[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department Technical Manual, TM-E 30-451: Handbook on German Military Forces published in March 1945. — Figures and illustrations are not reproduced, see source details. — As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. — Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.] CHAPTER VII. WEAPONS Section II. SMALL ARMS 6. Machine Guns a. MODEL 34 MACHINE GUN (M.G. 34). (1) General description. This weapon (Figs. 12 and 13) was the original standard German dual-purpose machine gun and is still used, although it has been replaced largely by the M.G. 42. (M.G. is the German abbreviation for Maschinengewehr, which means "machine gun".) It may be used on a bipod, on single or dual AA mounts, or mounted on a tripod as a heavy machine gun. It still is used as the subsidiary armament of all German tanks. It is operated by short recoil, assisted by muzzle blast, and has a standard Solothurn-type breech mechanism. The gun has a leaf rear sight graduated from 200 to 2,000 meters (219 to 2,190 yards), an AA ring sight, and an optical sight for use with the tripod mount. It is fed either by 50-round metallic-link belts, which may be connected together, or by drums. The weapon is air-cooled by a perforated barrel jacket. (2) Characteristics. Caliber   . . . . .   7.92 mm (0.312 inch). Length, over-all   . . . . .   48 inches. Weight with bipod   . . . . .   26 1/2 pounds. Weight with tripod   . . . . .   42 pounds. Feed   . . . . .   Belt or drum. Rate of fire     (cyclic)   . . . . .   900 rounds per minute.     (practical)   . . . . .   As LMG 100 to 120 rounds per minute.     As Hv MG 300 rounds per minute. Effective range   . . . . .   As LMG 600 to 800 yards.     As Hv MG 2,000 to 2,500 yards. (3) Ammunition. The M.G. 34 fires 7.92-mm rimless small-arms ammunition. b. MODEL 42 MACHINE GUN (M.G. 42). (1) General description. This is the latest type of German machine gun known and in most cases has replaced the M.G. 34 as a standard dual-purpose weapon (Fig. 14). Like the M.G. 34, it may be used on a fixed bipod, a tripod mount, or an antiaircraft mount. The square barrel casing makes this machine gun unsuitable as a tank weapon. The main features of the weapon are the extensive use of pressings in its construction, a greatly increased rate of fire, and a quick barrel change feature necessitated by the high rate of fire which causes the gun to heat rapidly. The weapon is fundamentally similar to the M.G. 34 and has the same short recoil action. It has no provision for single-shot fire, however. (2) Characteristics. Caliber   . . . . .   7.92 mm (0.312 inch). Length, over-all   . . . . .   49 inches. Weight   . . . . .   23 3/4 pounds. Rate of fire     (cyclic)   . . . . .   1,200 to 1,400 rounds per minute.     (practical)   . . . . .   As LMG 250 rounds per minute.     As Hv MG 500 rounds per minute. Effective range   . . . . .   As LMG 600 to 800 yards.     As Hv MG 2,000 to 2,500 yards. (3) Ammunition. This machine gun fires the standard German 7.92-mm rimless ammunition. c. MODEL 15 MACHINE GUN (M.G. 15). (1) General description. Although primarily intended as an aircraft machine gun, the M.G. 15 has been adopted as a ground weapon (Fig. 15), using an adapter, which clips around the barrel for attaching the standard bipod, and a butt extension. It is a light weapon and has short recoil action, firing automatic only. (2) Characteristics. Caliber   . . . . .   7.92 mm (0.312 inch). Length, over-all   . . . . .   42 inches. Weight   . . . . .   15 pounds 12 ounces. Feed   . . . . .   75-round saddle magazine. Rate of fire     (cyclic)   . . . . .   1,000 rounds per minute.     (practical)   . . . . .   300 rounds per minute. (3) Ammunition. The standard 7.92-mm rimless ammunition is used in this machine gun. d. MODEL 151/20 MACHINE GUN (M.G. 151/20). (1) General description. Although primarily an aircraft machine gun (Fig. 16), it also has been found on an improvised ground mount as an antitank weapon and triple-mounted on a half-tracked vehicle. When used on the ground, the gun is hand cocked and mechanically fired, instead of utilizing the electrical cocking and firing mechanism provided for its use in aircraft. The gun is entirely recoil-operated. The 15-mm M.G. 151 is sometimes used instead of the M.G. 151/20 on the triple mount. It often is supposed that these two are the same gun fitted with interchangeable barrels; this is not the case, although the guns are very similar in construction. (2) Characteristics. Caliber   . . . . .   20 mm (0.787 inch). Length, over-all   . . . . .   69 3/4 inches. Weight   . . . . .   93 1/2 pounds. Feed   . . . . .   Disintegrating metallic-link belt. Rate of fire   . . . . .   800 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   2,656 feet per second. (3) Ammunition. This gun fires HE, AP, and APHE ammunition.

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