Rheinmetall MG3
Beretta MG42/59
Overview
MG3
German army MG3 machine gun on public display.
Source: KrisfromGermany -
© Public domain
1968 (MG3)
1960's - present (license production)
Germany - Heckler & Koch
Austria - Steyr (MG42/59)
Greece - EBO (MG3)
Iran - DIO (MG1A3)
Italy - Beretta (MG42/59)
Italy - Franchi (MG42/59)
Italy - Whitehead Moto-Fides (MG42/59)
Myanmar - Ka Pa Sa
Pakistan - POF (MG1A3)
Spain - Santa Barbara (MG42/59, MG1A3, MG3S)
Turkey - MKEK (MG3)
MA 15 (Myanmar production)
Karar (Sudan)
M/62 (Danish service)
m/960 (Portuguese service)
Description
Introduction
The MG3 is an early Cold War era machine gun of German origin. The MG3 is a designation for various machine guns developed when Germany entered NATO. These are basically is a conversion of the MG42 machine gun which was widely used by Nazi Germany during World War 2. Besides the Belgian MAG the MG3 was the most common type of Western machine gun during the Cold War.
Design
The MG3 essentially is a conversion of the MG42 to 7.62x51mm NATO. Early versions were simply conversions but later versions feature a multitude of minor upgrades in various areas. The MG3 retains the short recoil operation and roller locking mechanism. It is belt fed only and feeds from left to right. The square slotted forearm is open on the right hand side to allow the quick change barrel to be replaced. The MG3 can be used from the attached bipod, from a tripod mount and as a pintle mounted or coaxial machine gun.
Firepower
The MG3 fires the 7.62x51mm NATO round from 50 round DM1 continuous belts or M13 or DM6 linked belts, mostly of 120 round length. The cyclic rate of fire is about 1.200 rpm. This results in a high ammunition consumption and rapid overheating. The barrel should be changed every 150 rounds fired in rapid succession. The MG1A2 and MG42/59 versions have a lower rate of fire of 900 rpm. The maximum effective range is 600 m from the bipod and 1 km when used from a tripod. The slant range is much longer.
Users
The first user of the MG3 family was the West German military, who adopted the MG3 for infantry, flexible and coaxial use. Various European nations adopted versions of the MG3 and produced them under license. The MG3 was also widely exported to Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The MG3 remains in use today, but in the infantry role it has often been replaced by light machine guns.
Variants
MG42/59
Italian soldier in prone position firing his MG42/59 machine gun in 2013.
Source: Fdchirico -
© GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
Details
Media
MG3
German army MG3 machine gun on public display. Note the open dust cover and that the barrel is partially removed from the gun.
Source: Sonaz
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
MG3
German soldier with MG3 machine gun during a live fire exercise in 2010.
Source: US Army
Copyright: Public domain
MG 74
Austrian soldiers with their MG 74 machine gun on a tripod mount during an exercise in 2014. Note the blank firing adapter on the muzzle and non-disintegrating belt.
Source: US Army
Copyright: Public domain
MG3A1
MG3A1 vehicle machine gun mounted in a German FLW100 remote controlled weapon system.
Source: Tim Rademacher
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
MG3A1
Norwegian troops with pintle mounted MG3A1 vehicle machine gun in 2005. Note the blank firing adapter on the muzzle.
Source: US Marine Corps
Copyright: Public domain
MG3
German troops training with MG3 machine gun on tripod mount in 2012. Note the optical sight on the tripod.
Source: Bundeswehr
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
Related articles
SIG 710
The SIG 710 looks somewhat similar to the MG3 due to the slotted barrel shroud. However, both weapons function in a different manner.