Ma Deuce: The Venerable Browning M2 .50 Caliber HMG 

I want that on a shirt

Haha m2 brrrr

@Alexi Malenkov Spookiest thing I ever heard was in deep winter at Grafenwohr range in FRG in the 1970s. The sound of multiple .50 caliber guns firing and echoing off the bare trees and the snow. Geoff Who has heard some strange things.

M2 go *thum thum thum thum thum*

Well said.

Commercially means selling it to other countries militaries in this case. No .50 cal. machineguns were sold to civilians.

@@davidresetarits5616 they would have made a killing by selling these to mobst- I mean civilians as well

@@MarvinT0606 I get that you're joking but I doubt mobsters would have been very interested for probably the same reasons they didn't really try to sell them to civilians, it's just SO big and heavy in that context. Not like you can haul one into a bank and demand that they open the safe (though I imagine if you did it would probably be an effective threat!).

@@MarvinT0606 not the only ones making a killing off it lol

@@jameshealy4594 You can make technicals with them.

He probably wouldn't be all that surprised

He would probably just smile and chuckle softly to himself.

How about 1911 ?

I imagine he'd be annoyed no one came up with anything better and start on it himself.

@@DSFARGEG00 its a full auto gun that fires 50 bmg and it's reliable as hell how much better could anything of that nature possibly be

We had a breach explosion with an older one in my company and it wounded the gunner in the upper leg, he was using it in sf role on a tripod in a sitting position, he said it nearly took his balls off, straight to surgery

@@gnifrusdniw VA: Your testicular injury is not service related.

Imagine yourself failing to replace an archaic MG of 1917 design for like a century and still cope with its numerous flaws

It was WW2 and everyone was sensitive about war profiteering. Also particularly after Pearl harbor society was very invested in doing as much as they could for the war. If you couldn't go overseas there was not much better than cranking out thousands of .50 cal machine guns. I bet the morale at high standard was fantastic

Government Contract Law is like no other on Earth, or near space. Geoff Who took the course back in the 1980s.

That was wartime. They had inspectors looking over their shoulder and they had a lot of powers modern IG's dream about. Today the money would disappear into some Black Budget to overthrow the Canadian government to reduce the cost of Canadian bacon.

Then: "Oh dear, there's a war on. Can't be seen to be profiteering." Now: "Woohoo, there's a war on! Nobody will notice the profiteering!"

As mentioned by others, war profiteering was both a moral and legal no-no during WW2; there wasn't a formal law against it, but anyone caught would lose their contracts. This arrangement is formalized by the Defense Production Act of 1950. It SHOULD have been activated in March 2020, but wasn't (there will be whole books on it next year, I'm sure).

Gather the family around for a wholesome history and mechanical lesson.

Can be fixed with m2, easy

Currently happening...

Lmao!

@@caseybrown5183 you sir, are a legend.

It does have a weighty legacy doesn't it? Being a bit of a gun fanatic I was one of the few of the people in my infantry unit who knew the heritage of the M2, and I would be willing to bet a lot of money that there isn't a single one in inventory that hasn't been deployed and used in combat in multiple engagements across the decades. I felt like I'd been handed a legacy by those soldiers of the past and that legacy was there to protect me provided I did justice to the M2. Probably very much like my brother felt as junior nav and weapons officer on a nuclear SAC B52 in the same time period. His class patch for the nav training was a picture of the B52 and the statement "someone over thirty you can trust." That plane will be approaching 60 years old now if it's still in active use, and there's no reason to think it isn't. Since I was "dismount" (plain old grunt) in my mech infantry unit and not a gunner I got only the bare minimum of time behind the M2 and none at all behind the 25mm in our Bradleys. Alas. But I will say, once you get a feel for the M2, the extreme effective range and the destruction the thing is capable of wreaking, the only way I can describe being behind one is that you feel like Zeus.

Down side to our military (over the years) its become a FEMME Model. Split-tail and Fragile Men are now the standard, you see the LEFT is the DEATH of America. A bunch of Diversity Lies, Limp Wrists and Now Queer Nonsense. A path to hell.

