M60 Machine Gun

The M60 Machine Gun was type classified in 1957 by the U.S. Army. It fires the standard NATO 7.62 mm round and is used as a general support crew-served weapon. It has a removable barrel which can be easily changed to prevent overheating. The weapon has an integral, folding bipod and can also be mounted on a folding tripod.

Length: 42.4 inches (107.70 centimeters)
Weight: 18.75 pounds (8.51 kilograms)
Bore diameter: 7.62mm (.308 inches)
Maximum effective range: 3609.1 feet (1100 meters)
Maximum range: 2.3 miles (3725 meters)
Muzzle velocity: 2800 feet (853 meters) per second
Rates of fire:
Cyclic: 550 rounds per minute
Rapid: 100 rounds per minute*
Sustained: 100 rounds per minute*
(* with barrel changes at each 100 rounds)
Unit Replacement Cost: $6,000

The M60E3 7.62mm machine gun is a lightweight, air-cooled, disintegrating metallic link-belt fed, portable or tripod mounted machine gun designed for ground operations like its predecessor, the M60. It is gas operated with fixed headspace and timing which permits rapid changing of barrels. (Associated components: mount, tripod, machine gun, 7.62mm, M122). Slightly different from its "parent," the M60, the M60E3 has a receiver-attached bipod which easily deploys for stability. It has an ambidextrous safety, universal sling attachments, a carrying handle on the barrel, and a simplified gas system that does not require safety wire to prevent loosening. However, the light weight barrel is not safe for overhead fire and is not capable of sustaining a rapid rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute without catastrophic failure of the barrel.

The M60E3 (light weight version of the parent M60) was fielded with the intention to reduce the load carried by the gunner. However, the reduction in weight resulted in firing limitations and a loss of reliability that severely restricts the use of the weapon in the Fleet Marine Force. Consequently, troop acceptance of the E3 has been very poor. This gun will be replaced by the M240G.

AMMUNITION

The preferred combat ammunition mix for the M60 is a four-ball (M80) and one-tracer (M62) mix. Again, the four-and-one mix allows the gunner to use the TOT method of adjusting fire to achieve target kill.

Type M61 Armor-piercing M62 Tracer M80 Ball M63 Dummy M82 Blank

Use Against lightly armored targets. For observation of fire, incendiary effects, signaling, and training. Against light materiel targets and personnel, and for range training. During mechanical training. During training when simulated live fire is desired. (A blank firing attachment must be used to fire this ammunition.)

Aircraft Mounts

M60C 7.62mm Flexible Machine Gun was a flexible aircraft version of the NATO Standard M60D machine gun. It was electrically controlled, hydraulic power charged, air-cooled, gas-operated, link-belt fed, with a firing rate of 500-650 spm (shots per minute). It was used on the M2 armament subsystem on the OH-13 Sioux and the OH-23 Raven, and the M6 and M16 on the UH-1B "Huey". The M60C was classified Standard A (over 563 units were built).

M60D 7.62mm Flexible Machine Gun is a flexible, gas-operated, air-cooled machine gun having a firing rate of 550 spm (shots per minute). The M-60D machine gun is utilized by the UH-1, H-2, H-3, and H-60 aircraft. Depending in the specific aircraft application the M-60D gun system consists of the gun, a pintle mount (M-21, M-23, or DAS), and one of two basic ammunition storage systems. The first storage system consists of an ammunition can bracket that mounts to the gun or the mount, the bracket holds a single 200 round ammunition can. The second ammunition storage system is made up of a 500 round ammunition can and a flexible feed chute attached to the base of the mount. This aircraft gun has spade grips, an aircraft ring-type sight and an improved ammunition feed system. A canvas ejection control bag attaches to the machine gun to catch ejected links and cartridge cases, preventing them from being ejected into the path of the rotor blades or turbine engine intake. The M60D was used on the M23, XM29, M59, and the Sagami mount on UH-1 series "Huey", the M24 and M41 on the CH-47 series Chinook, the XM32 and XM33 on the ACH-47A "Guns-A-Go-Go", and the M144 on the UH-60 series Black Hawk. The M60D was classified Standard A.

The M23, M24, M41 and M144 mounts are attached to the helicopter fuselage to provide a stable mount for the M60D machine gun. Each mount incorporates a pintle for attaching the machine gun to allow elevating, depressing, and traversing the muzzle for aiming and firing. Each armament mount assembly also has either an ammunition box or can assembly to store and supply ammunition rapidly to the feed side of the machine gun. An ejection control bag attaches to the machine gun to catch expended cartridges and links.

The M23 armament subsystem consists of a safety shoulder harness and a left and right side mount marked "LEFT" or "RIGHT" respectively. Each is bolted to the outside of the UH-1 series helicopter by the pintle mount. Attached to the pintle mount is the M60D machine gun with a canvas ejection control bag to collect ejected links and cartridge cases. The pintle mount is made up of a pintle post assembly and a 550 round capacity ammunition box with ammunition feed chute and adapter.

The M24 armament subsystem consists of a safety shoulder harness and a left and right side mount marked "LEFT" or "RIGHT" respectively. Each is pinned inside the left side door frame and right side escape hatch of the CH-47 series helicopter by the mount assembly. Attached to the mount assembly is the M60D machine gun with a link and cartridge case ejection control bag and an ammunition can assembly with 200 rounds of ammunition. The mount assembly consists of the pintle and the mount subassembly.

The M41 armament subsystem consists of a safety shoulder harness and mount that is slotted and pinned on the inside of the aft ramp in the CH-47 series helicopter. Attached to the mount assembly is the M60D machine gun with an ejection control bag and a 200 round capacity ammunition can assembly.

The M144 armament subsystem consists of a left and right side mount marked "LEFT" or "RIGHT" respectively. Each is riveted inside the side window frame of a UH-60 series helicopter. Attached to the mount is the M60D machine gun with an ejection control bag and an ammunition can assembly. The mount assembly is made up of the pintle mount assembly, release arm assembly, and support mount.