M60 Belt
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US |
 M60 Belt |
 |
 Gunner |
150 / 300 |
| Damage Base | Headshot × | Chest × | Stomach × | Leg × | Arm × | Bayonet | Rifle Grenades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | ×2.3 = 103.5 | ×1 = 45 | ×0.95 = 42.75 | ×0.6 = 27 | ×0.55 = 24.75 | NO | NO |
| Designation | Weapon Type | Fire Modes | Fire Rate | Bullet Spread ° | Bipod Bullet Spread ° | Range Modifier | Muzzle Velocity | Projectile weight | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M60 | LMG | Auto | 550 RPM | 9.23° & 2.42° ADS | 2.1° & 0.66° ADS | 0.925 | 853 m/s | 10 g (154.324 gr) | 15 kg (33 lbs) |
| Full name | Caliber | Place of Origin | Date | Armory | Barrel Length | Total Length | Weapon Script Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60 | 7.62x51mm | USA | 1957 | Saco Defense U.S. Ordnancem |
22.0 in (560 mm) | 43.5 in (1,105 mm) | weapon_m60b |
The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun that fires the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge (similar to .308 Winchester), which is commonly used in larger rifles, such as the M14.
HISTORY
The M60 machine gun began development in the late 1940s as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun. It was partly derived from German guns of World War II (most notably the FG 42 and the MG 42), but it contained American innovations as well. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3. It was intended to replace the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and M1919A6 Browning machine gun in the squad automatic weapon role, and in the medium machine gun role. One of the weapons tested against it during its procurement process was the FN MAG.
The U.S. Army adopted the T161E3 as the M60 in 1957. The decision to adopt the M60 instead of foreign designs, like modified versions of the proven German MG 42 or the still-unproven FN MAG, was largely due to Congressional requirements that preference be given to the designs of U.S. arms manufacturers primarily to avoid licensing fees, but also to support U.S. firms. Many U.S. units used the M60 during the Vietnam War as a squad automatic weapon. Every soldier in the rifle squad would carry an additional 200 linked rounds of ammunition for the M60, a spare barrel, or both. The up-gunned M113 armored personnel carrier added two M60 gunners beside the main .50-caliber machine gun while the Patrol Boat, River had one in addition to two .50-cal mounts.
The M60 received the nickname "The Pig" due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition. Vietnam's tropical climate harshly affected weapons, and the M60 was no exception. Its light weight led to it being easily damaged and critical parts like the bolt and operating rod wore out quickly. Even so, soldiers appreciated the gun's handling, mechanical simplicity, and effective operation from a variety of firing positions. United States Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight. Some SEALs had feed chutes from backpacks to have a belt of hundreds of rounds ready to fire without needing to reload.
Many incidents demonstrated the effectiveness of the M60 in combat. In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman, a Marine with 1/5 (1st Battalion/5th Marine Regiment), used the M60 to engage superior elements of the 324th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division, defeating two enemy machine gun positions and suppressing enemies in his immediate vicinity, then advancing another 50 meters into the face of more attacking NVA.
SOURCE