Harry Potter should have carried a 1911. Here's why:

@@starcityrc3298 shit i dont blame them

For a period of about 10 days we had a sniper (from somewhere, never knew where these two dudes came from) attached to our squad. Due to the type of terrain and the enemy movements at night, there was an opportunity take out single targets at very long range. But we had to hump that .50 in the daytime -- taking turns with the baseplate, tripod, receiver and barrel, not to mention the ammo. As a practical infantry weapon, don't think much of it. Definitely belongs mounted to something substantial like an M-109 or a Sherman.

the genius of browning knew no bounds

The definition of "ahead of its time". Has been a counter-sniper rifle in 'Nam once It will stay in service while there still are targets that should be hit by a .50 standing up against an infantry squad. Who knows, we might even see mech suits wielding it as a SAW...

@@BlackBladeGroM didn't Hathcock mount an optic on one for the longest sniper kill before modern rifles 2000+yards

@@scooterdogg7580 yes it was done, but no it wasn't gunny hathcock

It was Carlos Norman Hathcock II, aka "White Feather" who modified the m2 browning to be a sniper rifle, and used it to great effect, in '67 he gained the longest sniper kill with it and for a while he kept the record until 2002.

@@unluckymonkey4382 it was hathcock

The most unforgettable. It'll never leave.

I'd say the "least forgotten" firearm showcased on this channel is the MP5, since it's shoved into our face by pop culture all the time.

@@stevenbobbybills I was thinking the same thing

I saw the name of the video and thought "Umm...forgotten weapons?"

Loud and clear

Today it would be "We've figure out how to save 5% on the production consts, so the total contract cost has gone up 10%.". Gotta get those dividends every year.

Maybe it was more of a question of common goal. Nowadays the money persons just know about money. Because, you know, "there is no alternative". So the ones who attain positions of power are people optimized for making money, not having good ideas or being honest, even less being able of long-term vision.

Only if you multiply it by 98

wardaddy jokes

@@RCgenral You don't get it, do you?

nice.

@@FIREBRAND38 You didn't get it did you? (.50 BMG = 12.7mm X 99 NATO)

Right!

Damn straight

A good stocking stuffer

I remember coming down on Christmas day and with wide eyes to find the silhouette of the Browning M2 heavy machine gun wrapped under the Tree. The words From Santa written on the paper tag. Don't shoot your eye out my father warned.

And for Boxing Day!

AMEN JESUS

Be sure to watch the Arisaka paratrooper rifle video with Duncan McCollum, aka Gun Joseph.

@@TammoKorsai I have never thought to continue the metaphor in that way, but you are not wrong.

@@TammoKorsai i feel like a dork cause i accidentally searched up arasaka instead

Santajesusgod

You can't improve on perfection. Other than that pesky headspace and timing.

I was in the 1st AD may 82 thru Aug 85 our m2s went to depot every Q4 cycle

@@gungho1345 It really wasn't perfect, especially the headspacing, the M2A1 config was long long overdue, I mean quick change barrels and fixed headspacing have been around for decades, its amazing they didn't add those features way earlier.

@@gungho1345 never got to play with one that we didn’t have to set the headspace. At least they made some good changes to eliminate that. A fun weapon to rock and roll on for sure tho!!!

It's not THAT hard to do the headspace. If you know your gun, you already know how many clicks to back off. Screw the barrel in, back off however many clicks (mine took 4), and if you're under duress, you're good to go (granted, if you're under duress, you're probably not doing a barrel change on your Ma Deuce). If you're not in a big hurry, pull out your gauge and check it. Takes like one second. Timing is a pain, but if you don't mess with it you shouldn't need to adjust it. I used Ma Deuces throughout my 06-08 deployment to Ramadi. I had few to no jams the whole time (I did have something inside the bolt break once), and the only time I did timing the whole time was if I was teaching someone how to do timing. 2-3 times the entire 15 months. People act like it's something you constantly have to do, and it's really not. EDIT: Took out a question I found the answer to.

Did you get it? And are you deaf today if so?

@@tylerdean980 unfortunately yes. One of the most dangerous places to be actually. On top of a Hummer

Sometimes the worst thing in the world is getting what you wanted.

Well most other guns had less time in service than the length of introduction.

Indeed

The B-52 are the orginal aircraft though.

@@mathiasbartl9393 the M-2 I sat behind on top of our M-113 in the '90s was of WW2 vintage and was made by Frigidaire

@@mathiasbartl9393 The last B-52H produced was delivered on 26 October 1962. I’m sure there are older M2s in service, but there are also more recent production weapons.

Still more impressive given the tolerances for aircraft.

@@Imbeachedwhale I'm not sure they ever did need to manufacture more of these after WW2. 2 million guns is waay more than needed for active service today.

