Heavy machine guns of greater than 12 mm caliber are the most powerful firearm. They are capable to engage lightly armored targets, aircraft, and infantry. They take a special place in the classification of firearms, and the most powerful models are very close to artillery weapons. Heavy machine guns often have much in common with autocannons when it comes to design and use. Some large-caliber machine guns can fire even more powerful shots than small-caliber autocannons do.
Let’s have a look at the review of heavy machine guns from different countries. The following machine guns are designed for use by different military branches, but machine guns for aircraft were left beyond the scope of this article. Here you can find heavy machine guns from the very first German MG 18 TuF developed at the end of World War I to new models like CS/LM5, which is designed in the 21st century.
GB, 12, 75 mm Vickers .50. It was accepted into service in 1933. The Vickers .50 uses 12.7×81mm cartridges; it has a fire rate of 500 – 600 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 770 m/s. A naval quad mount featured a 200-round magazine per barrel. The machine gun weighs 29 kg
Germany. 12.7 mm MG 18 TuF. The MG 18 TuF fires 13.25 × 92 mm SR cartridges; it has a fire rate of 300 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 805 m/s. It weighs 133.7 kg. It is the first large-caliber machine gun in the world, which was designed in 1918 for use against Entente tanks. It was accepted into service by the Kaiser’s army; however, it is estimated that only 50 gun were actually built
Italy. The Breda-SAFAT da 12,7 mm was designed in 1935. It fires 12.7 × 81 mm SR Breda cartridges and has a fire rate of 800 — 900 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 765 m/s. The mass equals 29 kg. Initially, it was designed as an aircraft machine gun and had also another variant with the lower fire rate of 575 rounds per minute. But many assembled guns were later modified into infantry and anti-aircraft versions. It was also mounted as the main gun on some C.V. 3 tankettes
China. CS/LM5. It was first introduced in 2012. The gun has three revolving barrels of 12.7 mm caliber and fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 1000-2000 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity equals 810 m/s
China. 14.5 mm QJG-02. It was accepted into service in 2002 and was intended to replace the Type 58 machine gun, a copy of the Soviet KPV. The QJG-02 fires14.5 × 114 mm cartridges and has a fire rate of 500 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 995 m/s. The mass equals 75 kg (if the gun is mounted on a tripod) and110 kg (if the gun is mounted on a wheeled platform)
China. 12.7 mm QJZ-89. It was first introduced in 1997. The gun fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges and has a fire rate of 450 — 600 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 825 m/s. The mass equals 17.5 kg and 26.5 kg with a tripod. One of the lightest modern large-caliber machine guns
China. 12.7 mm Type 77. It was designed in 1977. The gun fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 — 700 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 800 m/s. The mass equals 28 kg and 56.3 kg with a tripod
China. 12.7 mm Type 85. It has been producing since 1985. It fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; the fire rate is 650 — 700 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 800 m/s. Bullets with a tungsten core are propelled to speeds up to 1150 m/s. The mass equals 24 kg and 42.5 kg with a tripod. The Type 85 is an improved version of the Type 77 machine gun
Russia. 12.7 mm Cord. The machine gun is in service since 1998. It fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 — 650 rounds per minute and the muzzle velocity is 820 — 860 m/s. The mass equals 25.5 kg. It can be mounted on the 6T7 platform (16 kg) or on the 6T19 bipod (7 kg). It was designed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and was intended to replace the NSV machine gun because the main production center for the NSV was located in what is now Kazakhstan
Singapore. 12.7 mm CIS 50MG. Its production started in 1988. The gun is still in service in Singapore and Indonesia. The CIS 50MG fires 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate is 400 — 600 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 890 m/s. The mass equals 30 kg. The CIS 50MG is equipped with a dual belt-feed system, the system allows for fast and easy switching of ammunition
USSR. 12.7 mm DShK. It entered service in 1938. The DShK fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 – 1200 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 840–860 m/s. The mass equals 33.5 kg and 157 kg if the machine gun is mounted on a wheeled platform. The gun is or was in service in more than 40 countries
