Saco M60

History of the Saco M60

The M60 was America's premier general-purpose machine gun for much of the 20th century, being used in squad support and vehicle-mounted roles during its tenure. The M60 appeared after the Korean War. It was commissioned in 1957 and became widely available in all U.S. branches in 1960. During and after the Cold War, the M60 became a major operational operation spanning the Vietnam War, the Cambodian Civil War, the 1991 Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the 2003 Iraq War (amongst others).

Some foreign militaries still rely on the M60's firepower today -- some 50 years after the weapon's introduction -- and more than 25 nations have at some point made the system their standard multipurpose machine gun. Despite its shortcomings, the M60 achieved an exceptionally long service life that few modern machine guns can match.

M60 Evolution

The M60 actually originated from several esteemed German machine guns from WWII. The excellent belt-operated MG42 was a standard part of the German Army from 1942 to 1959, replacing the expensive but equally successful MG34 general purpose pistol.

The MG42 is known for its reliability in the field, ease of use and durability in real fire conditions - it can fire an impressive 1,200 to 1,500 rounds per minute. The MG42 is so well known that GIs developed an ear for its distinctive sound when fired and recognized the weapon almost immediately.

The relatively advanced FG42 was in service with the German Army from 1942 to 1945 as a selective-fire paratrooper automatic rifle. While numbers are strictly limited, its combination of size (not even larger than a standard German Kar 98K bolt-action rifle) and firepower make it a highly portable yet lethal battlefield tool.

To this end, American engineers at Saco Defense used a modified form of the MG42 feeding system and the FG42 bolt and locking system when designing a new machine gun according to the new requirements of the US Army. The American prototype model became the "T44", which retained some of the appearance of its German predecessor, including the rectangular stock, pistol grip and front bipod assembly. The pistol and trigger group are located near the center of the overall design, with a ribbed handle on the front.

The belt feed mechanism has been relocated to the left side of the top of the receiver. A new, easier-to-maintain gas system was developed and adapted to the design. The barrel is designed for rapid changes in the field, indicating its sustained fire action, where overheating of the barrel is a sure possibility.

It's worth noting here that this Saco design (later to become the M60) was the first American machine gun to feature a quick-change barrel.

It is also worth noting that the Americans during the war tried to directly copy the German MG42, producing a prototype of the T24 machine gun from Saginaw Steering Gear. However, the project was abandoned entirely when there were concerns that the cartridge might be too powerful for a replicated design.

In the 1950s, the T44 was rated alongside the competitor's pneumatic belt-driven T52. T52 is derived from FG42 itself. The T44 beat the T52 with its reliability under fire and friendly production camouflage.

The system later received the development designation "T161" before becoming the official "M60" in 1957.

M60 Tour

Externally, the M60 has maintained a unique and recognizable appearance. Its long butt was square, somewhat mimicking the German weapons it relied on. The long stock increases stability and allows for a shorter overall weapon. The unit also serves as the home for the pistol grip and trigger system. The ammunition feeding system (belt ammunition only) is located above the pistol grip, and the bullet enters the receiver from the left and exits from the right.

Ammunition should be stored in covered but ventilated containers for optimum performance. The sights on the receiver are flip-up and adjustable, while the front sights were not fully adjustable until late in the M60 production cycle. Before the introduction of a dedicated front pistol grip in the M60E3, the leading edge was used as a foregrip. The gas cylinder under the barrel became a distinguishing feature of the M60. The barrel with integrated fixed sights protrudes above the gas cylinder and has a foldable one-piece bipod assembly hinged under the barrel itself.

In future versions of the M60, the bipod will eventually be detached from the barrel to facilitate barrel replacement. While not the cleanest design, the M60 is still the image of the utilitarian role it was designed for.

The M60 weighs 23.15 pounds and has a total length of 43.5 inches, 22 inches of which is the barrel system. The weapon fires the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge with a pneumatic open bolt.

The loading system employs an M13 series attenuation band capable of firing 600 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 2,800 feet per second. The effective range is 1,200 yards, while the maximum range (at the expense of accuracy) is well beyond that.

Ammo

The M60 used a variety of ammunition at the time. The main combat cartridge is the M80 bullet, used in conjunction with the M62 tracer cartridge in a "four-by-one" arrangement.

This means that for every four M80 Ball rounds fired, an M62 Tracer round will appear in circulation, helping the operator to aim his continuous fire (known as watching the "drop of fire") and make necessary adjustments, if needed. While the M80 Ball is primarily designed to engage directly with personnel, the M61 Armor Piercing (AP) is designed to engage lightly armored vehicles.

Training rounds include the M63 dummy and the M82 blank round - the latter of which is used for field practice and requires the use of a special attachment on the muzzle called the M13A1 Blank Launch Adapter (or "BFA"). Ammunition for all ammo types is supplied via the M13 disintegrating metal breakaway chain, typically 100 rounds.

Disadvantages

As mentioned by many sources, the M60 is not a weapon without flaws. Many direct operators of the M60 keep a list of their previous experience with the weapon, especially the M60 in early form, especially when upgrading to something newer like the M240 or M249 machine gun. One of the major drawbacks of the early M60 was how the bipod and cylinder were attached to the barrel. Since these systems are designed for squad support operations in continuous fire roles, changing the barrel is expected to give the best performance (to avoid overheating). Therefore, the barrel must be replaced in time.

