The M2 Browning machine gun was first conceived in 1918, as a request by General John Pershing of the AEF for a large-caliber antiaircraft and antitank machine gun. John Browning scaled his M1917 water-cooled .30 caliber design up to .50 caliber, and the first prototypes were test fired in November of 1918. Impetus behind the project faltered after the Armistice, but Colt continued to develop the gun during the 1920s and 1930s. It was first adopted in 1922 by the US Coastal Artillery as an antiaircraft gun, but significant manufacture would not come until World War Two. By this time, the gun's main role had shifted, from antitank to being an aircraft armament, and some 2 million were made during World War Two, primarily as aircraft guns.
The M2 remains in service today, highlighting the brilliance and longevity of John Browning's designs.
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50 cal. first thing I got shot at with. In Nam about two days. 3/1 rear. NVA all around us. Us new boots were give stretchers. We were given sections of the 360 to haul wounded to sick bay. In the night the shit hit the fan. My fellow stretcher bearer and I headed for our section of the 360. Man, traces came from the tree line right at us and we dropped in the sand. NVA had a 50 set up in a ville just outside the wire. Had we raised our heads they would have been gone. I swear I started digging in the sand with my hands trying to get lower. Two days in Nam and I just knew i was gonna take a round in the top a my head and it was gonna come out my ass and blow it clean to China. Quite the initiation. I reckon I should a called 911 eh?
ReplyDeleteThe F4 Corsair had 6 M2's in it and the legendary Joe Foss had the only recorded shoot down of an enemy plane from an inverted position. Seems the M2 won't fire when it's upside down. Unless you are Joe Foss and are coordinated enough to maintain 1 positive G, while upside down, while in combat, while aiming at and shooting down an enemy plane. I've been upside down in a plane before and the thought going through my head was "OH MY GOD I'M GONNA DIE"!
ReplyDeleteI have some empty shell casings from the Ma Deuce, that my son fired while in the Navy. His first job was a sonar tech, but his second job was ship security. On his last deployment, he was in the Arabian Gulf, keeping tabs on the Iranians. He spent a lot of time manning the Quad 50, a very impressive weapon.
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me when I consider that J.M. Browning designed so many firearms a century ago, that are still around, serving the exact same purpose that they did, when they were first built. That to me is a testament to his engineering genius, and his foresight. Some of the weapons he designed that have been discarded could still be brought back in service and would not be considered out of date. I am thinking especially of the BAR. Perhaps a few modifications to make it easier and cheaper to manufacture, and lighter to wield, it would still remain very effective in a role for urban operations, as a heavy machine gun, operated by one person. One of them per squad would be comforting, for use in working house to house.
And since I am old, I cannot forget the pure beauty of some of his designs. I know it has been said that form follows function, but his model 1903 Colt pocket hammerless is to me a very beautiful handgun. The Colt Woodsman .22 was another of his great designs, as well as the ever popular Browning Hi-Power, probably one of the two most recognized guns made for the military, the M1911 of course being the other.
pigpen51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_TaK0WZj2k
ReplyDeleteGo outside, look around, there is damn little that a .50 won't destroy. One of the guys in our gun club was a machinist. Long before Barrett bought out its .50, my guy built a .50 BMG rifle. Single shot, weighed about 25 lbs. Awesome to shoot. He died about 20 years ago. I've always wondered what happened to it.
ReplyDeleteI’ve heard stories about Joe “Toeser” Satrapa......Navy pilot and 20mm rifle engineer....
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Ed357
Firing Ma Deuce is a stone groove.
ReplyDeleteNever fired one, sadly. Someday... Since I'm sure they'll be around.
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Kevin
As a M113 driver in the seventies I got to fire the Ma-Duece mounted on the track. Out of all the weapons i got to fire in the army that is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteSt. John of Ogden's greatest gift to the military. Several relatives survived WWII, Korea, and Viet-Nam thanks to the magnificent M2.
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