Stoner 63A LMG: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons of Vietnam]]
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|Stoner 63A LMG||5.56mm||[[USA]]||1963||Cadillac Gage <br>Knight's Armament Company ||20 in (508 mm)||40.25 in (1,022 mm)||weapon_stoner63_l
|Stoner 63A LMG||[[5.56mm]]||[[USA]]||1966||Cadillac Gage <br>Knight's Armament Company ||20 in (508 mm)||40.25 in (1,022 mm)||weapon_stoner63_l
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The [[Stoner 63]], designed by Eugene Stoner, is an innovative modular weapon system developed during the [[Vietnam War]] era. Its versatility allowed it to be configured as an [[assault rifle]], [[carbine]], [[light machine gun]], or even a vehicle-mounted weapon. Its lightweight design and ability to quickly change configurations made it ideal for jungle warfare conditions in Vietnam, where mobility and adaptability were crucial. Despite its promising features, production and deployment were limited, and it didn't see widespread use due to various factors including cost and reliability issues. However, its legacy as a forward-thinking firearm design continues to influence modern small arms development.


=HISTORY=
'''The Stoner 63A LMG''' is the light machine gun configuration of the U.S. 5.56×45mm [[Stoner 63]] modular weapon system designed by Eugene Stoner. It is best known for providing a relatively lightweight, belt-fed (or magazine-fed depending on configuration) automatic weapon role within a system that could be reconfigured into multiple formats using a common receiver and shared components.
After leaving ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner, renowned for his military small arms designs, conceived a modular weapon system adaptable to multiple configurations. Collaborating with Cadillac Gage's Howard Carson in Costa Mesa, California, Stoner developed the system, which was built around a common receiver with interchangeable parts. The first prototype, the Stoner M69W, was completed in 1962, followed by the Stoner 62. The focus later shifted to the smaller 5.56×45mm cartridge, leading to the production of the Stoner 63 in 1963.


Despite initial interest and adoption by the U.S. Marines for trials, the Stoner 63 faced reliability issues in Army tests, leading to the improved Stoner 63A in 1966. Further enhancements were attempted in the XM207 variant from 1969 to 1971, including modifications to improve firing rates and structural integrity. However, the project was ultimately discontinued in 1971 after U.S. military priorities shifted following the Vietnam War withdrawal announcement.
==HISTORY==
 
After leaving ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner developed a modular weapons system built around a common receiver with interchangeable components that could be reconfigured into multiple roles. Early prototypes were completed in 1962, and production Stoner 63 weapons in 5.56×45mm began in 1963, with Cadillac Gage as the manufacturer. U.S. testing identified reliability and durability issues, leading to an improved production standard—**Stoner 63A**—introduced in 1966.
 
The LMG configuration was intended to give small units an automatic support weapon while preserving the Stoner system’s modularity. In Vietnam, the Stoner 63/63A family saw limited adoption rather than broad standardization, with U.S. Navy SEALs the most commonly documented combat users and the U.S. Marines conducting field evaluations in 1967. Photographs and historical accounts frequently show SEAL platoons carrying Stoner 63A weapons in multiple configurations, including LMG setups, though the platform’s cost, complexity, and maintenance demands prevented wider issue and it was gradually replaced by later designs in subsequent decades.
 
===Sources===
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoner_63 Stoner 63 | Wikipedia
* https://smallarmsreview.com/the-stoner-63as-earliest-days-in-combat/ “The Stoner 63A’s Earliest Days in Combat” | Small Arms Review
* https://www.forgottenweapons.com/stoner-63a-automatic-rifle-the-original-modular-weapon/ Stoner 63A (background and context) | Forgotten Weapons


A small number of Stoner 63 and 63A units were used by U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam, but by the late 1980s, the system was phased out in favor of newer designs like the M249 SAW.
<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoner_63 SOURCE]
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File:Soldier-with-Stoner-63.jpg| Soldier equipped with a Stoner 63A LMG and [[Smoke Grenades]]
File:Soldier-with-Stoner-63.jpg| Soldier equipped with a Stoner 63A LMG and [[Smoke Grenades]]
File:Navy-SEALs-Foxtrot-One-Team-Vietnam-1-1024x770.jpg|Navy SEALs of Foxtrot Platoon with their weapons, including multiple Stoner 63 rifles. (Photo: US Navy SEAL Museum)
File:Navy-SEALs-Foxtrot-One-Team-Vietnam-1-1024x770.jpg|Navy SEALs of Foxtrot Platoon with their weapons, including multiple Stoner 63 rifles. (Photo: US Navy SEAL Museum)
File:1584800349 stoner-63-lmg-vietnam-greg-2.jpg|All "seals" are armed with various configurations of the Stoner 63. On the shoulder of the fighter on the right is a machine gun with a disconnected butt. Photo: “The Coronado Times”
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Latest revision as of 08:10, 24 February 2026

