|
Gun, Machine, Caliber .30, Browning, M1919A4 |
||
|
? |
||
|
Browning M1919 |
||
|
Type |
Medium machine gun |
|
|
Place of origin |
United States |
|
|
Service history |
||
|
In service |
1919–1970s (U.S.) |
|
|
Used by |
See Users |
|
|
Wars |
World War II, Korean War, Congo Crisis, Vietnam War, Bush War |
|
|
Production history |
||
|
Designed |
1919 |
|
|
Produced |
1919–1945 |
|
|
Variants |
A1–A6; M37 |
|
|
Specifications |
||
|
Weight |
31 lb (14 kg) (M1919A4) |
|
|
Length |
37.94 in (964 mm) (M1919A4) |
|
|
53 in (1346 mm) (M1919A6) |
||
|
Barrel length |
24 in (609 mm) |
|
|
Cartridge |
.30-06 Springfield (U.S.) |
|
|
7.62 x 51 mm NATO (U.S.) |
||
|
.303 British |
||
|
8 mm Mauser |
||
|
? |
||
|
Action |
Recoil-operated/short-recoil operation |
|
|
Rate of fire |
400–600 round/min |
|
|
Muzzle velocity |
2,800 ft/s (853.6 m/s) |
|
|
Effective range |
1,500 yd (1,370 m) (maximum) |
|
|
Feed system |
250-round belt |
|
The Browning M1919 is a .30 caliber medium machine gun family widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Although it began to be superseded by newer designs in the later half of the century (such as by the M60 machine gun), it remained in use in many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries and elsewhere for much longer.
Many M1919s were rechambered for the new 7.62 × 51 mm NATO round and served into the 1990s, as well as up to the present day in some countries. The United States Navy also converted many to 7.62 mm NATO, and designated them Mk 21 Mod 0; they were commonly used on river craft in the 1960s and 1970s in Vietnam.
