"Fifty cal" and ".50 cal" redirect here. For cartridges in this caliber, see
12 mm caliber.
The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce"[14][15]) is a heavy machine gun that was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning. While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge, the M2 uses Browning's larger and more powerful .50 BMG (12.7 mm) cartridge. The design has had many designations; the official U.S. military designation for the infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible. It has been used against infantry, light armored vehicles, watercraft, light fortifications, and low-flying aircraft.
Quick Facts Browning machine gun, cal. .50, M2, HB, Type ...
Browning machine gun, cal. .50, M2, HB |
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M2E2 with a quick change barrel and tripod |
Type | Heavy machine gun |
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Place of origin | United States |
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In service | 1933–present |
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Used by | See Users |
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Wars | World War II Indonesian National Revolution Korean War First Indochina War Suez Crisis Vietnam War Colombian Armed Conflict Dominican Civil War[1] Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War Falklands War Operation Urgent Fury Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) Iran-Iraq War Operation Just Cause Persian Gulf War Rwandan Civil War[2] Somali Civil War Yugoslav Wars Operation Uphold Democracy War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)[3] Iraq War Syrian Civil War (2011–present) War in Iraq (2013–2017)[4] Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) Russo-Ukrainian War[5] |
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Designer | John M. Browning |
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Designed | 1918 |
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Manufacturer | |
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Produced | 1921–present (M2HB/M2A1) |
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No. built | 3 million[6] |
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Mass |
- 38 kg (84 lb)
28 kg (62 lb) (AN/M2)
- 58 kg (128 lb) with tripod and traverse and elevation mechanism (T&E)
- 24 lb (11 kg) barrel weight[7]
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Length | 1,654 mm (65.1 in) 1,429 mm (56.3 in) (AN/M2) |
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Barrel length | 1,143 mm (45.0 in) 910 mm (35.8 in) (AN/M2) |
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Cartridge | .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) |
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Action | Short recoil-operated |
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Rate of fire |
- 450–600 rounds/min (M2HB)[8]
- 750–850 rounds/min (AN/M2)
- 1,200–1,300 rounds/min (AN/M3)[10]
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Muzzle velocity | 2,910 ft/s (890 m/s) (M33 ball), 78 ft (24 m) from muzzle[11] 3,050 ft/s (930 m/s) in manual[12][13] |
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Effective firing range | 1,800 m (2,000 yd)[8] |
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Maximum firing range | 7,400 m (8,100 yd) |
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Feed system | Belt-fed (M2 or M9 links) |
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Close
The gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States since the 1930s. It was heavily used during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Falklands War, the Soviet–Afghan War, the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan. It is the primary heavy machine gun of NATO countries and has been used by many other countries as well. U.S. forces have used the M2 longer than any other firearm except the .45 ACP M1911 pistol, which was also designed by John Browning.
The M2HB (heavy barrel) is manufactured in the U.S. by General Dynamics,[16] Ohio Ordnance Works,[17] U.S. Ordnance,[18] and FN Herstal for sale to the U.S. government and other nations via Foreign Military Sales.