A machine gun is a fully-automatic, rifled autoloading long gun designed for sustained suppressive fire.
The first self-powered (not needing external power source like the hand-cranked Gatling gun) machine gun was invented in 1884 - the Maxim gun. Heavier descendants, the first heavy machine guns, were first used on a large scale during World War I, where they changed the face of warfare. Nowadays, their purpose is mainly to provide suppressive fire (to force an enemy to take cover and stop moving by way of extreme volume of fire) or defend a position from enemy attack.
Summary[]
Machine guns are divided into categories by caliber.
- Light machine guns (LMGs) fire intermediate rifle cartridges (such as 5.56x45mm and 5.45x39mm). They can be used by a single soldier. In armies, these are generally assigned to "automatic riflemen", who lay down suppressive fire at the fireteam level.
- They are sometimes called "squad automatic weapons" (SAWs).
- General-purpose machine guns (GPMGs) fire full-powered rifle cartridges (such as 7.62x51mm and 7.62x54mmR). These heavier weapons are used by either one person or two. Militaries generally assign these to specialised squads, with one per infantry platoon, while some use them like LMGs at the squad level.
- They can be called "medium machine guns", but the term is slightly outdated.
- Heavy machine guns (HMGs) fire anti-materiel cartridges (such as 12.7x99mm or 12.7x108mm). These cannot be moved easily, instead being emplaced defensively and manned by one or two soldiers. They can also be found attached to vehicles - as a turret on a light tactical vehicle or armored personnel carrier, or slaved to the main gun of a tank as a "coaxial" weapon.
Light machine guns[]
Light machine guns are chambered in intermediate rifle calibers (the same as assault rifles) that are designed to be employed by a single soldier as a handheld weapon. These weapons are sometimes called the "squad automatic weapon", or SAW. An LMG may be a variant of an existing rifle design (with modifications such as a larger capacity magazine, a heavier barrel, and a bipod for stability) or a unique design specifically for the purpose.
Against most zombies, a headshot from a light machine gun is usually sufficient to destroy the brain, even through a ballistic helmet (as these are not usually rated to stop an intermediate rifle round). However, they may suffer against tougher zombie variants, and some are too heavy and unwieldy for use against raiders in close-quarters battle.
Examples[]
RPK[]
RPK, chambered in 7.62x39mm
Now a family of Russian LMGs, the original RPK is chambered in the 7.62x39mm (7.62 Soviet) cartridge, and was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov for Soviet troops. Derived from the AKM, it uses a heavier and longer barrel, uses a higher capacity magazine, and has a few other changes. While the Soviet military shifted to using the 5.45x39mm, the RPK-74 was designed alongside the AK-74, replacing older weapons.
Later variants include the RPK-74M, which uses polymer furniture instead of wood. A derivative of this called the RPK-201 is chambered in the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, and the RPK-203 (or RPKM) is designed for the older 7.62x39mm cartridge.
This is an example of a rifle-derived LMG and an LMG that feeds from a box magazine. The RPK can feed perfectly well from standard AK magazines of the same calibre, and AKs can feed from larger RPK magazines if necessary.
FN Minimi[]
FN Minimi, chambered in 5.56x45mm
The FN Minimi is a Belgian-made, belt fed LMG, more famously designated by the US military as the "M249". It uses the 5.56x45mm NATO round (similar to .223 Remington), the same as the M16 rifle and the M4 carbine. A shorter, lighter "Para" variant also exists, designed for use by paratroopers.
This is an example of a purpose-designed LMG, as well as a belt-fed one. Notably, the M249 can also accept standard M16 and M4 magazines, but jamming issues are common - it is only recommended to do this in an emergency.
General-purpose machine guns[]
General-purpose machine guns (also known as medium machine guns) occupy the gray area between light machine guns and heavy machine guns. They are chambered in full-powered rifle calibers, are man-portable, are usually belt-fed, and are designed to be fired from a stationary position mounted on a bipod or tripod, although it is possible for one man to carry a GPMG, though it is not advisable. They can also be found mounted to vehicles - they are often used as door guns for military helicopters.