Dear Santa...

"I dont want a lot on christmas." Lol, what a bunch of liars

Mariah Carey was actually talking about Ian

Try getting that down the chimney!

@@Plymouth888 If anyone can, Santa can. ;)

Now imagine the watercooled version. ;-)

That's cause you never had to carry one to the top of a ridge. :) EDIT: Full disclosure, I was a total REMF POG. I just did this crap in training. Don't want to be that guy. ;)

Ian standing next to her really did help to enhance my perspective.

@@Jamoni1 being the smallest guy in the squad, when going on marches the words i hated hearing the most: FERRIS, your carrying the .50, thanks for volunteering 😦😆

@@rf200774 If it wasn't the M2 it was the MK19. To add insult to injury they made me the M249 guy. Those jerks knew what they were doing.

He was very much a perfectionist and was always trying to improve his own designs. I honestly think he would be a bit disappointed that no one could come up with anything better despite having a century to do it.

​@OrtadragoonX He'd probably be pretty impressed with the A1 upgrades though.

Proudly in service for nearly 100 years

Its history is forgotten however.

Unforgettable Weapons.

And a boxing day present to thanks again Ian

On Christmas, all bets are off. Regular Car Reviews reviewed an aircraft.

Imagine being an American soldier being shot at by a tank designed by Mr. Porsche

Imagine being an American pilot in Japan and being shot by a plane from the same maker as your buddy's idiot drift car.

@Reagan James imagine being the only “mechanized army” in Europe and then a real mechanized army comes with 50,000 Shermans

@@thetalesofdaneandco if you hate on different car builds just because of personal bias you’re not a car person hahaha Some people provably think American cars are idiotic

Well, since we got that thing as well now, Imagine being a German shooting one of these things at refrigerators for target practice...

"You will listen to the holy word of Gun Jesus and learn from it!"

Thanks to several sergeants like this, I'm sure I can still disassemble one of these with my eyes closed even after 10 years out.

@@ekscalybur 30 years. I bet i might even remember how to set the headspace and timing although that is now going to be obsolete.

@@shawnr771 You can test it when the next video comes out.

Sergeant's time training approved.

"Oh bugger, the troop transport is on fire"

I understood that reference.

Yes, Commissar

I suppose with explosive rounds it could be considered artillery

Haha first thing i thought of when he spoke on its time in service.

All of that interwar fiddling suggests that it might not have been broke, but it certainly weren't quite right.

@Alexi Malenkov you say that as if the 30mm replaced the .50 lol good luck shouldering a 30mm cannon.

@@killdizzle #whoosh

If it ain't broke, Ma Deuce can probably fix that.

And the M85, and couple of others I can’t remember.

The XM806(LW50) XM218 Then yes, the M85 and the XM312 Then if you ever serve alongside the M2, then you deserve to stay, the GAU-17 holds a recommendation of being able to do just that

Semper Paratus

If it works no reason to replace it. Awesome weapon, enjoyed shooting it from the bridge of the 210 I served on.

Yes, the coastie manning it muzzled me! Made this old Vietnam Vet very nervous!!!

Just realised it's a gun design that spans the period between 3rd & 4th Anglo-Afghanistan wars

Not really much to break you cannot fix. Everything is built so chunky, and so well that they just keep running and running regardless.

@@alexh3974 Emphasis on chunky, fucking hell

@Name Change and still runs like it was built with decent care and repair. Long as looked after and lubricated, they look solid as hell.

I’ve fired ones dated 1943-1950s it’s something firing something that old

I've read a couple of book about the Skunkworks. They did that a lot, they didn't want to lose contracts or get sued, so they would offer the DOD refunds and discounts the DOD didn't even know they had coming to them. It would be awesome if today's contractors had the same honesty and spendthriftness.

@@wittsullivan8130 lockheed sure isn't doing that anymore, that's for sure.

@@SuperAWaC Which is why they been fined millions of $ for cost overruns, bribery, and accounting frauds for the F-22 and F-35 programs. The US government screw itself (as usual) in giving Lockheed 2 of the most expensive programs in US military history when they could had spread the risk and gone with the Boeing/Northrup YF-23

@@JS-ob4oh boeing isn't doing any better.

yup refreshing to see honour and pride in manufacturing a true rarity today

We had two of them in Viet Nam and it seemed at any one time we only had one set of timing gauges. Guys were always putting it in a pocket and could not find it when they needed it. Jungle fatigues had too many big cargo pockets. Combat Engineers.

