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Alight machine gun (LMG) is a light-weightmachine gun designed to be operated by a singleinfantryman, with or without an assistant, as aninfantry support weapon. LMGs firingcartridges of the samecaliber as the otherriflemen of the samecombat unit are often referred to assquad automatic weapons. Unlikesubmachine guns, LMGs do not use pistol cartridges.
While early light machine guns firedfull-powered rifle cartridges, modern light machine guns often fire smaller-caliberrifle cartridges thanmedium machine guns – generally the sameintermediate cartridge fired by a service's standardassault rifle – and are usually lighter and more compact. Some LMGs, such as the RussianRPK, are modifications of existing designs and designed to share the same ammunition. Adaptations to the original rifle generally include a larger magazine, a heavier barrel to resist overheating, a more robust mechanism to support sustained fire and a bipod.
A light machine gun is also defined by its usage as well as its specifications: some machine guns – notablygeneral-purpose machine guns – may be deployed either as a light machine gun or a medium machine gun. Deployed on a tripod and used for sustained fire, it is a medium machine gun; if deployed with abipod with the operator in a prone position and firing short bursts, it is a light machine gun.
Light machine guns are also designed to be fired from the hip or on the move as a form ofsuppressive fire intended topin down the enemy.Marching fire is a specific tactic that relies on this capability.
Lighter modern LMGs have enabled them to be issued down at thefireteam level, with two or three at the section/squad level.
Many light machine guns (such as theBren gun or theM1918 Browning Automatic Rifle) weremagazine-fed. Others, such as theHotchkiss M1922, could be fed either from abelt/strip or from abox magazine. Modern light machine guns are designed to fire smaller caliber rounds and, as such, tend to be belt-fed (from acontainer attached to the gun) or from a detachable high-capacitydrum magazine, but some, such as theFN Minimi, will also accept standard rifle magazine feeding as an auxiliary measure when belted ammunition has been exhausted.
In 1903, French military theorists noticed that theheavy machine guns of the day were of little use in infantry assaults. They determined that "the machine gun must learn to walk".[1] They researched the possibility of a light machine gun which could be carried by troops. Amarching fire tactic was theorised, using incidental suppressive fire, with the advancing troops considered a deadlier threat than the un-aimed bullets, causing the enemy to fall back. The prototype guns were not approved for production, and none were in service whenWorld War I began.[1] The French quickly brought the prototypes to mass production to boost the firepower of advancing infantry.
By the end ofWorld War II, light machine guns were usually being issued on a scale of one perfire team orsquad, and the modern infantry squad had emerged with tactics that were built around the use of the LMG to providesuppressive fire.[citation needed]
The following were either exclusively light machine guns, had a light machine gun variant or were employed in the light machine gun role with certain adaptations.
| Model | Country of origin | Design date | Caliber(s) | Weight (base model) | Feed system | Rate of fire (rounds/min) | Model variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madsen machine gun |  Denmark | 1896 | Various | 9.07 kg (20.0 lb) | Box magazine | 450 | |
| Chauchat (Fusil-Mitrailleur Mle 1915 'CSRG') |  France | 1907 | 8mm Lebel .30-06 Springfield | 9.07 kg (20.0 lb) | Magazine | 240/360 | M1918 CSRG Chauchat(USA) |
| Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié |  United States United Kingdom | 1909 | 8mm Lebel .303 British .30-06 Springfield | 12 kg (26.5 lb) | Stripper clip fed | 400–600 | |
| Bergmann MG15 nA Gun |  Germany | 1910 | 7.92×57mm Mauser | 12.9 kg (28.4 lb) | Belt fed | 500–600 | |
| Vickers-Berthier | France United Kingdom | 1910 | .303 British | 11.07 kg (24.4 lb) | Box magazine | 450–600 | |
| Lewis Gun | United States United Kingdom | 1911 | .303 British .30-06 Springfield 7.92×57mm Mauser | 13 kg (28.7 lb) | Drum magazine | 600 (cyclic) | |
| Huot automatic rifle |  Canada | 1916 | .303 British | 5.9 kg (13.0 lb) | Drum magazine | 155/475 | |
| M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle | United States | 1917 | .30-06 Springfield 6.5×55mm 7.92×57mm Mauser | 8.8 kg (19.4 lb) | Box magazine | 650 (cyclic) | Wz. 1928 (Poland) |
