M60 Machine Gun
The American general-purpose machine gun that served from Vietnam to the 21st century.
The M60, officially the Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. It was adopted in 1957 and issued to units later in 1960. It has served with every branch of the U.S. military and still serves with the armed forces of other nations.
Quick Facts
- Caliber
- 7.62×51 mm (2.01 in) NATO
- Type
- General-purpose machine gun
- Feed system
- Belt-fed
- Operating principle
- Gas-operated, rotating bolt
- In-game role
- Heavy weapon; sustained suppressive fire
- Franchise
- Ghost Recon
Lore & Background
The M60 was developed after World War II as a program for a new, lighter 7.62 mm machine gun, intended to replace the aging Browning M1919 machine guns. It drew inspiration from the German 'universal machine gun' concept. The final evaluation version was designated the T161E3 and was accepted as the M60 in 1957. 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.
During the Vietnam War, many U.S. units used the M60 as a squad automatic weapon. It received the nickname 'The Pig' due to its bulky size and appetite for ammunition. In the 1980s, the Army partially replaced the M60 with the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, but the M60 was retained in vehicle-mounted and general-purpose roles. The U.S. Marine Corps adopted the M60E3, and later the M60E4 (designated Mk 43 Mod 0) was developed for Navy Special Warfare.
In the early 1990s, the U.S. Army tested M60 and M240 upgrade kits; the M240 was declared the winner and accepted into infantry service. The M60, though largely phased out, continued to be used in the 21st century by U.S. Navy SEALs.
Reader's Guide
The M60 is a belt-fed machine gun firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges. It is generally used as a crew-served weapon, operated by a team of two or three: the gunner, assistant gunner, and ammunition bearer. The gunner carries the weapon and between 200 and 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The assistant carries a spare barrel and extra ammunition, reloads, and spots targets. The ammunition bearer carries additional ammunition and the tripod if issued. The M60 can be accurately fired from the shoulder at short ranges, from the integral bipod, M122 tripod, or other mounts. Ammunition comes in a cloth bandolier containing a cardboard box of 100 pre-linked rounds using M13 links. Later models changed the ammunition box attachment point.
Did You Know?
- During the Vietnam War, some U.S. Navy SEALs used M60s with shorter barrels and no front sights to reduce weight.
- In 1966, Medal of Honor recipient Lance Corporal Richard Pittman used an M60 to engage superior enemy forces.
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