Machine guns introduction
Austria
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 Steyr AUG /Hbar
Belgium
 FN Minimi
 FN MAG
 FN BRG-15
China, People's Republic
 Type 67 GPMG
 Type 88 GPMG
 Type 95 LMG
 Type 77 HMG
 Type 85 HMG
 W-85 HMG
 Type 89 HMG new
 Type 02 / QJG 02 HMG
Czech Republic
 ZB 26
 ZB 53 / Vz.37
 type 52 & 52/57
 type 58 (UK vz.58)
Denmark
 Madsen LMG
 Madsen-Saetter
Finland
 Valmet KvKK 62
France
 MAC M1924/29
 AAT Mod.52
Germany
 MG 08, MG 08/15, MG 08/18
 MG 13
 MG 34
 MG 42 and MG 3
 HK 21 and 23
 HK MG 4
Great Britain
 Vickers Mk.I
 Lewis
 Bren
 L86A1 SA-80 LSW
Israel
 Negev
Japan
 Type 96 & Type 99
 Type 62
Russia / USSR
 Maxim M1910/30
 Degtyarov DP DPM RP-46
 Degtyarov DS-39
 Degtyarov RPD
 Kalashnikov RPK
 Kalashnikov RPK-74
 Gorjunov SG-43 SGM
 Kalashnikov PK / PKM
 Pecheneg
 DShK DShKM 12.7
 NSV 12,7 'Utes'
 Kord 12,7
 KPV 14,5
Singapore
 STK Ultimax 100
 CIS .50 MG
South Africa
 Vector SS-77 / Mini-SS
South Korea
 Daewoo K3
Spain
 CETME Ameli
Switzerland
 Steyr-Solothurn MG 30
 SIG MG 50
 W+F MG 51
 SIG MG 710
USA
 Lewis
 Browning M1917 M1919
 Browning M1918 BAR
 Johnson M1941 M1944
 M60
 M16 LSW / LMG
 M134 Minigun new
 XM214 Microgun new
 Stoner 63
 M249 SAW
 M240
 Mk.48 mod.0
 Browning M2HB .50 cal
 XM312 .50 cal
 LW50MG new

 Gatling, Minigun, Vulcan

all texts and some pictures
copyright © 1999-2008
by Max R. Popenker
and can not be used without author permission

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SIG MG50 / M/51 machine gun (Switzerland)

SIG MG50 (M/51) machine gun in 'medium' role, on tripod and with telescope sight

Caliber	6.5x55, 7.5x55, 7.62x63 (.30-06) and 7.92x57
Weight	13.4 kg (with bipod) + 19.7 kg (SIG tripod)
Length	1245 mm
Barrel length	600 mm
Feed	belt
Rate of fire	Selectable, 600-700 and 900-1100 rounds per minute

When in early 1940s the Swiss army requested a new, universal machine gun to replace old Maxim and Furrer guns of pre-war design, SIG company decided to develop an indigenous design, and between 1944 and 1951 turned out a series of gas-operated machine guns, fed using either twin-drum magazines or belts. SIG MG 50 machine gun lost the Swiss trials to rival weapon designed by Waffenfabrik Bern (MG51), but continued for a while as a commercial venture. A definitive version of this design was adopted by Denmark in .30-06 caliber as SIG M/51; a version of the same gun, chambered in 6.5x55 was tested in Sweden as SIG MG53 but without success.

The SIG MG 50 is a gas operated, air-cooled, belt fed machine gun which fires from an open bolt in automatic mode only. The barrel is quick-detachable; its rear part, along with gas system below it, is enclosed by a tubular jacket without any cooling slots. The gas system is of the short-stroke type, and the gas cylinder is integral to the beech part of the barrel, so upon barrel replacement the gas cylinder and gas piston are also removed along with the barrel. The barrel is locked by a tilting bolt. Feed is via non-disintegrating belts assembled from 50-round lengths; the standard capacity is 250 rounds for tripod- or vehicle-mounted applications or 50 rounds (in a drum-type box) for light (bipod mounted) applications. Feed direction is from the left side only; empty cases are ejected downward through the aperture in the bottom of receiver.
The SIG MG 50 is fitted with a folding, non-detachable bipod which is attached to the front of the barrel jacket. For sustained fire missions the gun could be mounted on a special lightweight tripod.

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