USSR. 14, 55 mm KPV. It was developed in 1944. The KPV fires 14.5 × 114 mm cartridges; its fire rate equals 550 — 600 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 945-1005 m/s. The mass equals 52.3 kg. The KPV is the most powerful of the modern machine guns, its muzzle energy is 31 kJ. For comparison, the American 12.7 mm Browning M2 has only 17 kJ, and the 20-mm ShVAK autocannon has 28 kJ. In the photo, you can see the ZPU-2 towed anti-aircraft gun based on two KPVs
USSR/ Russia. 12,7 mm NSV, also known as the «Utyos» (the lonely cliff in English). It entered service in 1971. The NSV fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 700 — 800 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 845 m/s. The mass equals 25 kg or 41 kg if the machine gun is mounted on the 6T7 platform. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its main production center called «Metallist» was located in Uralsk, Kazakhstan. Nowadays the NSV is being produced in India, Poland (NSW and WKM-B), Serbia (Zastava M02 Coyote, Zastava M87, M07), and Ukraine (KT-12.7, KM-12.7)
USA. 12.7 mm water-cooled Browning M1921. It was designed in 1921 and entered production in 1929. The Browning M1921 fires 12.7 × 99 mm cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry variant is 500 — 650 rounds per minute, but the aircraft version can reach 1200 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 823 m/s. The mass equals 35.8 kg or 54.8 kg with a tripod
USA. 12.7 mm Browning M2. It was developed in 1933 and is still in service in many countries. The M2 fires 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry variant is 485 — 635 rounds per minute, but the aircraft version can reach 1200 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 855-895 m/s. It weighs 38.22 kg or 58.6 kg with a tripod and T&E. Over 3 million guns were assembled
USA. 12.7 mm GAU-19. It entered production in 1983. It has three revolving barrels that fire 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry version is 1300 rounds per minute, the aircraft version can reach 2000 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 887 m/s. The GAU-19 is currently in service in the USA, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, and Oman
Czechoslovakia. 15 mm ZB-60. It entered production in 1937. The ZB-60 fires 15 × 104 mm Brno cartridges; its fire rate is 430 rounds per minute, the muzzle velocity is 895-905 m/s. The mass equals 55 kg or 159 kg if the machine gun is mounted on a tripod. During the Second World War, the ZB-60 was the most powerful machine gun. Its muzzle energy is about 30 kJ. It was initially designed as a rapid-firing anti-tank autocannon.
Heavy machine guns of greater than 12 mm caliber are the most powerful firearm. They are capable to engage lightly armored targets, aircraft, and infantry. They take a special place in the classification of firearms, and the most powerful models are very close to artillery weapons. Heavy machine guns often have much in common with autocannons when it comes to design and use. Some large-caliber machine guns can fire even more powerful shots than small-caliber autocannons do.
Let’s have a look at the review of heavy machine guns from different countries. The following machine guns are designed for use by different military branches, but machine guns for aircraft were left beyond the scope of this article. Here you can find heavy machine guns from the very first German MG 18 TuF developed at the end of World War I to new models like CS/LM5, which is designed in the 21st century.
GB, 12, 75 mm Vickers .50. It was accepted into service in 1933. The Vickers .50 uses 12.7×81mm cartridges; it has a fire rate of 500 – 600 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 770 m/s. A naval quad mount featured a 200-round magazine per barrel. The machine gun weighs 29 kg
Germany. 12.7 mm MG 18 TuF. The MG 18 TuF fires 13.25 × 92 mm SR cartridges; it has a fire rate of 300 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 805 m/s. It weighs 133.7 kg. It is the first large-caliber machine gun in the world, which was designed in 1918 for use against Entente tanks. It was accepted into service by the Kaiser’s army; however, it is estimated that only 50 gun were actually built
Italy. The Breda-SAFAT da 12,7 mm was designed in 1935. It fires 12.7 × 81 mm SR Breda cartridges and has a fire rate of 800 — 900 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 765 m/s. The mass equals 29 kg. Initially, it was designed as an aircraft machine gun and had also another variant with the lower fire rate of 575 rounds per minute. But many assembled guns were later modified into infantry and anti-aircraft versions. It was also mounted as the main gun on some C.V. 3 tankettes
China. CS/LM5. It was first introduced in 2012. The gun has three revolving barrels of 12.7 mm caliber and fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 1000-2000 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity equals 810 m/s