However, removing the barrel also removed the bipod and gas cylinder, and the operator had no visible support to support the weapon during the barrel change. Most gunners were forced to lift the M60 when changing barrels. As expected, the extra barrel comes with its own bipod and gas cylinder attachment, making the simple barrel replacement process tedious and time-consuming.

To make matters worse, the barrel had no handle to hold during surgery, resulting in bulky asbestos gloves being impersonated as standard parts of field equipment. Gloves are used to protect the user from handling hot barrels, but also add another tool to the complex M60 kit.

Remember, if the M60 operator loses that asbestos glove, he will be at a huge disadvantage when the "thing" hits the fan.

Other reports show cheap sheet metal stampings of the gun, located above the receiver and as part of the feed tray system. Gas pistons are also not adjustable, using fixed regulators instead. The sighting system was rated poor because the front non-adjustable rear sight was fixed to the barrel, and the front sight had to be readjusted after every barrel change.

The charging handle is a bit flimsy and is notorious for breaking in the heat of battle. Bolt and rod assemblies will definitely break each other over time with continued but typical use.

While the M60 performs relatively well in its controlled rating, including the ability to fire thousands of rounds without issue, action on the battlefield is sure to bring the worst of any weapon - whatever its source how.

Use M60

As a general purpose light machine gun, the number of military platforms the M60 reached during its tenure is not surprising. In addition to being a squad support weapon for infantry squads, the M60 can be deployed on naval patrol boats, large naval vessels, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, wheeled vehicles (armored and unarmored) and tracked vehicles, including armoured fighting vehicles and main battle tank.

In theory, the M60 could be fired from a variety of positions assumed by the operator. This includes shooting from the shoulder, prone position or "from the hip". In practice, the latter is best left to Hollywood and its exploits to John Rambo.

Any well-trained soldier will shrink himself as much as possible. Also, shooting from the hip did not give the most accurate results. The M60 can use its standard integrated bipod assembly for added stability, or it can be used with a foldable tripod.

As a general-purpose machine gun, the M60 is equally suitable for offensive or defensive roles in support of infantry units that are often called upon to engage directly with enemy infantry or enemy machine gun teams.

Variations

"M60" refers to the machine gun in its original form, referring to the entire family of machine guns associated with the M60. M60 is the name of the base model from 1957.

The M60E1 was an improvement on the base M60, but was not selected for mass production. Finally, a handle has been added to the barrel, and the gas assembly and bipod are now separated from the barrel assembly itself, making barrel replacement easier.

The M60E1 became the first major version of the base M60, and therefore its first true variant.

The M60E2 became an electric-firing vehicle-mounted coaxial version of the basic M60 machine gun. Its usefulness is proven in systems such as main battle tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Coaxial versions are usually stripped down specifically for vehicle installation - most commonly on the front turret wall next to the main armament, operated by the designated gunner or commander (depending on the vehicle). As expected, the weapons vented their dangerous fumes outside the vehicle, so carried modified and extended cylinders.

The M60E2 was replaced by a coaxial version of the M240 GPMG (based on the Belgian FN MAG).

The M60B was briefly used to defend a helicopter's "free-floating" position, basically a gunner's M60 cannon. The bipod was removed for this character and a different stock was installed. This arrangement enables the operator to maintain a fairly strong firefield from his high position.

However, the M60B was replaced by the M60D, which used a trunnion mount.

The M60C "Flexible Machine Gun" was used for fixed forward mounts on close support helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The sight, pistol grip, and bipod assembly of the C model were removed, ultimately proving a high degree of adaptability to a variety of aerial platforms. A hydraulic pivot system and electronic control system are used, and the launch action is controlled from the cockpit. The M60C can sustain a rate of fire of 500 to 650 rounds per minute. The UH-1B Huey helicopter uses the M6 ??and M16 weapon subsystems with the M60C.

On the OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven platforms, use the M2 weapon subsystem instead. About 563 M60C samples were produced.

The M60D "Flexible Machine Gun" went live as a trunnion-mounted version to replace the pre-existing M60B production model, primarily for door firing in helicopter cabins. The M60D uses a spade grip with a ring sight, similar to the sights used in World War II bombers such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The ammunition delivery system was modified for the role, including a canvas bag for collecting spent bullets and connecting parts (given the fragile nature of gyroplanes, the latter presents more safety concerns - rotor blades and turbines, etc.).

The M60D was used extensively in UH-1 Huey, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters during its tenure. The M240H is designed to replace the M60D.

The Maremont LMG M60 was developed by the Saco division of the Maremont, Maine, company to provide a lighter and therefore more versatile version of the M60E1. The bipod is attached to the receiver, while the carrying handle is attached to the barrel itself, which also serves as a handle for changing the barrel. A front pistol grip was added along the front of the weapon.

The feed system has been redesigned to make loading easier, and a heat shield replaces the original front design. The sight is now fully adjustable and the gas system is simplified.

Although the Maremont M60 itself was not selected for production, it became the basis for the development of the production M60E3.