Factions Weapon Icon Classes Ammo

US
Stoner 63A LMG		 Gunner
 100 / 200
Damage Base Headshot × Chest × Stomach × Leg × Arm × Bayonet Rifle Grenades Reload Speed
Partial Empty
33 ×2.5 = 82.5 ×1.2 = 39.6 ×1.15 = 37.95 ×0.8 = 26.4 ×0.75 = 19.8 NO NO 6.66 Seconds 7.233 Seconds
Designation Weapon Type Fire Modes Fire Rate Bullet Spread ° Bipod Bullet Spread ° Range Modifier Muzzle Velocity Projectile weight Weight
XM207E1 LMGs Auto 775 RPM 9.43° & 2.62° ADS 2.21° & 0.71° ADS 0.955 991 m/s 12.3g (189.8gr) 12.3 kg (27.12 lbs)
Full name Caliber Place of Origin Date Manufacturer Barrel Length Total Length Weapon Script Name
Stoner 63A LMG 5.56mm USA 1966 Cadillac Gage
Knight's Armament Company		 20 in (508 mm) 40.25 in (1,022 mm) weapon_stoner63_l


The Stoner 63A LMG is the light machine gun configuration of the U.S. 5.56×45mm Stoner 63 modular weapon system designed by Eugene Stoner. It is best known for providing a relatively lightweight, belt-fed (or magazine-fed depending on configuration) automatic weapon role within a system that could be reconfigured into multiple formats using a common receiver and shared components.

HISTORY

After leaving ArmaLite, Eugene Stoner developed a modular weapons system built around a common receiver with interchangeable components that could be reconfigured into multiple roles. Early prototypes were completed in 1962, and production Stoner 63 weapons in 5.56×45mm began in 1963, with Cadillac Gage as the manufacturer. U.S. testing identified reliability and durability issues, leading to an improved production standard—**Stoner 63A**—introduced in 1966.

The LMG configuration was intended to give small units an automatic support weapon while preserving the Stoner system’s modularity. In Vietnam, the Stoner 63/63A family saw limited adoption rather than broad standardization, with U.S. Navy SEALs the most commonly documented combat users and the U.S. Marines conducting field evaluations in 1967. Photographs and historical accounts frequently show SEAL platoons carrying Stoner 63A weapons in multiple configurations, including LMG setups, though the platform’s cost, complexity, and maintenance demands prevented wider issue and it was gradually replaced by later designs in subsequent decades.

Sources

Real-Life Photos
  • Navy SEALS X-Ray Platoon. Taken on a dock near Ben Tre in Southeast Vietnam. The SEAL in the center of the group, Lt. Michael Collins, is carrying a Stoner 63A1 Mk 23 Mod 0 Commando with a short 15.7 in (398.8 mm) barrel. Lt. Michael Collins, KIA March 4th, 1971. Photo credit: US Navy.
    Navy SEALS X-Ray Platoon. Taken on a dock near Ben Tre in Southeast Vietnam. The SEAL in the center of the group, Lt. Michael Collins, is carrying a Stoner 63A1 Mk 23 Mod 0 Commando with a short 15.7 in (398.8 mm) barrel. Lt. Michael Collins, KIA March 4th, 1971. Photo credit: US Navy.
  • Soldier equipped with a Stoner 63A LMG and Smoke Grenades
    Soldier equipped with a Stoner 63A LMG and Smoke Grenades
  • Navy SEALs of Foxtrot Platoon with their weapons, including multiple Stoner 63 rifles. (Photo: US Navy SEAL Museum)
    Navy SEALs of Foxtrot Platoon with their weapons, including multiple Stoner 63 rifles. (Photo: US Navy SEAL Museum)
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