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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:03:20 PM EDT
MG42 is the best foreign made belt fed machine gun ever devised hands down.
 Runner up would be the soviet PKM.  As far as America is concerned dropping the M60 was absolutely necessary as it was not reliable and finicky choosing the FN M249/240B was a smart move. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:06:04 PM EDT
[#1]
PKM for sure.
Literally the only downside of the PKM was the non disintegrating link belt. If it wasn't for that, it would be the perfect GPMG. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:10:01 PM EDT
[#2]
MG-42 was best for a long time, no doubt.
I think the best is probably the PKM. I believe South Africa made a NATO-compliant version of the PKM back in the day. Adding the US to the mix doesn't change things much. The various Browning designs were good for their day but were dated by the end of WW2. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:15:47 PM EDT
[#3]
FN MAG series (M240) is pretty damn good
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:17:54 PM EDT
[#4]
PKM
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:18:51 PM EDT
[#5]
Meh.
MG-34 was the real "doctrine-level" innovation. MG42 just figured out how to make it cheaper, and have a RoF that was ridiculous for anything other than static defensive use. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:22:28 PM EDT
[#6]
The Maxim gun.
By far the original belt fed machine gun. Was copied by both sides during ww1, and probably killed more people than any machine gun ever designed since. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:26:01 PM EDT
[#7]
Except the GPMG doctrine has fallen from favor.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:26:47 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The Maxim gun. By far the original belt fed machine gun. Was copied by both sides during ww1, and probably killed more people than any machine gun ever designed since. Maxim for the win.... supremely reliable under any conditions ......and has essentially been in continuous service since 1885 |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:26:56 PM EDT
[#9]
PKM.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:27:34 PM EDT
[#10]
ZB 26
Opps, not belt fed 
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:28:16 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: ZB 26 Fantastic gun, but not belt fed. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:30:16 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Fantastic gun, but not belt fed. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: ZB 26 Fantastic gun, but not belt fed. Yup, realize I missed the belt fed qualifier somehow |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:34:13 PM EDT
[#13]
PKM.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:35:53 PM EDT
[#14]
PKM
But I feel RPD should get honorable mention Never seen a PKM be like a RPD  
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:38:27 PM EDT
[#15]
Ultamax constant recoil MG???
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Posted: 1/20/2022 5:38:49 PM EDT
[#16]
I agree.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:01:13 PM EDT
[#17]
Havent shot a PKM but I would say that while great, the MG42 is not the Holy Grail of beltfeds.
The MAG58 is heavy, but very smooth and easy to shoot. Plus reliable. the UK59 is a great one, if a little fast. In general I am much a fan of the UK. Light, fairly ergonomic, reliable (till I cracked the locking block anyway), quick change barrel, usable in the LMG role well, full power caliber yet also fairly controllable. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:05:24 PM EDT
[#18]
After shooting both, I agree with OP.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:13:05 PM EDT
[#19]
FN MAG, PKM as the runner up, MG3/MG42 as a distant third.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:15:03 PM EDT
[#20]
Needs a poll, because obviously the PKM is the best.
Not by a great deal, but it sure as fuck is. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:21:18 PM EDT
[#21]
PKM>FN MAG>MG3/MG42
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:34:46 PM EDT
[#22]
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:43:25 PM EDT
[#23]
Negev.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:51:49 PM EDT
[#24]
Why is the mag58 not on this list?
1-Mag58 2-PKM 3rd place loser: Anything else. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 6:51:52 PM EDT
[#25]
PKM old school
Negev modern |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:00:59 PM EDT
[#26]
PKM’s are pretty sweet. Was hitting 10x12 plates
2 out of 3 times with 3 round burst at 300 yards while shooting one. MG-42 probably couldn’t do that. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:04:48 PM EDT
[#27]
PKM.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:08:57 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Havent shot a PKM but I would say that while great, the MG42 is not the Holy Grail of beltfeds. The MAG58 is heavy, but very smooth and easy to shoot. Plus reliable. the UK59 is a great one, if a little fast. In general I am much a fan of the UK. Light, fairly ergonomic, reliable (till I cracked the locking block anyway), quick change barrel, usable in the LMG role well, full power caliber yet also fairly controllable. We had 2 UK59's at an importer I worked at. The shorter 18 or 20" barrel made it really handy. The unique charging was a pretty cool feature. We also had an MG42 on the dual ground/anti-aircraft mount. The Maxim with the heavy ass rolling ground mount was fun as hell to fire. We also had a DP28 that was fun. Loading the pans was a bitch. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:10:24 PM EDT
[#29]
Just here to make sure not retard says M249
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:18:05 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryThere's a dshk for sale on GB now... |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:20:49 PM EDT
[#31]
Forget belt feds…Chauchat forever!
