Light MGs
Yugoslav M72: The Early Balkan RPK
When the Yugoslav Peoples’ Army began AK development, they produced the M64 infantry rifle and the M65 support weapon. The M65 had a longer and heavier profile barrel and a bipod – and in its […]
Light MGs
Conversion
From Aircraft to Improvised Infantry: the Vickers MkI No2
The Vickers MkI No2 was an improvisation of the British Royal Air Force. They needed arms for airbase defense, without unduly impacting the production of weapons for the infantry. Wheat they had a good supply […]
Light MGs
Vektor Mini-SS: South Africa’s Answer to the FN Minimi
While under international embargo and at war in the late 1970s, South Africa needed a new 7.62mm GPMG. The answer was Vektor’s SS77, a design which would replace the FN MAG in South African service […]
Light MGs
USMC Johnson LMG at the Range
The Johnson LMG was adopted by the US Marine Corps for specialist units like Paramarines and Raiders, and saw use in some of the fiercest island campaign of the Pacific (in addition to use in […]
Accessories
Forgotten Web Gear: Johnson LMG Magazine Backpack
While the Johnson LMG was issued in limited quantities throughout World War Two, notably to Marine Raiders, Paramarines, and the 1st Special Service Force, the US never issued web gear made for its uniquely-sized magazines. […]
Light MGs
Colt Model 621: An Attempt at an AR-Style Export SAW
During the 1970s and 1980s, Colt wanted to sell not just standard M16 rifle and CAR-15 carbines to foreign military customers, but also wanted to supply support weapons. They put together the Model 621, aka […]
Light MGs
The Czech Unicorn LMG: A Squad Support CZ-2000
The CZ-2000 project in the Czech Republic (derived from the Lada developed in the late years of Czechoslovakia) envisioned a full suite of infantry arms, much like the AK as used by other countries. There […]
Light MGs
Mendoza 1934: Mexico’s Domestic LMG
Rafael Mendoza was Mexico’s premier domestic arms designer, and the Model 1934 LMG is probably his most successful design. He began work on it in 1929, and it entered testing with the Mexican Army in […]
Light MGs
An Israeli LMG, Part II: The 8mm Dror
Today we continue the story of the Dror. Shortly after production of the .303 pattern guns began, the directive came down that the gun was to be redesigned for 8mm Mauser ammunition. Israeli supplies of […]
Light MGs
An Israeli LMG, Part I: The .303 Dror
The story of the Dror is a fascinating tale of clandestine arms procurement by the fledgling Israeli state. Plans covertly purchased from Johnson Automatics, redesigned to use .303 British ammunition, with a production line produced […]