Where is the AN/M2 50 cal pistol made?
The GM plants that soon thereafter began producing that gun were Frigidaire in Dayton, Ohio, and A.C. Spark Plug in Flint, Mich. General Motor’s Brown-Lipe-Chapin Division in Syracuse, N.Y., would also produce the AN/M2 .50-cal. alongside High Standard, Savage Arms, Buffalo Arms, Kelsey-Hayes and Colt.
What kind of gun is a 50 cal machine gun?
The Browning M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun, Heavy barrel is an automatic, recoil operated, air-cooled machine gun with adjustable headspace and is crew transportable with limited amounts of ammunition over short distances.
What caliber is the M2 machine gun?
The M2 Machine Gun or Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun is a heavy machine gun designed toward the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. The M2 uses the much larger and much more powerful .50 BMG cartridge,...
What is the oldest M2 Browning machine gun still in service?
Oldest M2 Browning .50-Caliber MG Still in Service? Originally manufactured in 1933, this Colt manufactured .50-caliber machine gun was still in front-line service! A Colt manufactured M2 .50-caliber machine gun bearing the serial number 324, dating it to 1933, was discovered by Anniston Army Depot still in front-line US service!
How old is the M2?
M2 BrowningBrowning machine gun, cal. .50, M2, HBProduced1921–present (M2HB/M2A1)No. built3 millionSpecificationsMass38 kg (84 lb) 28 kg (62 lb) (AN/M2) 58 kg (128 lb) with tripod and traverse and elevation mechanism (T&E)21 more rows
How long has the M2 been in service?
After a number of tests, the M2 entered service in 1923 as the M1921. It is a scaled-up version of an older Browning design, the M1917 .
When was the M2 machine gun made?
Hands down, the “Ma Deuce,” as it's reverently called by all who've witnessed it's gracefully destructive power, is the longest produced machine gun the world arms market has ever seen. Browning's design was finished in 1918, entered service with the US Armed Forces in 1921, and the patent was filed in July 1923.
Is the M2 machine gun still in production?
Roughly 94 years after the first production run of M2 machine guns came off the assembly line, the 324th weapon produced made it to Anniston Army Depot for overhaul and upgrade. In more than 90 years of existence, the receiver with serial number 324 has never been overhauled.
What is the oldest gun still in service?
Browning M2 Machine Gun Affectionately known as “Ma-Deuce,” the Browning M2 . 50 caliber machine gun has been in service around the world for almost 100 years.
Which gun has been with the American Army for over 70 years?
M16 5.56 mm Rifle/ M4 Carbine Since replacing the M14 in 1964, the M16/M4 family of rifles has become the longest-serving standard rifle for the U.S. military.
Why does the US still use the M2 Browning?
Today the M2 still serves with each of the armed services and the Coast Guard. In the Army it is generally used by vehicle crews, including M1A2 Abrams tanks, while the Marines use a tripod-mounted version and on vehicles. The Navy and Air Force use it to defend ships and air bases.
Why is the M2 called Ma Deuce?
The M2 Machine Gun, or Browning . 50 Caliber Machine Gun is a heavy machine gun. It was nicknamed Ma Deuce by US troops or simply called "fifty-cal." due to its caliber. John Moses Browning (1855–1926) of Ogden, Utah, was the inventor.
Can you legally own a 50 cal machine gun?
The . 50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act of 2004 is a law in the state of California that effectively banned all . 50 BMG-caliber rifles from being sold in the state. The law took effect on January 1, 2005.
Will the M2 Browning ever be retired?
The M2 machine gun is clearly old but has a utility that makes it unique and highly sought after.
What is the most powerful gun in the world?
The . 50-caliber rifle created by Ronnie Barrett and sold by his company, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc., is the most powerful firearm civilians can buy. It weighs about 30 pounds and can hit targets up to 2,000 yards away with armor-piercing bullets.
What countries use the M2?
OperatorsCountryNATO MemberDescriptionUnited StatesYesBrowning Caliber .50 M2 Heavy Barrel machine gunUruguayNo12.7 × 99 mm Browning M2HB machine gunVenezuelaNo12.7 × 99 mm Browning M2HB machine gunYemenNo12.7 × 99 mm Browning M2HB machine gun93 more rows
When was the M2 made?
The Army found an M2 .50 caliber machine-gun still shooting perfectly after 90 years of service. army.mil. Posted On May 13, 2020 07:21:40. The .50 caliber M2 machine gun was designed in 1918, near the end of World War I by John Browning. Production began in 1921 and the weapon was designed so a single receiver could be turned into seven different ...
Where was the 324th M2 made?
Roughly 94 years after the first production run of M2 machine guns came off the assembly line, the 324th weapon produced made it to Anniston Army Depot for overhaul and upgrade. Cody Bryant, left, and Corby Tinney inspect the 324th M2 receiver ever produced. The weapon arrived at Anniston Army Depot to be converted to a M2A1 in May.
Why did the M2 barrel blow apart?
In the past, every time a Soldier changed the barrel on the M2, the timing and headspace had to be changed as well. If that wasn’t done properly, the weapon could blow apart. The fixed headspace and timing eliminates this risk to Soldiers.
