5th Marine Regiment), used the M60 to engage superior elements of the 324th North Vietnamese Army ([[NVA]]) Division, defeating two enemy machine gun positions and suppressing enemies in his immediate vicinity, then advancing another 50 meters into the face of more attacking NVA.
	<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun SOURCE]		<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun SOURCE]
	<hr>		<hr>

Skizmophonic at 04:39, 4 October 2024

2024-10-04T04:39:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:39, 4 October 2024
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	! rowspan=2 \| [[Place of Origin]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Place of Origin]]
	! rowspan=2 \| [[Date]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Date]]
	! rowspan=2 \| [[~~Armory~~]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Manufacturer]]
	! rowspan=2 \| Barrel Length		! rowspan=2 \| Barrel Length
	! rowspan=2 \| Total Length		! rowspan=2 \| Total Length

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:39, 4 October 2024
Line 47:		Line 47:
	! rowspan=2 \| [[Place of Origin]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Place of Origin]]
	! rowspan=2 \| [[Date]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Date]]
	! rowspan=2 \| [[~~Armory~~]]		! rowspan=2 \| [[Manufacturer]]
	! rowspan=2 \| Barrel Length		! rowspan=2 \| Barrel Length
	! rowspan=2 \| Total Length		! rowspan=2 \| Total Length