Current small arms repairman here. I can't say that I've ever heard of needing to match barrels for the M2A1. Every time I've serviced a unit's fifties, we got a pile of guns and a pile of barrels, and never had them be out of spec. That being said, maybe they changed something before I started up.

The barrels on the M2A1 are NOT matched to the receiver for head space purpose The barrels are completely swappable from any M2A1 to any other M2 A1 What you describe is actually debunked in the -10 which clearly states the barrels are not matched to the receiver

RoflL

Roflmao

This weapon is the definition of "it just works".

In the future when the military uses giant robots, they’ll still be mounting the .50 cal

@@siegfried2k4 The M2 would be an *exceptional* "anti-bipedal-robot" weapon.

The Imperial Guard in Warhammer 40k is still using them in the 41st millennium. They are options for the pintle mount on all their vehicles.

@@erwin669 also a similar design is used in the IG heavy weapons squad 'heavy stubber' and most vehicle mounted guns for the gene stealers

The Puzzle Palace tried with the M-85. Not a successful design. Same with the M-73 in 7.62 NATO

Just watched die hard last night

Welcome to the party, pal!

A security guard we missed?

Yippee Kai-yay, gentlemen.

Don’t the Marines still use the 1911. I know the Sig is replacing all handguns though

@@MeanLaQueefa I think they used a custom 1911, the M45, until they recently chose to have them replaced with Glock-19s.

@@MeanLaQueefa Not anymore. 1911 is a good gun, but modern handguns are a more practical choice.

@@24YOA agreed.

@@MeanLaQueefa yeah, the m17/18 is replacing the beretta in some branches of the military

I was Navy, Aviation Ordinance, got assigned to the ships gun mounts pretty often. Definitely a nice surprise.

@SephS.: Happy Holidays to you and your family and Thank You for your service protecting our country. Excellent comment, Sir. A question for you: As a professional, USA Armourer, did I understand Ian correctly when he stated that the Browning .50 HMG of WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War eras- with available upgrades and replacement of worn-out parts by pros like you could conceivably remain in active, military service 80+ years after original manufacture? If true, that would be IMO an amazing testament to this legendary weapon-system’s longevity, reliability and just plain toughness. The few I’ve ever seen have been on static-display/de-militarized in museums, so I don’t know. Thank you again.

I believe I read an article from when they started overhauling their inventory that they did in fact find one that was in service for like, 90 years or something like that without ever getting an overhaul. I’ll see if I can find the article.

Found the article. It was weapon #324 and it went through roughly 94 years and never got a single overhaul or upgrade.

In the Army in the 70s we just called it “ The 50 cal.” It was a scary gun.

@@John_Redcorn_ well then we can also mention the gas operation system, pistol slide

Not to mention he was one of the originators of the 9mm caliber as well.

1911 and this gun

@@todo9633 He wasnt the originator that honour goes to DWM he did make 9 mm Browning long (9x20 semi rimmed)

It's gonna end up as the Brown Bess of the US Military. In use for over 200 years (or more)

areyou referring to the book by New Vanguard?

I wonder how the earliest models looked, I can imagine the WWI productions needing tools for the first few dozen.

BALD!

Manually had to set headspace and timing for one.

@@8076A No They are pretty much the same. Field stripping the weapon is very simple. And unless something is damaged further disassembly in general not needed. The bolt can be further disassemble for cleaning. On a side note during training we were taught to never stand behind the weapon when removing the back plate. It was possible to remove the back plate with the bolt locked to the rear. The operating rod spring would be compressed and if someone managed to get it free from the receiver that person would be having a bad day.

Didn’t expect to see you here, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

These things are gonna be around looong after most societies have gone down the WC lol

@@josemitakodachirecruit2004 fucking dolphin people will probably use it to wage war again

@@KhoaLe-uc2ny they sit there thinking of improvements to make, but then realize that there aren’t any

That'll still be true when the person who wrote that book passes away.

@@TheWizardGamez a bayonet could certainly help. You may say... "but with a recoiling barrel you can't attach a bayonet" to which I say "you think a jab to the goo will fuck up the bolt, firing pin, or move anything at all?". You may say "but who's going to be able to hoist this thing up?" To which I reply "limited minds... you must mount this on a vehicle, or in a fixed position. On a vehicle you act like an antimaterial Lancer, and in a fixed position you act as an anti-scout car pikeman" So yes, improvements can be made you see!