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:24:38 PM EDT
[#32]
MG3, a modernized MG42.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:25:17 PM EDT
[#33]
I've never considered the M60 unreliable.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:25:49 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The Maxim gun. By far the original belt fed machine gun. Was copied by both sides during ww1, and probably killed more people than any machine gun ever designed since. This “The Devils Paintbrush “ |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:27:00 PM EDT
[#35]
I agree with OP.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:27:43 PM EDT
[#36]
Saw a twin MG42 in action set up at knob creek many years ago. One bad MFr tearing thru belts of 8mm like crazy. Something like 1400 rpm each iirc. Hitlers Zipper, right?
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:31:16 PM EDT
[#37]
M2 the ultimate general purpose belt fed
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:36:07 PM EDT
[#38]
MG42 is not better than a PKM.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 7:56:13 PM EDT
[#39]
M134D >MG42
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:01:11 PM EDT
[#40]
Carried an M60 for years, fucker always ran no matter where we were. Bastard son of MG 42 it was.
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:14:00 PM EDT
[#41]
The mg 42 was designed for use at much longer ranges than people tend to use machine guns today. The rate of fire was meant to put enough bullets out to be effective at those ranges. Rather than needing X number of Maxim guns they designed one mg42 to do the job of multiple slower firing belt feds.
Germany in WW2 wasn't as advanced of a military as the propaganda led everyone to believe. They were still mostly a horse drawn army so they didn't have the number of radios and stuff we did ironically because we thought we needed to be that prepared to fight the Germans based on their propaganda not their actual capabilities. Early in the war it wasn't uncommon for even tanks to not have a radio. It's like when people make fun of volley sights forgetting that when they were common calling up artillery or even machine gun support wasn't as easy as just picking up a radio. The choice was either give troops no way to fight at those ranges or give them at least something useful. Hell preww1 machine guns weren't even anywhere near as common as people believe due to late WW1 use. Britain and France combined went into WW1 with only a few hundred machine guns and Germany was way ahead of the curve with all of 12,000. Everyone looks back at ww1 and knows machine guns were the way of the future but people back then thought machine guns were too heavy and used too much ammunition to be useful in the rapid maneuver warfare they had planned. They didn't want to build tons of them only to find out they were useless. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:21:12 PM EDT
[#42]
MG42
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:39:04 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: PKM’s are pretty sweet. Was hitting 10x12 plates 2 out of 3 times with 3 round burst at 300 yards while shooting one. MG-42 probably couldn’t do that. The 42, by that yardstick, would have the superior beaten zone. That would make it the superior mg, because it would be more machinegunny. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:48:42 PM EDT
[#44]
HK21 and MG42 would be my two votes. :)
Random YT vid just cause.  Belt-fed HK Machine Guns: MM23e and MM21e |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 8:51:40 PM EDT
[#45]
PKM and MAG-58 are the top two. PKM if I'm carrying it.
Interested to see what the M60E6 is like. Supposedly the gas system was redesigned. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 9:16:30 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just here to make sure not retard says M249 What about MINIMI or mk46? |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 9:20:19 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just here to make sure not retard says M249 Nothing wrong with them. Most who hate on them have only used clapped out pieces of shit that should have been rebuilt. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 9:20:41 PM EDT
[#48]
Ran a few hundred rounds thru an amnesty registered MG34 and it was VERY smooth.
Barrel swap is stupid fast, easy and one guy can carry 4 ammo cans with the offset handles. Never fired a live PKM but the MG34 and its siblings is a damn nice MG. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 9:20:53 PM EDT
[#49]
So I have both in full auto.
The PKM hands down is better. |
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Posted: 1/20/2022 9:21:01 PM EDT
[#50]
Never had any trouble with the pig.
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