Machine Gun
US Military Machine Gun Designations
The US Military defines the Approved Item Name (AIN) "machine gun" as a weapon that fires small arms ammunition, caliber .60 or 15.24 millimeters or under, automatically and is capable of sustained rapid fire. It can be belt-or link-fed, air-or water-cooled, recoiled, electric or gas operated, and usually fired from a mount. This AIN specifically excludes items covered under Basic Concept Names "cannon" and "rifle". For automatic weapons larger than caliber .60 or 15.24 millimeters, those developing a nomenclature might also look to the Basic Concept Name "gun." Also, while the US Army designates all grenade launchers using the AIN "launcher," the US Navy designates automatic grenade launchers using the AIN "Machine Gun, Grenade," defined as a blowback operated, link belt fed, air cooled, fully automatic weapon, that can fire grenades with anti-personnel fragmentation and light armor piercing capability. This AIN specifically excluses items otherwise covered under the AIN Launcher, Grenade.
| Designation | Notes |
| US Army Machine Gun Designations | |
|---|---|
| Machine Gun, Caliber .30: Browning, M1917 | 7.62x63mm Browning water-cooled machine gun |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .30: Browning, M1919 | 7.62x63mm Browning air-cooled machine gun |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50: Browning, M1 | 12.7x99mm Browning experimental machine gun, never went into production |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .30: Browning, M2 | 7.62x63mm Browning aircraft machine gun; aka AN/M2 |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50: Browning, M2 | 12.7x99mm Browning machine gun |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .30, M3 | 12.7x99mm Browning aircraft machine gun |
| (4-36) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .30, M37 | 7.62x63mm Browning machine gun for fixed vehicle installations |
| (38-59) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M60 | 7.62x51mm Springfield Armory machine gun |
| (61-72) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M73 | 7.62x51mm General Electric machine gun for co-axial use |
| (74-84) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50, M85 | 12.7x99mm General Electric machine gun for co-axial use |
| (86-120) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50, Spotting, XM121 | 12.7x99mm machine gun for use as a spotting weapon; modified M85 |
| (122-132) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm: High Rate, XM133 | 7.62x51mm General Electric gas-powered rotary-barrelled machine gun; aka "Minigun" |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm: High Rate, M134 | 7.62x51mm General Electric electrically-powered rotary-barrelled machine gun; aka "Minigun" |
| (135-160) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm: Tank, XM161 | 7.62x51mm General Electric machine gun for co-axial use; modified M73A1 |
| (162-195) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm: High Rate, XM196 | 7.62x51mm General Electric electrically-powered rotary-barrelled machine gun; aka "Minigun"; modified M134 |
| (197-206) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, XM207 | 5.56mm Cadillac Gage Stoner 63A; LMG configuration |
| (208-212) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50, XM213 | 12.7x99mm Browning machine gun for flexible aircraft installations |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm: High Rate, XM214 | 5.56x45mm General Electric electrically-powered rotary-barrelled machine gun; aka "Microgun" |
| (215-217) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50, XM218 | 12.7x99mm Browning machine gun for flexible aircraft installations |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm: Fixed, M219 | 7.62x51mm General Electric machine gun for co-axial use; modified M73A1 |
| (220-232) | |
| Machine Gun, 6mm, XM233 | 6x45mm Maremount Universal Machine Gun |
| Machine Gun, 6mm, XM234 | 6x45mm Ford Aerospace machine gun |
| Machine Gun, 6mm, XM235 | 6x45mm Rodman Laboratories machine gun |
| (236-237) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, XM238 | 7.62x51mm Springfield Armory machine gun; Specifically for use on the Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle; similar to M60E2 |
| (239) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M240 | 7.62x51mm FN MAG-58 machine gun |
| (241-247) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, XM248 | 5.56x45mm Rodman Laboratories machine gun; modified XM235 |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, M249 | 5.56x45mm FN Minimi machine gun |
| (250-260) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, XM262 | 5.56x45mm Heckler and Koch machine gun; HK 21E rechambered in 5.56x45mm |
| (263-295) | |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50: Aircraft, M296 | 12.7x99mm Browning machine gun for fixed aircraft installations using a solenoid |
| (297-306) | |
| Machine Gun, 25mm: Objective Crew Served, XM307 | 25x59mm General Dynamics ATP Objective Crew Served Weapon/Advanced Crew Served Weapon |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50, XM312 | 12.7x99mm General Dynamics ATP Objective Crew Served Weapon/Advanced Crew Served Weapon |
| Machine Gun, Caliber .50: Lightweight Low Recoil, XM806 | 12.7x99mm General Dynamics ATP LW50 machine gun |
| US Navy Machine Gun Designations | |
| (1-17) | |
| Machine Gun, Grenade, 40mm, Mk 18 | 40x46mm Honeywell manually operated belt-fed grenade launcher |
| Machine Gun, Grenade, 40mm, Mk 19 | 40x53mm NOS Louisville automatic grenade launcher |
| Machine Gun, Grenade, 40mm, Mk 20 | 40x46mm NOS Louisville automatic grenade launcher |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, Mk 21 | 7.62x51mm Browning machine gun; modified M1919A4 |
| (22) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, Mk 23 | 5.56mm Cadillac Gage Stoner 63A; Commando LMG configuration |
| (24-26) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, EX 27 | 5.56x45mm Colt CMG-2 machine gun |
| (28-33) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, EX 34 | 7.62x51mm Hughes externally-powered chain-driven machine gun; aka "Chaingun" |
| (35-42) | |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, Mk 43 | 7.62x51mm US Ordnance machine gun; modified M60E4 |
| (44-45) | |
| Machine Gun, 5.56mm, Mk 46 | 5.56x45mm FN machine gun; modified FN Minimi Special Purpose Weapon |
| Machine Gun, Grenade, 40mm, Mk 47 | 40x53mm General Dynamics Striker 40 automatic grenade launcher; aka Advanced Lightweight Grenade Launcher (ALGL) System |
| Machine Gun, 7.62mm, Mk 48 | 7.62x51mm FN machine gun; aka Lightweight Light Machine Gun |
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