The British Issue GPMG

Without a dought this is a great piece of kit, I have used this weapon system in the light role and the SF role and was always impressed with its perfomance.
They tried to take it away from us in the light role with the introduction of the SA80 system and use two LSWs as an alternative. The GPMG is a battle winner and after a few red faces it was re-issued in the light role I believe in certain Infantry units ?
The Americans got in on the act of the GPMG issuing their own verstion to replace their M60s in Infantry units.The yanks love it and have now issued the GPMG to their Helicopter fleets with spade grips as a modification.
Why is it on British CH-47 Chinooks we use the M60 on the rear ramp and the left hand side forward gunners position ? Why use a weapon that is not as good as our GPMG and use a weapon with a slower rate of fire ? Puma and Lynx both use the GPMG but Im not sure about the new Merlin unless it uses a Gatling gun ?
One thing I have seen with the American version of the GPMG is the heat sheild for the barrel which is a good idea ( I always use to wear gloves on the Gimpy to be on the safe side) or is it ? Would this new modification hamper a " barrel change" giving away vital seconds ?
I did hear MOD pressed stocks of Ex- Argy GPMGs into service with our forces after the Falklands with the lessons learnt from air attacks ?I did see 4 brand spanka"s in our Armoury in the mid 80s so I hope they are still buying them ?
Long live the GPMG and a very long future service career as Im sure its saving the lives of our lads on operations today

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

 

don't forget the Canadians have been using it for probably as long as the brits as well, having bought it along with the FN (SLR).

They have also modified a load with spade grips to use as top cover on the armoured G-Wagen...see the first pic in this slideshow for an example

http://www.cbc.ca/news/photogalleries/afghanistan_kandahar/kandahar1.html?gallery=kandahar1

 

The chinook has to use the M60 as a clause in the contract, I believe.

 

M60 or GPMG, callsign 'Slider' still couldn't hit a cow's arrse with a banjo.

 

The reason the M60 is used for a door gun on chinooks is that they came free with the helis when Crab Air took delivery.

Yes M60 is not great, yes GPMG is the dog's nads, but the M60s is what came free, just like the toys with a McDonalds Happy meal.

About the same build quality, too.

 

And their LAVs

 

The Canadian Forces did not get the MAG58/GPMG/C6 when they got their FN FALs in the mid 1950s-because it was not around yet (the 58 gives it away and it entered fron line service in some armies just after. AFAIK first combat use was by Belgian Paras in Congo 1964). Instead as said below Browning M1919s were converted to 7.62 known as C1/C5. The first C6s were those used on Leopard tanks from the late 1970s. The infantry version was only procured when the C7 (M16) and C9 (Minimi) replaced the C1 (SLR) and C2 (heavy-barrel FAL) in the mid/late 1980s.

There was a thread on this on army.ca recently where I got this info from.

 

correct, the M60s were part of the 'deal' when fitting arms to the chinook.

 

Correct, I have used the old C5, what a relic. Glad we have the C6

 

L7A2 GPMG built under licence by MANROY in East Sussex.

The build the 50BMG brownings too.

 

We used to have the MAG58 -GPMG in the Dutch TA light infantry role,but it was replaced by the FN Minimi. I believe it's mothballed now,but i still think it's a shame it's not in service anymore in the TA.
The Minimi is a good LSW,but the gimpy really made a difference when surpressing fire was necessary. Although i don't miss the bugger on a tab,i really do when being static.

 

Don't your lot use the Diemaco LSW?

 

No, only the Marines use the Diemaco LSW