China. 14.5 mm QJG-02. It was accepted into service in 2002 and was intended to replace the Type 58 machine gun, a copy of the Soviet KPV. The QJG-02 fires14.5 × 114 mm cartridges and has a fire rate of 500 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 995 m/s. The mass equals 75 kg (if the gun is mounted on a tripod) and110 kg (if the gun is mounted on a wheeled platform)
China. 12.7 mm QJZ-89. It was first introduced in 1997. The gun fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges and has a fire rate of 450 — 600 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 825 m/s. The mass equals 17.5 kg and 26.5 kg with a tripod. One of the lightest modern large-caliber machine guns
China. 12.7 mm Type 77. It was designed in 1977. The gun fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 — 700 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 800 m/s. The mass equals 28 kg and 56.3 kg with a tripod
China. 12.7 mm Type 85. It has been producing since 1985. It fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; the fire rate is 650 — 700 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 800 m/s. Bullets with a tungsten core are propelled to speeds up to 1150 m/s. The mass equals 24 kg and 42.5 kg with a tripod. The Type 85 is an improved version of the Type 77 machine gun
Russia. 12.7 mm Cord. The machine gun is in service since 1998. It fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 — 650 rounds per minute and the muzzle velocity is 820 — 860 m/s. The mass equals 25.5 kg. It can be mounted on the 6T7 platform (16 kg) or on the 6T19 bipod (7 kg). It was designed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and was intended to replace the NSV machine gun because the main production center for the NSV was located in what is now Kazakhstan
Singapore. 12.7 mm CIS 50MG. Its production started in 1988. The gun is still in service in Singapore and Indonesia. The CIS 50MG fires 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate is 400 — 600 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 890 m/s. The mass equals 30 kg. The CIS 50MG is equipped with a dual belt-feed system, the system allows for fast and easy switching of ammunition
USSR. 12.7 mm DShK. It entered service in 1938. The DShK fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 600 – 1200 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 840–860 m/s. The mass equals 33.5 kg and 157 kg if the machine gun is mounted on a wheeled platform. The gun is or was in service in more than 40 countries
USSR. 14, 55 mm KPV. It was developed in 1944. The KPV fires 14.5 × 114 mm cartridges; its fire rate equals 550 — 600 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 945-1005 m/s. The mass equals 52.3 kg. The KPV is the most powerful of the modern machine guns, its muzzle energy is 31 kJ. For comparison, the American 12.7 mm Browning M2 has only 17 kJ, and the 20-mm ShVAK autocannon has 28 kJ. In the photo, you can see the ZPU-2 towed anti-aircraft gun based on two KPVs
USSR/ Russia. 12,7 mm NSV, also known as the «Utyos» (the lonely cliff in English). It entered service in 1971. The NSV fires 12.7 × 108 mm cartridges; its fire rate is 700 — 800 rounds per minute, and the muzzle velocity is 845 m/s. The mass equals 25 kg or 41 kg if the machine gun is mounted on the 6T7 platform. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, its main production center called «Metallist» was located in Uralsk, Kazakhstan. Nowadays the NSV is being produced in India, Poland (NSW and WKM-B), Serbia (Zastava M02 Coyote, Zastava M87, M07), and Ukraine (KT-12.7, KM-12.7)
USA. 12.7 mm water-cooled Browning M1921. It was designed in 1921 and entered production in 1929. The Browning M1921 fires 12.7 × 99 mm cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry variant is 500 — 650 rounds per minute, but the aircraft version can reach 1200 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 823 m/s. The mass equals 35.8 kg or 54.8 kg with a tripod
USA. 12.7 mm Browning M2. It was developed in 1933 and is still in service in many countries. The M2 fires 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry variant is 485 — 635 rounds per minute, but the aircraft version can reach 1200 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 855-895 m/s. It weighs 38.22 kg or 58.6 kg with a tripod and T&E. Over 3 million guns were assembled
USA. 12.7 mm GAU-19. It entered production in 1983. It has three revolving barrels that fire 12.7 × 99 mm NATO cartridges; the fire rate of an infantry version is 1300 rounds per minute, the aircraft version can reach 2000 rounds per minute. The muzzle velocity is 887 m/s. The GAU-19 is currently in service in the USA, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, and Oman
Czechoslovakia. 15 mm ZB-60. It entered production in 1937. The ZB-60 fires 15 × 104 mm Brno cartridges; its fire rate is 430 rounds per minute, the muzzle velocity is 895-905 m/s. The mass equals 55 kg or 159 kg if the machine gun is mounted on a tripod. During the Second World War, the ZB-60 was the most powerful machine gun. Its muzzle energy is about 30 kJ. It was initially designed as a rapid-firing anti-tank autocannon.