There's always the field expedient head spacing, crank the barrel all the way on back it off 2 clicks to fire, if it's slow or erratic back it off one more click

Later mods did away with the head space and timing requirement, I believe.

"asset denial" is a cute term for "fuck the enemy's shit up for realz"

"Bop,Bop,Bop"!!😎👍👍🇧🇴

@@TomFynn yes, the "asset" is their lives

I remember when I was in the Army, going to an M2 familiarization range. We were support troops (I was small arms repair) so we did not do extensive training with firing the gun. After we had all fired our required number of rounds, there was extra ammo left over so they called for volunteers to shoot it. I thought it was odd that the majority of people did NOT jump forward!

And guns

In the grim darkness of the 40th millennia even the Orkz have shrines to Browning.

@@spartanonxy John Brownin', for 'e woz bru'al and kunnin' at the same toim

@@dootmarine1140 I am imagining a tech priest seeing a shrine to Browning on a Ork ship and just bowing towards it. The one thing the Mechanicus and the Orkz agree upon.

Cadia stands!

*YES!*

I suspected it was going to be followed by a shooting video, since it's Friday, and he's where he can shoot such a beast.

You must be joking? Ian: I never joke about my work

@@MrDgwphotos it is very fun ive shot two machine guns in my life a .50 bmg browning like this one i dont remember if it was the heavy barrel version or whatever but i shot one and a thompson but the fun isnt why we have them its to help fight against tyrannical "laws" that the government tries to "pass" that goes against the constitution

"Needs more daka"

@@Squashy5107 Your dakka needs more k. 100 % more to be precise.

If it moves, and it’s supposed to, put an M2 on it. If it moves, and it’s not supposed to, shoot it with an M2

From back when American factories built quality stuff.

New old stock?

"Fresh frozen"

That's one hell of a backorder.

On a darker (or lighter note) the purple hearts issued at the time were probably also made in the 40's ,as they expected 250k casualties invading Japan, ultimately they harnessed the power of the atom and they were not needed at the time.

The first prophet of the Mechanicum, the grandfather of all tech priests, designed it, so yeah.

@@ekscalybur Wouldn't be surprised if this is still around when the time comes to purge filthy xenos and heretics.

Yep. Someone finally realized that now we have the ability to control the tolerances well enough that we can set headspace at the factory.

I wonder how long before they introduce the A2 variant now? A 100 more years?

@@justineallandevelos6491 It's actually astonishing how behind we are on HMG development. The Russian KORD is so lightweight and flexible that it can be used as a medium machine gun. And now apparently the Chinese have an even lighter HMG that can easily be carried around by a single man. This is kind of ridiculous.

@Enwurd Looter I meant as a sniper rifle.

@Enwurd Looter I’m mean sniper as a rifle caliber weapon being used by one person to kill one person. Those weapons you describe do not count as sniper kills.

@Enwurd Looter Why must you be like this. You knew what he meant. I knew what he meant. We all did. Why be an ass?

TIL! I didn't know that a M2 had been able to hit that accurate at 2500yd, but I guess that there were more than one shot involved? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_recorded_sniper_kills

@@everythingexplained If so, it was in semi-automatic mode. Hathcock and others (as far back as the Korean War) mounted scopes on an M2 and sniped with the weapon in the semi-auto mode that Ian discussed. Some also did some tuning work on the spade grip and triggers.

I believe that too. The more complex something is, the more parts there are, the more likely it is to fail and the harder it will be to fix it. Not everything has to be so super complex and complicated to be used in the modern era.

@Jimmy Two Times grease gun

@Jimmy Two Times All humans are born dead anyways. Might as well go out on our own terms.

above is a discussion between the department of procurement, and the the logistics department.

@@Robb1977 Let me guess, I'm the Logistics Department and Jimmy Two Times is the Department of Procurement?

LET'S GOOOOOOO

My response was "Yeee-hawww!"

Coward

*laughs in Drachinifel*

Gun Jesus bring us some Christmas cheer!

Also, the barrel, bolt, barrel extension and buffer housing recoil as a unit until the buffer extension reaches it's limit of travel. The barrel and barrel extension continue rearward travel, forcing the accelerator lever to accelerate the bolt rearward. They don't slow squat. They are accelerators, not bolt slower downers. Once the bolt has been 'accelerated' the barrel, barrel extension and buffer housing return to their original position pushed by the buffer spring. followed by the bolt with a new boolet if in auto mode.

