Variants
"M60" came to signify the machine gun in its original form as well as refer to the entire family line of M60-related machine guns. M60 was the designation of the basic model of 1957.
The M60E1 was an improved form of the base M60 but was not selected for mass production. A handle was finally added to the barrel and the gas assembly and bipod were now made separate from the barrel assembly itself, easing barrel changes. The M60E1 became the first major revision of the base M60 and therefore its first true variant.
The M60E2 became an electrically-fired, vehicle-mounted co-axial version of the base M60 machine gun. Its usefulness was apparent in such systems as main battle tanks and armored fighting vehicles. The co-axial version was generally a stripped-down variant made specifically for the installation into vehicles - most often times in the forward turret wall alongside the main armament and operated by a designated gunner or commander (depending on the vehicle). As can be expected, these weapons vented their dangerous gasses outside of the vehicle and therefore sported revised and elongated gas cylinders. The M60E2 was replaced by the co-axial version of the M240 GPMG (based on the Belgium FN MAG).
The M60B was used for a short time in "free-floating" positions in defense of helicopters, essentially M60 guns held in hand by onboard gunners. The bipod was removed for the role and a different stock affixed. This arrangement allowed for the operator to maintain a pretty hefty field of fire from his lofty position. The M60B was, however, replaced by the M60D which made use of a pintle-mount assembly.
The M60C "Flexible Machine Gun" was used in fixed forward-facing mountings on helicopters and close-support fixed-wing aircraft. The C-model had her sights, pistol grip and bipod assembly removed for the role and eventually proved highly adaptable across different aerial platforms. A hydraulic swivel system was utilized as was an electronic control system and the firing action was controlled from within the cockpit. The M60C could sustain a rate-of-fire equaling 500 to 650 rounds per minute. On the UH-1B Huey helicopter, the M6 and M16 armament subsystem were used in conjunction with the M60C. On the OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven platforms, the M2 armament subsystem was used instead. Some 563 M60C examples were produced.
The M60D "Flexible Machine Gun" was brought online as a pintle-mounted version to replace the pre-existing M60B production models and primarily used for door gunnery in helicopter cabins. The M60D made use of spade grips with a ring-type gunsight not unlike those used in World War 2 bombers such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The ammunition feed system was revised for the role and included a canvas bag to collect spent cartridges and link parts (the latter more of a safety concern considering the delicate nature of rotary aircraft - blades and turbines alike). The M60D saw extensive use on UH-1 Huey, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters during her tenure. The M240H was developed to replace the M60D.
The Maremont Lightweight Machine Gun M60 was developed by Saco Division, Maremont Corporation of Maine to provide for a lighter and, therefore, more versatile version of the M60E1. The bipod was affixed to the receiver and a carrying handle was installed onto the barrel itself to also double as a barrel-changing hand grip. A forward pistol grip was installed along the forward section of the weapon. The feed system was revised to simplify charging and a heat shield replaced the original forward design. The front sight was now made fully-adjustable and the gas system simplified. Though not selected for production itself, the Maremont M60 went on to become the foundation for the development of the production M60E3.
In the mid-1980's, the M60E3 was introduced as a "lightened" and updated form of the M60 family line and was the first real departure from the base design. It featured the changes listed above for the Maremont M60 - the bipod was now connected to the receiver itself while the identifiable forward pistol grip was fitted under the forend. A new and improved gas system was instituted as were an ambidextrous safety and universal attachments for a variety of slings. A barrel-mounted carrying handle rounded out the list and doubled as the barrel-changing handle. A revised trigger guard allowed the operator to fire the gun with a gloved hand. However, the barrel was lightened at the expense of the amount of ammunition that could be fired during the sustained fire role, requiring frequent barrel changes as a result. Two barrels - a "short assault" and a "heavy sustained fire" - were issued. While these changes were intended for the positive, it was soon realized that the weight loss of the M60E3 contributed to the fragility of the system in the long run. The durability of the machine gun came into question as the lighter components were shown to wear down or even break more easily than before. Nevertheless, the M60E3 still found a home as a marketable and useful product for those looking to upgrade or compliment their existing collections of M60s.
The M60E4 light machine gun was an altogether improved multi-purpose machine gun developed in the 1990s and shared some similarities with the "lightened" M60E3. The M60E4 was advertised as a more reliable system when compared to the earlier M60 incarnation and could also be modified to fulfill a variety of battlefield roles including that of a co-axial weapon on vehicles. The M60E4 was fielded with three different barrel types - a short lightweight assault, a short heavy sustained fire and a long heavy sustained fire barrel. A revised feed system improved reliability, particularly in how the M60 lifted the ammunition belt into action. However, the M240B (previously the M240E4) was developed as the M60E4 equivalent and selected by the US Army instead. The United States Navy SEALs nevertheless fielded the M60E4 under the designation of "Mk 43 Mod 0" to replace their aging M60E3 assault models. The Mk 43 Mod 0 sported a shorter barrel and multiple accessory attachments in line with the M60E3 before it.
The M60 in Vietnam
Like other weapons in the Vietnam conflict, the M60's sophisticated design and complicated construction often led to an unreliable weapon considering the rigors of combat and the generally disagreeable nature of jungle warfare. The environment played havoc on the internal systems of the M60 and keeping her clean became an instant priority to any M60 crew. Sand proved a major culprit in causing jams within the weapon and general maintenance proved a headache for most. The original M60 quickly fell out of favor with US Marines - owing their dislike to the permanent attaching of the bipod, barrel and gas cylinder assemblies. The M60E1 attempted to rectify this and itself became a respectable and feared opponent within time. A standard infantry company was issued six M60 systems.
Beyond the squad support role, the M60 was fielded just about anywhere there proved a defensive or offensive need. The PBR (Patrol Boat, River) and like water-borne vessels featured the M60 on pintle mountings and behind shields, ready to supply its hefty rate-of-fire to an area or designated target. Huey helicopters took to operating M60s in quad-mountings, two to a fuselage side, with inboard-mounted rocket pods to boot (this often complimented by door-mounted M60 systems as well). This arrangement turned the durable transports into full-fledged gunships that could bring rain down onto North Vietnamese positions.
If the M60 maintained any advantages, it was in her basic design philosophies. She was a relatively cost-effective solution, firing a NATO-standard round that was available in number, and she yielded a good rate-of-fire from a hefty ammunition pouch. Despite her being regarded as a heavy weapon for lugging around, she was in fact one of the lighter general purpose machine guns in use at the time. Like the M16, the M60 may have deserved its bad reputation in the Vietnam War but this is not to say that she did not have her optimal uses - or that she failed to save the lives of countless American GIs through her available strengths. But we leave this argument to those respected veterans to decide. At the very least, the M60 was not another French-based "Chauchat" for American use.
The Beginning of the End
The M60 was more-or-less replaced in US military service by the M240 general purpose machine gun, this based on the Belgium Fabrique Nationale FN MAG 58 model. The M240 also fires the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge through a gas-operated, open bolt action. The weapon entered service in 1977 and is gradually overtaking (along with the M249 based on the Belgium FN Minimi) the roles once held by the M60.
The M60 in Pop Culture
The M60 has seen some action in pop culture as well, appearing as Rambo's weapon-of-choice at the conclusion of the motion picture "Rambo, First Blood" (utilizing the base M60) and "Rambo, First Blood, Part II" (having upgraded to the M60E3). Actor and martial arts star Chuck Norris puts an M60 to good use in his return to Vietnam as Colonel James Braddock in the motion picture "Missing in Action".
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