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Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F) MG51

1951 COLD WAR MODERN

History

Type 51 Machine Gun (MG51) The General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) was developed in Switzerland in the years following the end of World War II (1939-1945). The design was heavily influenced by the excellent MG42 that emerged from the German Army during the conflict, and thus shares the same general form, function and layout. The MG51 was officially launched in 1951, so its official name was produced by the state-owned Waffenfabrik Bern (often abbreviated "W+F").

In addition to being accepted by the Swiss Army, the MG 51 was also adopted by Denmark.

The MG51 was born out of the WWII program to replace the old Furrer LMG25 and Waffenfabrik Bern MG11 light and heavy machine guns. Introduced in 1925, the LMG25 was a "rifle-like" automatic weapon that was fired from the shoulder while being carried by a bipod assembly under the barrel. It holds the 7.5x55mm GP11 cartridge, which operates on recoil and is fed by a 30-round detachable magazine. The MG11 is an older gun, introduced in 1911, and it is based on the successful Maxim water-cooled machine gun of 1889.

This gun holds the same Swiss cartridge with less recoil when fed through the canvas metal belt assembly. By the time of World War II, both guns had passed their prime, and the official conversion to the modern type was in order.

Despite the openly competitive approach of both the SIG and the Hispano-Suiza groups, the state-owned Bern munitions factory's interpretation of the German wartime MG42 ultimately prevailed. A working prototype was presented in 1944 and then passed the necessary evaluation and testing steps.

After some modifications to meet the requirements of the Swiss Army, the weapon's final form appeared in 1950 and was officially adopted the following year.

Despite its origins in the MG42, the MG51 differs from its predecessor in that it is made of high-quality milled steel rather than stamped sheet metal. The locking flaps were then reassigned to the internal bolt arrangement instead of the rollers seen in German wartime models. All these changes resulted in a heavier final product, but it proved to be just as reliable and powerful as the original German one. The gun was fired on a short recoil principle with a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 2,500 feet per second.

Distance is achieved through the optional weapon optics available, complemented by traditional iron sights. The MG51 usually comes with a sturdy tripod assembly that can be folded for easy travel. The pad comes with a riser for "back" placement, as well as pads to relieve pressure on the wearer's shoulders.

Early production forms of the MG51 featured wooden shoulder plates and pistol grips, although these eventually gave way to plastic types over time.

The MG51 was originally installed for a 7.5x55mm Swiss (M1911) standard issue cartridge dating back to 1889 and is still in mass production today (2013). The gun is fed by a 50-round belt sitting next to the gun waiting for the ammo pack (the belt enters from the left side of the receiver).

Expanded Swiss military commitments and NATO involvement eventually introduced the 7.62x51mm chamber into the mix. These MG51 systems were sourced from Denmark and modified to fire localized US 30-06 Springfield cartridges.

As the MG51 replaced light and heavy weapon systems, a new design was adopted as a fire support and continuous fire solution. The former can mount a bipod assembly, the latter uses the heavy duty tripod mentioned above.

The weapon was further developed into vehicle-mounted versions of various "Pz Mg" brands to encourage improved logistics in the Swiss Army's inventory and to manage the limited defense budget. The MG51 is currently in service with Amy in Switzerland.