Oh heck, my M85 war story follows. If you visited a tank range at Ft Carson CO in the early 80's almost every TC fired his M85 on high rate, contributing to breakage, it was intended for anti-aircraft use. Use low rate (about the same as the M2's) for ground targets. If you heard an M85 going 'BURRRRRRRRRRT' wasn't me. If you heard Bup Bup Bup Bup Bup... That was me. May have been the only tanker in the army to shoot his M85 on low rate routinely. I liked putting a belt in the ammo tray at the beginning of gunnery training and still using the same belt on the qualification range. On the platoon qualification range, TTX, IIRC I'd put one belt in the tray, two more in the ammo storage below my feet and trained my gunner to grab one and hold it up to me so I could reload. Time it right and you could do it buttoned up, (needed about 10-12 boolets left in the existing belt),otherwise reloading an empty M85 required exposing yourself because you had to open it up from on top to put the belt into the MG. (You could theoretically do it buttoned up but do it once and you'll never do it again.) My habit was to use the rangefinder to get the range to my target, use it again for my gunner's target and announce it to him in case the ballistic computer didn't get the input from my rangefinder. Use my sight on my target, shoot as few boolets as needed to kill the target, and move on. On the platoon qual I made a point of exhausting my first belt so I had to practice the reload. Probably the only guy that did that, too. One time in qualification I started out the engagement as normal, ranged my target, ranged my gunner's target announced the range and the the 'Gunner, Heat, PC, Diver move out, Gunner take over, Caliber 50!' He did his thing and killed the BMP target. I engaged my troop target, one shot and stopped, no response from the trigger. Grabbed charging chain handle and yanked, No response from electrical trigger, Yanked manual firing chain handle *BANGI* and nothing. Charged, yanked *BANG*, Charged, yanked *BANG* Target TC complete, driver back up. Left hand bled like a stuck pig after banging around the cupola manual controls. Wrapped it up with a handkerchief and motored on. qualified as expected. On the TTVII practice range (TTVIII but for practice) we had an NBC engagement requiring us to mask up and attach to our tank's NBC systems. Only one engagement and then it's magically 'all clear'. Pulled up to the starting position and when the tower asked if I was ready I said 'Hold that thought, GAS, GAS, GAS!. My crew did their thing as did I. Tower complained 'this isn't the gas engagement.' My reply, 'you don't get it, for my guys this is the TTVII NBC range, they're all gas engagements. Let's go.' Probably the only guy to do that too. Fired a qualifying score. SMAJ was not happy. Not my problem, he didn't rate me. Give him credit though, he thoroughly cussed out my Troop CO for not giving me a max rating for the period, which he subsequently did. CSM Jeff Fields I wasn't wearing cooks whites. I was a working tanker and had just come out from under a tank to attend my driver's Art 15 hearing for having a pistol in the barracks that I found and turned over to the XO. I think you were pissed that I bucked the 'max him' chorus and the RCO agreed with me instead of my PSG, 1sg, CO, Sqdn CSM, Sqdn CO, Regt'l CSM. At the time I was one of very few official NCO platoon leaders. Usually, a lieutenant's position but this one was mine. Position got converted later and I became a 'mere' PSG.

​@@johnallison820 Ummm kinda sorta right but out of order

2021 Australia, colourized?

Mate, ian only looks like he is late twenties at most, but yes, i agree. The M2 is cool as well.

Aged like a fine wine.

There were no tanks in Somalia. They were at Waco killing the Branch Davidians.

He did the same thing with the BAR, and other weapons. Browning was a strong patriot, a humble man, a strong follower of his faith, a good father, and is the only man to Americanize a foreign arms company. His strength of character is one that few people in history can match. For that reason he is someone I greatly admire compared to other inventors of his day who were greedy douchbags.

You are correct. Not only was Saint John Moses Browning a genius the like of which only comes around at best once per century, but he was a true patriot.

Not to talk Browning down. But he probably made a huge Profit even with a flat fee

Imagine that, yeah I mount this in my pickup for hunting rabbit quail and duck lol

America, pickup & M2. American technical?

Sounds fun until you realize that even the standard fmj rounds are $10+ a piece.