| Hotchkiss M1922 | France | 1922 | Various | 8.5 kg (18.7 lb) | Magazine | 450 | |
| Type 11 light machine gun |  Japan | 1922 | 6.5×50mm Arisaka | 10.2 kg (22.5 lb) | Stripper clip fed, hopper magazine | 500 (cyclic) | |
| ZB vz. 26 |  Czechoslovakia | 1923 | 7.92×57mm Mauser | 10.5 kg (23.1 lb) | Box magazine | 500 | |
| FM-24/29 | France | 1924 | 7.5×54mm French | 9.1 kg (20.1 lb) | Box magazine | 450 (cyclic) | |
| Maxim-Tokarev |  Soviet Union | 1924 | 7.62×54mmR | 12.9 kg (28.4 lb) | Belt fed | ||
| Lmg 25 |  Switzerland | 1925 | 7.5×55mm Swiss | 8.65 kg (19.1 lb) | Box magazine | ≈500 | |
| Lahti-Saloranta M/26 |  Finland | 1925 | 7.62×53mmR | 9.3 kg (20.5 lb) | Magazine | 450–550 | |
| Degtyaryov machine gun | Soviet Union | 1927 | 7.62×54mmR | 9.12 kg (20.1 lb) | Drum magazine | 550 | |
| Mendoza RM2 |  Mexico | 1928 | 7×57mm Mauser .30-06 Springfield | 6.3 kg (13.9 lb) | Box magazine | 450–650 | |
| Breda 30 |  Italy | 1930 | 6.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano | 10.6 kg (23.4 lb) | Stripper clip fed, internal magazine | 500 (cyclic) | |
| ZB vz. 30 | Czechoslovakia | 1930 | 7.92×57mm | 9.1 kg (20.1 lb) | Box magazine | 550–650 | |
| Bren | United Kingdom | 1935 | .303 British | 10.35 kg (22.8 lb) | Box magazine | 500–520 | |
| Type 96 light machine gun | Japan | 1936 | 6.5×50mm Arisaka | 9 kg (19.8 lb) | Box magazine | 450 (cyclic) | |
| Type 99 light machine gun | Japan | 1939 | 7.7×58mm Arisaka | 10.4 kg (22.9 lb) | Box magazine | 800 | |
| RPK | Soviet Union | 1960 | 7.62×39mm | 4.8 kg (10.6 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 600 | RPK-74 RPK-16 |
| Heckler & Koch HK21 | West Germany | 1961 | 5.56×45mm NATO 7.62×51mm NATO | 8.15 kg (18.0 lb) | Belt fed or box magazine | 900 | HK11E HK13E |
| Stoner 63 | United States | 1960s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 5.3 kg (11.7 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 1000 (cyclic) | |
| Colt Automatic Rifle | United States | 1970s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 5.78 kg (12.7 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 750 (cyclic) | Diemaco LSW (CAN) |
| L86 LSW | United Kingdom | 1970s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 6.58 kg (14.5 lb) | Box magazine | 775 (cyclic) | |
| FN Minimi |  Belgium | 1974 | 5.56×45mm NATO (standard) 7.62×51mm NATO | 6.85 kg (15.1 lb) | Belt fed or box magazine | 1150 (cyclic) | M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (USA) MK 46 machine gun (USA) |
| CETME Ameli |  Spain | 1974 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 5.3 kg (11.7 lb) | Belt fed | 1200 (cyclic) | MG82 (Spain) |
| Ultimax 100 |  Singapore | 1977 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 4.75 kg (10.5 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 600 (cyclic) | |
| Steyr AUG H-BAR |  Austria | 1977 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) | Box magazine | 750 (cyclic) | |
| IWI Negev |  Israel | 1985 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 7.4 kg (16.3 lb) | Belt fed or magazine | 1150 (cyclic) | |
| Negev NG7 | Israel | 2012 | 7.62×51mm NATO | 7.9 kg (17.4 lb) | Belt fed or magazine | ||
| Heckler & Koch MG4 | Germany | 1990s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 8.55 kg (18.8 lb) | Belt fed | 885 (cyclic) | |
| Heckler & Koch MG36 | Germany | 1990s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 3.83 kg (8.4 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 750 (cyclic) | |
| INSAS LMG |  India | 1990s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 6.7 kg (14.8 lb) | Box magazine | 650 (cyclic) | |
| SAR-21 LMG | Singapore | 1996 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 3.82 kg (8.4 lb) | Box magazine | 650 (cyclic) | |
| Ares Shrike 5.56 | United States | 2000s | 5.56×45mm NATO | 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) | Belt fed or magazine | 800 (cyclic) | |
| Type-81 LMG |  China | 1981 | 7.62×39mm | 5.15 kg (11.4 lb) | 75-round drum or 30-round STANAG | 750 (cyclic) | BD-15 LMG (Bangladesh) |
| M27 IAR | Germany | 2008 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 640 (cyclic) | |
| QJB-95 | China | 1997 | 5.8x42mm | 3.25 kg (7.2 lb) | 60 | 900 (cyclic) | |
| Colt IAR6940 | United States | 2008 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 4.32 kg (9.5 lb) | Drum or box magazine | 700 (cyclic) | Colt 6940E-SG (Singapore) |
| RPD | Soviet Union | 1944 | 7.62×39mm | 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) | Belt fed | 650 |
