could someone help me in one question?

[BAntDit]

Hello,

I don't speak english well enough, and i do a lot of mistakes when speak english,

but i have one question about infantries weapon, and i hope you could help me.

 

The question is:

How to say more correctly: "M-16 is a rifle" or "M-16 is a machinegun"?

 

Maybe more correct to say "storm rifle", but peaple often say simple - "rifle"...

 

The fact is, i go for english lessons, and yesterday we discussed this question,

and i said, that weapons like M-16, AK-74, AK-47 have name rifle, but rest of my classmates didn't agree with me. I always thought that machinegun is something heavy like M249saw, but they said that machinegun is name of any automatical weapon and rifle just a slang of computer gamers. Are they right?

Edited April 13, 2012 by BAntDit

[sobek]

The fact is, i go for english lessons, and yesterday we discussed this question,

and i said, that weapons like M-16, AK-74, AK-47 have name rifle, but rest of my classmates didn't agree with me. I always thought that machinegun is something heavy like M249saw, but they said that machinegun is name of any automatical weapon and rifle just a slang of computer gamers. Are they right?

 

No, you are right. These weapons are called assault rifles. A machinegun is a weapon that is typically employed from a (sort of) fortified position and is usually designed to cope with prolonged shooting of automatic fire bursts. Therefore, these designs often come with spare barrels, etc. to cope with the heat associated with longer periods of fire. Also they are typically belt-fed.

[159th_Viper]

Further distinguished between LMG (light machine gun), usually one per platoon (7.62) and the HMG (heavy machine gun), vehicle mounted (.50 cal Browning).

[winz]

M-16 is an assault rifle.

 

As general public tends to believe wikipedia a lot, using it might be good start to convice your classmates.

The first line in Machine gun wikipage - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_gun is "Not to be confused with Assault rifle."

[sobek]

Further distinguished between LMG (light machine gun), usually one per platoon (7.62) and the HMG (heavy machine gun), vehicle mounted (.50 cal Browning).

 

Well in the case of the saw, it's a 5.56 caliber, but that thing always has me scratching my head. :)

 

Edit: I think it it worth noting that the naming conventions seem to differ greatly from country to country. The US way seems to be that 5.56 is light, 7.62 is medium and .50 and so on is large. The austrian armed forces for example don't bother to employ SAWs, we call the MG74 a heavy MG and the browning is called üsMG (überschweres Maschinengewehr-superheavy MG if you will :)). The next thing is the 20mm Oerlikons.

Edited April 13, 2012 by sobek

[BAntDit]

thanks a lot, your answers are very helpfull

[159th_Viper]

Well in the case of the saw, it's a 5.56 caliber, but that thing always has me scratching my head. :)

 

In our case we utilized the FN MAG as platoon LMG:

 

 

Supplemented our assault rifles well which were 5.56. FN LMG especially effective for long range suppressive fire and absolutely deadly at short-range (100-300m). Many pretty bad accidents too as a result of the bipod/lack of hand-guard but that's another story altogether :)

[sobek]

In our case we utilized the FN MAG as platoon LMG:

 

Interesting choice to have a SAW as platoon MG. Would this be employed by a 2 man team? The reason these things strike me as odd is because this weapon class is non existant in our forces.

[159th_Viper]

Interesting choice to have a SAW as platoon MG. Would this be employed by a 2 man team?

 

Yeah - one carrying the LMG and spare barrels and another as many 1000-round ammo containers as he can. It sucked being #2 but #1 had to clean the LMG after contact - that was worse :D

[Eddie]

All changed these days though. Couple of LMGs (FN Minimi) per section, then GPMGs (what Viper is referring to as LMGs) at flight/platoon level as well as HMGs/GMGs on the WIMIKs.

 

Much more firepower than years gone by.

[KillaALF]

Interesting choice to have a SAW as platoon MG.

 

FN Mag != SAW, rather it is also known as the M240 "Bravo" and is in fact, 7,62mm calibre, opposed to the 5,56mm of the M249 "Minimi" SAW.

[sobek]

Ah yes, my bad.

[BAntDit]

And also i'd like to know, what means "rifleman" in usual case? - is this man with any kind of rifle or exactly with assault rifle?

Edited April 13, 2012 by BAntDit

[winz]

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rifleman?region=us

 

So, soldier armed with any kind of rifle

[159th_Viper]

And also i'd like to know, what means "rifleman" in usual case? - is this man with any kind of rifle or exactly with assault rifle?

 

Usually means an Infantry soldier.

 

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry

 

So yeah, a rifleman can be equipped with any kind of rifle, depending on the circumstances/defence force. Can even be tasked with a 60mm PATMOR (patrol mortar), although you still have your assault rifle.

[BAntDit]

thanks

[Kuky]

Actually machine-gun means that rifle has automatic firing ability. assault riffle is more modern word for automatic riffle/weapon that is intended for close range combat. So really both are correct. A machine gun nest is where you put heavy machine gun.

[Bimbac]

Hello guys,

 

unfortunately, you got it wrong. The difference between Assault rifle and Machine gun is not about a caliber.

 

Assault rifle can shoot single shots, while the Machine gun cannot - it only fires in bursts, though short.

[104th_Cobra]

Normally, an assault rifle has the three fire modes. I'm not familiarized with the heavier calibers but I think automatic fire is the standard: they will be firing from supported mounts or expedite supports.

7,62mm is a lot more fun to fire :D than 5,56mm. But of course, in an urban tactical environment a lighter caliber and shorter equipment will be easier to hand.