Tag Archives: M2 Browning

Going Loud

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You just gotta love a fiddy. Because 761-grains of armor-piercing incendiary tracer can send just the right message sometimes when folks get too close for comfort. 

Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Mackinze Hallhanna fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a live-fire exercise aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 21, 2021) Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Mackinze Hallhanna fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a live-fire exercise aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Sept. 21, 2021. Kearsarge is conducting surface warfare advanced tactical training (SWATT). SWATT provides the fleet opportunities to complete the reps and sets required for increased lethality and tactical proficiency. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jesse Schwab) 210921-N-MZ836-1025

The Navy’s third Pascagoula-built Wasp-class amphibious assault ship and the fifth to carry the name, the WWII aircraft carrier-sized Kearsarge relies on her escorts for principal defense but has twin Sea Sparrow and twin RAM launchers for taking care of close-in missiles and aircraft, as well as a pair of CIWS and four Mk 38 25mm cannons as a last-ditch along with the weapons of her embarked Marines. Oh yeah, and up to 8 pintel mounts for Ma Deuce .50 cals.

Because some folks just want belt feds, man

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Folks have been making semi-auto belt-fed machine gun clones for years. Why? Well, I guess, why not, right?

I mean, if you always wanted, say, an M1919, M60, or M249 but live in a state where it is unlawful for a “civilian” to own such hardware– even if it is transferrable and you pay the average $30K going rate for it– or just don’t want to jump through the NFA hoops, which can leave your family in an odd legal space should you pass without having it in a trust, these semi-autos make a certain sense.

These days, FN sells the M249S, a semi-automatic version of the SAW light machine gun, for $8,499.

Plus, if you are really into historical reenacting, such a piece can instantly catapult the user into a key player at the next event. For instance, I have a buddy that does WWII living history at Fort Morgan/Gaines/Battleship Alabama and has a fairly correct firing NFA-compliant MG42/M53 that always gets lots of attention.

Along that vein, Ohio Ordnance Works– a company that makes full-up M2 .50 cals for Mil/Gov customers as well as the semi-auto M1918A3 BAR for the rest of us– now has a “no stamps required” Ma Deuce, the M2 SLR .50 cal.

“Starting to ship on Dec 7th, 2021… what the people want, the people get!” says OOW. (Photo: OOW)

More in my column at Guns.com.

That will get your attention

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A relatively quiet day during the Battle of the Bulge: Posed U.S. Army Signal Corps photo of an 82nd Airborne Div machine gun nest “somewhere in the Ardennes.”

Note the big M2 .50-caliber Browning heavy machine gun in a ground defense role with a spare barrel literally chilling out to the left. “Ma Deuce” still fills this same role today, and will likely for generations to come. Turns out you just can’t beat 100~ rounds of 671-grain APIT headed out per minute as long as the ammo holds up.

Also, note the M1919 .30-06 light Browning to the right for close-in work. Together with the above set-up, this one post can own that field out to 2,000m against advancing infantry– until the StuGs and panzers show up anyway, at which point it becomes time to rapidly displace to the rear.