Headshots from GPMGs will easily destroy a zombie's brain, even from a slightly off-centre hit. While they may be able to hold their own against tougher zombie variants, they are useless against raiders in close-quarters battle.
Examples[]
PK[]
A series of Soviet belt-fed GPMGs, the original PK was designed in 1961 by Mikhail Kalashnikov, firing the 7.62x54mmR round - it was designed to replace the post-World War II-era SGM and RP-46 machine guns. The design was later modernised in 1969 and put into production as the PKM - modifications focused on weight reduction, ease of manufacturing, and ease of use.
Russian forces now use the more modern PKP Pecheneg variant, while the PKM has remained a favourite of third-world militaries and insurgent movements.
M60, chambered in 7.62x51mm
FN MAG[]
The FN MAG is a Belgium-made belt-fed GPMG first introduced in the 1950s - this weapon is better known as the M240, its American designation. In the US military, it replaced the Vietnam-era M60. The FN MAG is widely used by Western militaries, including the British Army, who designated it the L7 machine gun. Numerous variants exist, each with their own minor improvements to the design.
M60[]
The M60 is an American GPMG, designed in 1957 and most notably used in Vietnam War by the US military. The M60 fires the 7.62x51mm round.
While it was certainly effective, the M60 had various design flaws. While it was light, it was poorly balanced, making carrying it for long periods awkward. Reliability issues were extensive, with some malfunctions requiring a component replacement or a cleaning rod jammed down the barrel - hard to perform while under combat. The barrel latch could also unlatch accidentally, making the barrel fall off. The M60 also lacked a dedicated grip for changing barrels - as the assistant gunner had to touch the barrel directly to change it, they had to wear gloves to change hot barrels.
Heavy machine guns[]
Heavy machine guns fire anti-materiel cartridges, effective against both humans and unarmored light vehicles such as cars or pickup trucks. They are typically too heavy to be man-portable, and are instead mounted on tripods or on vehicle turrets. It is not possible to fire them unsupported.
HMGs are generally overkill against most zombies. However, they may find a use as settlement defence against more durable zombie variants (if they are present in the setting) or vehicles used by raiders. Mounting them onto a vehicle such as a pickup truck - creating a "technical" - increases their mobility, making them the last word in most engagements against zombies or human raiders.
Examples[]
M2 Browning[]
A venerable design that remains useful today, the M2 Browning was designed in 1933, firing the 12.7x99mm (.50 BMG) cartridge. Frequently used by Western militaries and other military forces supported by them.
DShK[]
The DShK is a Russian equivalent to the M2 Browning, firing the 12.7x108mm (.50 Russian) cartridge. Used by a huge number of third-world regular militaries and irregular forces. In Russian forces, it has mostly been replaced by the more modern NSV "Utyos", or the even more recent Kord machine gun series.
KPV[]
The KPV is a Russian heavy machine gun firing the 14.5x114mm cartridge - a powerful .57 calibre round. While it is no longer used by infantry, it is found on the BTR series of armored personnel carriers and the BDRM series of scout cars.
Pros and Cons[]
Pros[]
- Large magazine capacity - machine guns can feed from large box magazines, drum magazines, or ammo belts.
- Low recoil when stabilised - able to switch targets more easily after firing.
- Excellent full-auto capability - able to suppress human enemies.
- Good heat management - a good shooter shouldn't overheat the weapon in most circumstances, and barrel changes can be done fairly easily by experienced users.
- High-calibre machine guns can harm large zombie variants, especially with armor-piercing ammo.
Cons[]
- Heavy weight - mobility issues both in combat and when travelling. Use of vehicles is recommended to mitigate the latter.
- Heavy machine guns are not man-portable and require a vehicle for greater movement.
- Full-auto capability - inexperienced shooters could waste significant amounts of ammo.
- Cannot be suppressed (usually) - loud gunfire attracts more zombies.
- Requires large amounts of ammo/exotic ammo - could be hard to come across. An ammo-reloading industry at home base could be a good idea, but requires people with technical know-how.
- Machine guns attached to vehicles require technical knowledge and equipment to convert to man-portable versions.