Info needed.... M.2 (Ma Deuce) .50 Cal Machine gun

[langy71]

Gents does anybody know if the carrying handle on the .50 cal machine gun normally rests downwards or upwards,

I'm working my way through the Meng Magach m6 and the 'ranging gun' above the main gun seems to have the handle pointing / resting 'upwards' and other images I've found seem to have it hanging below the barrel..

is the handle loose so it will rest in any position it's left in ?

pics for reference.

thx for any info

 

[Allen Dewire]

Evening Chris,

The handle for the barrel was loosely attached to it. It was used to hold the old barrel as you would unscrew it from the .50 cal. when you wanted to change it for another. If it was hot, you had an asbestos glove to do the change. Again, the same for screwing the new barrel into the MG. It would normally hang down as the wire loops weren't tight around the barrel. Changed enough of them in my day. HTHs...

Prost
Allen

 

[minitnkr]

Amen.

 

[Airborne01]

Evening Chris,

The handle for the barrel was loosely attached to it. It was used to hold the old barrel as you would unscrew it from the .50 cal. when you wanted to change it for another. If it was hot, you had an asbestos glove to do the change. Again, the same for screwing the new barrel into the MG. It would normally hang down as the wire loops weren't tight around the barrel. Changed enough of them in my day. HTHs...

Prost
Allen

Amen to that Allen!
Steve

 

[langy71]

Evening Chris,

The handle for the barrel was loosely attached to it. It was used to hold the old barrel as you would unscrew it from the .50 cal. when you wanted to change it for another. If it was hot, you had an asbestos glove to do the change. Again, the same for screwing the new barrel into the MG. It would normally hang down as the wire loops weren't tight around the barrel. Changed enough of them in my day. HTHs...

Prost
Allen

Thanks Allen,

So, basing my build on that information I've got a bit of 'scratchery' to rectify the 'wrong' image Meng have used...

 

[langy71]

I'm also guessing that it was 'remotely fired' using some kind of solenoid system,
(given it's position, I'm guessing you wouldn't want to be climbing out of the turret to use it, as it also appears to be in a fixed 'ranging' set-up.)

 

[Jakko]

 

[Allen Dewire]

Sorry Chris,

I can't help you with the Israeli usage on their tanks or how they were controlled. I used to stand behind mine in the cupola of my M113. Holding on to the grips tightly saved me from being thrown out of the cupola a few times though............

Prost
Allen

 

[minitnkr]

Ranging/solenoid are correct.

 

[langy71]

Brilliant video @Jakko good to see it going full auto at the end,

although it does seem to be a bit of a faff to set it up .. you certainly wouldn't' want to have to change the barrel when the 'sh%t is getting real'

thx mate

 

[langy71]

Ranging/solenoid are correct.

thx buddy

 

[Jakko]

it does seem to be a bit of a faff to set it up .. you certainly wouldn't' want to have to change the barrel when the 'sh%t is getting real'

That’s why the modern versions have a quick-change barrel, which, incidentally, the Americans were pretty slow to adopt.

 

[rtfoe]

I have a question...how much constant firing before you need to change the barrel after it gets too hot?

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Jakko]

I tried finding that by looking at some manuals online, but they don’t appear to say. The point of the heavy barrel (the gun discussed here is the M2 HB variant) was to have it absorb more heat so it wouldn’t overheat as rapidly as the previous types with a lighter barrel, while avoiding the water cooling that another variant had, so I guess this succeeded?

 

[Mini Me]

All this depends on several factors........all the gunner needs to know is....when your shots start to wander off target you have lost your dope due to core shift in the barrel metal (caused by hi temp).........time to change the barrel. If that is not possible, fight on and try to compensate for the shift in accuracy....not always consistent.

 

[Airborne01]

A good gunner and his No.2 will not allow these circumstances to develop unless absolutely necessary - a barrel change after, say five or six belts in the sustained fire role will improve overall accuracy, prolong barrel life and reduce fouling and potential stoppages! Where more than one gun is engaged the barrel changes can be synchronised to avoid any 'gaps' in the overall weight of fire delivered to the beaten zone!
Steve

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks guys, how many rounds are there in a belt and how many belts are in a can for a 50 cal.?

 

[rtfoe]

Another quick question...spare barrels are carried on turrets or in the tank. What about foot infantry machine gun crew, does it have a packing?

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Mini Me]

During WW2 there was an item of web gear to contain one replacement barrel for the .50 cal. I do not know how many were carried or by who, but I have one of these canvas carriers in my WW2 collection.......I could dig it out and post a pic. if you like. I don't have a barrel for it but I do have a .30 cal. replacement barrel in the collection. In answer to you question as to how many rounds to a belt/box. .50 cal. ammo was loaded in a metalic self disintegrating belt of 120 rds. ea. with one belt per box during WW2. I have a belt (fabric) of 250 rds. of .30 cal. "fruit salad", consisting of one rd. of Ball, one rd. of AP, and one rd. of Incendiary, Tracer ('ats right JR) continuously. The weight of a can of .30 cal. is quite heavy (over 10 lbs. I'm guessing) can't imagine what a can of .50 weighs.

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks for that Rick, I'm assuming an engagement doesn't last very long so with the slow firing rate of the 50cal, I will see a barrel change happening in a firefight. Metal ought to heat up and cool relatively fast so by the next engagement it would be back to zero temperature.
Would firing in short bursts lengthen the heating up? I think it should.

Cheers,
Richard