Rheinmetall MG 60

The Rheinmetall MG60 is a general-purpose machine gun of West German origin. The weapon is a post-World War II derivative of the MG 45 experimental general-purpose machine gun.

Rheinmetall MG 60
TypeGeneral-purpose machine gun
Place of originWest Germany
Production history
DesignerJohannes Großfuß
Designed1960
ManufacturerRheinmetall
No. built2 prototypes
Specifications
Mass8.6 kg (19.0 lb)
Length1,115 mm (43.9 in)
Barrel length500 mm (19.7 in)

Cartridge7.62×51mm NATO
Caliber7.62 mm
ActionRoller-delayed blowback
Rate of fire800-1,000 rounds per minute
Effective firing range800 mm (0.9 yd)
Feed systembelt

The former owner of the Metall und Lackierwarenfabrik Johannes Großfuß AG (Metal and lacquer ware factory Johannes Großfuß corporation) and boss of MG 42 and MG 45 chief designer Werner Gruner had fled to the West after World War II also held all the essential MG 42 patents and became a consultant for Rheinmetall in West Germany. There Johannes Großfuß headed machine gun production in Düsseldorf-Derendorf and was probably also significantly involved in the development of the MG 60. After World War II Werner Gruner worked in the Soviet Union and later in East Germany, and was not involved in the development of this general-purpose machine gun.[1] The MG 60 is lighter in weight and has a significant lower cyclic rate of fire compared to the MG 42 and MG 45 and has an unusual trigger guard.

References

  1. Weisswange, Jan-P. "Sweet little Sixty - das MG60" (in German). Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.

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