.30 cal HMG The wall of Lead.

The .30 cal HMG has been with us for well over 100 years now. Its design was made for one simple purpose to be able to direct a vast amount of rifle caliber firepower on target. Its principal target being enemy infantry. Various different .30 cal HMG's came into there own during WWI, and they sowed devestation across the battlefield of that war. The primary reason for the trench stalemate that came about During WWI was due to this class of weapon. Employment of these weapons is still the same today, generaly placed in a field fortification, it's elaboration time dependent, with access to a good field a fire. its purpose is to stop any attempt by infantry to advance; in essence to be a wall of lead.

Why are you just making these statements?

Although many here have a good understanding of weapon systems not all may. I did what I thought helpful in explaining the rolls of the .30 cal mg, as well as the .50 cal mg. And if it is wished I will write other such observations about other weapons systems. I am confused only as to why such statements as I have presented them should be percieved as a problem?

Not a problem just I couldn't see anything to discuss and thus making it born dead if you see what I mean.

in reality can a soldier hold a .30cal up to its iron sight while standing and fire continuously for, say about 30 rounds? Do soldiers hip fire .30cal?

well the most likley thing one would do if using a thirtycal would be to use a tri-pod or something simular.

A .30 would be fired with a bipod,

Iron sights could be used when crouching

When standing it could only really be fired from the hip as
A) the recoil would render the sight useless
B) the recoil would break your face
C) the recoil would also break your arm
D) you probably wouldn't be able to lift it that high anyway

But the M1919 Browning 30.Cal was invented in 1919 (1 year after WW1 ended) unless you mean a diffferent 30.

do YOU mean the one that is simular to the vickers mg? the one with a big round watercooled barrel? (well atleast i think it's water cooled) in that case we are talking about the same gun, it's still not recomanded to use it to fire from the hip or from your shoulder.

The actual .30 cal cartridge was brought into use in 1906, so the cartridge is over 100 years old, but I don't think any of the HMG's are. The Browning 1917 was used during WW1, it was the large water cooled variant, the 1919 was the air cooled version.  You could certainly fire the 1919 from the hip ... heres some evidence -



Down the iron-sight while standing may have been a little more difficult, but could be achieved if you had shoulders of steel and didn't mind some bruising. It would probably have been discouraged since HMG's are designed to be support weapons... using your HMG to snipe enemies would have gotten you a broken face, not from the recoil, but from your commanding officer :P

The 1917 would be impossible to fire from the hip, never mind the sight, due to its weight (50 odd kilos), it'd be like trying to simultaneously carry and fight a 10 year old child that's stronger than you.

The Vickers gun was larger .303 calibre which doesn't really class as a .30 cal. Besides, its only 97 years old.

Last edited March 19, 2009 at 12:17 PM by BurroDiablo

i just ment it looked simular to the vickers not anything else, most hmg that are watercooled is looking cinda like the vickers. even the maxim is simular to the vickers.

Vickers bought the Maxim Company before WW1. They improved the design of the Maxim then changed the name, thats why the Vickers kinda looks like the Maxim. Most of the older HMG's used the Maxim's tried and tested design because it was a success; it had some flaws, like jamming at inoppertune times, but most countries managed to address these problems themselves and fielded improved versions, hence the Vickers, Maschinengewehr 08, Browning 1917 and Lewis versions that all essentially look the same. Its probably also the reason World War 1 was such a massive stalemate until Tanks were introduced... everybody was using the same kind of frigging gun!

woah123 wrote:
But the M1919 Browning 30.Cal was invented in 1919 (1 year after WW1 ended) unless you mean a different 30.

ah you see the Americans had the Browing in world war one so i don't see what you mean? Also they were just afraid to use it for fear of it going to germany