On my APC I’d fire 1-2 round spotting bursts and once laid on 4-6 rd killing bursts with no more than two required. Very easy MG to clean after decades firing gas operated guns. My only concern was the small springs that broke in the top cover.

They were only sold to militaries.

And half it's service life?

Por que?

Brother, get the stubber! The heavy stubber!

I'm sure somewhere in the stargate universe, in one episode they just set up a 50 cal and empty a belt into a gate set to an enemy world.

Alien Marine fires 2mm coil gun, 2,000RPM, tungsten grav-core-compressed projectile at 12,000mph Humans turn to pink mist at 5miles after the projectile has already gone though a brick wall (or rather, the expanding cloud of plasma whacks the Humans). Aliens say: "WE PROBE U, HUMIES! YOU NO BEAT US WITH APPLE MACS AND AR15s, YOU PRIMITIVE SCREWHEADS!" :P

@@letsburn00 They had an episode where Jack O'Neil mans a M2HB mounted on a ATV

Browning M2, the OG heavy bolter :D

Wars come and go, but one thing remains the same. And that, is the Ma Deuce.

Just imagine when we colonize other planets and bring this bad boy along

Even in the grim dark future, The Ma Deuce was there It may go by another name, but behind all the bells and whistles, beneath the polish and accessories, The Ma Deuce was there

@@edwardhaybell1938 in the grim dark future I'm pretty sure the ma deuce is called a heavy stubber lol

@@edwardhaybell1938 With receivers built in WW2

That makes sense. You think that's why it's still around?

​@lotklear1379 I do, however I believe the credit should go to the mount though, it just kept it so stable while firing.

Nothing screams feck you, more.

@@williamkeith8944 AMEN. The sound of liberty and courage.

Agree. Famous gun sounds include the ubiquitous Remington pump shotgun.

The *PIIIIING* of the Garand, the *CLACK CLACK* of a shotgun, the *click CLICK* of the 1911 and the *SHUCK SHUCK* of the M2 are the pillers of 'MERICA!

Or a 12 gauge pump racking up.

Benefits of being arty: we never had to lug the old girl on foot. We rode, and she rode with us.

My favorite of the MG’s. The Mk19 was a fun, but the lego block of a bolt bit me enough and enough faulty ammo pooped a few feet out of the barrel that I developed a distaste for it. The M2, though, I’d volunteer for extra patrols if it meant I got the .50. The satisfying rate of fire and positive feedback from the recoil is a thing of beauty. Throw in the perfect hold and that baby is accurate as anything. Getting a little chubby just thinking about it.

We were out on a ruck march one day and met another unit out doing the same. Some poor shmuck had the receiver and barrel strapped to the top of his ruck w/ the barrel installed. I don't know who he pissed off that morning but he must've done a number.

Actually know a guy that broke one....

@@garretthompson8677 we had a tank crew drive over one and a 240 at the same time at NTC. They carried them into the DFAC while the BC and CSM were in there eating.

Worn out parts? I was a gunner on an APC in the Norwegian army for a while, and had a 1943 production M2 that somehow had missed the QCB upgrades. Both barrels gaged in spec at two clicks, according to the old manuals they were factory headspaced at two clicks so you could use that without gaging in emergencies. I've handled about a dozen other M2s with adjustable headspace, they were all good at two clicks.

@@Kaboomf Or possibly they were from different manufacturers, with different tolerances.

So it is like the ending of the 4th Rambo film?

You Sir, have a way with words. Short, sweet and complete.

‘Ending at the sphincter’ ha that’s a good one

In OPFOR, the .50 was shooting wooden bullets, with a splitter on the end of the muzzle. There are no bottleneck rounds that effectively keep the gun in full auto. So it shoots soft pine wood bullets.

Interesting physiological concept, with the lizard brain involvement. Brings to mind the old line from Bill Cosby, " First you say it, then you do it" .

I knew the bit about the accelerator was totally wrong, and had my doubts about the top cover and the bolt switch, too. I was a small arms repairer, trained at Aberdeen and working regularly on these things in the 1980's, but that was a long time ago!

Just the thought of Derpy Hooves guiding me through the mechanics of an M2 fills me with joy.

@@DakotaofRaptors you are very welcome. ^~^

yeah they can, it's too heavy for a marine to fire it from the hip (although I'm sure at least a few enterprising marines tried anyway).

It's not clean enough...

@@briant7652 nothing ever is.

M60A1 and A2