What does it mean when a weapon is modified?
Modifications made to the weapon in the field mean part of the receiver would have to be removed through welding and replaced with new metal, a process which usually means the receiver is scrap.
What is the M2A1?
The M2A1, has a fixed headspace, or distance between the face of the bolt and the base of the cartridge case, and timing, the weapon’s adjustment which allows firing when the recoil is in the correct positon. In the past, every time a Soldier changed the barrel on the M2, the timing and headspace had to be changed as well.
How long does it take to get the M2 Flex?
The M2 Flex version could take three to five minutes, depending upon your situation,” said Jeff Bonner, weapons division chief. Bonner said this is the first major change to the M2 weapon system since the machine gun was first fielded.
Why did the Glock 19 change to 9mm?
One reason for the change is that 9mm ammunition and Glock replacement parts are available almost anywhere in the world , the source said. The decision is not that surprising since U.S. Army Special Operations Command has also chosen the Glock 19 for its elite units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment, the source said.
When was the M2 first used?
Origins. The "Ma Deuce," as it is sometimes referred to, was first tested by the Army in 1918. The M2 was designed in response to both German 13mm antitank rifles being fielded and the thicker enemy armor appearing on the battlefield in Europe. After a number of tests, the M2 entered service in 1923 as the M1921.
What was the M2 used for?
Over the last 80 years the M2 has been successfully adapted to a variety of roles and has been mounted on aircraft, ground vehicles and warships alike. In some instances, the M2's were used in what some could consider less than conventional ways. During the Korean War, for instance, quad .50 cal anti-aircraft guns were used against massed Korean ...
When did the M2 enter service?
After a number of tests, the M2 entered service in 1923 as the M1921. It is a scaled-up version of an older Browning design, the M1917 .30 cal water-cooled machine gun, and, like its predecessor, early variants of the M2 were also water-cooled.
Who used the M2E2?
And during the Vietnam War, Marine sniper Carlos Norman Hathcock was known to have used the M2 mounted with a scope for long-distance kills. Recently, an upgrade system known as the M2E2 was made available.
How is headspace measured in a M2?
In the M2, headspace is measured as the distance between the face of the bolt and the rear of the barrel and is adjusted by rotating the barrel. Timing is adjusted so that the firing takes place when recoiling parts are in the correct position.
When was the M2.50 caliber discovered?
A Colt manufactured M2 .50-caliber machine gun bearing the serial number 324, dating it to 1933, was discovered by Anniston Army Depot still in front-line US service! Photo courtesy US Army. August 07, 2020 By Neal Shera. It's common when someone refers to a subject like the best service pistol or longest serving rifle that they are talking about ...
What caliber is the M2 Browning?
An M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun bearing the serial number 324 arrived from an active duty unit for maintenance and an upgrade to the M2A1 configuration.
How many M2s have been built?
Its estimated that over 3 million M2s have been built. This doesn't include the numerous variations based on the M2 design. Serial number 324 was discovered at Anniston Army Depot in 2011 after the US Army called for its older inventory of M2s to be upgraded into the A1 configuration.
How many M2s have the Army upgraded?
The Army has currently upgraded over 14,000 M2s so far. Now another surprise was that upon stripping down the receiver for inspection it was found that its tolerances were not just within acceptable values. They were actually in the best set of values for functionality.
What is an M2 receiver?
The M2 receiver was designed to allow it to be assembled into various configurations for ground, naval, aircraft and vehicle use. The rest they say is history as by World War II an M2 .50-caliber machine gun was mounted on every variation of vehicle, airplane and warship in the US military.
When was the M2 receiver made?
By 1933 the M2 was adopted and put into production. See Photo Gallery.
Is there a replacement for the M2?
The M2’s timeless design is easily recognized by any generation to have served since that conflict. Even today there are no plans to replace this design, as there is little currently available that would be truly an upgrade. Today the M2 proudly serves as the heavy machine gun of militaries around the globe.
How long has the M2 been in service?
Soldiers at the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama found a machine gun that’s been around for nearly a century. Not only has this M2 been in action for 94 years, it’s fully-serviceable and within specifications.
What is the M2?
The M2 is the military’s belt-fed, short recoil-operated heavy machine gun chambered for .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun). Developed during World War I, the M2 is still in service today, with just a few recent updates.
What was the M2 used for?
In addition to its function as an anti-personnel and anti-materiel gun, the M2 was the standard World War II aircraft gun; it was used for anti-aircraft platforms and even used for sniping and counter-sniping at ranges well beyond 2,000 yards.
When did the M2A1 change to M2A1?
But the future of M2 324 is uncertain. The Army updated the M2 to the M2A1 in 2010. While the guns still use Browning’s clearly time-proven design, the M2A1 uses a different receiver. While it may be possible to modify the nine-decades-old gun, it’s still easier to replace the receiver and scrap the veteran part.
Who is Max Slowik?
About the author: Max Slowik is a writer with over a dozen years of experience and is a lifelong shooter. He has unwavering support for the Second Amendment and the human right to self-defense. Like Thomas Paine, he’s a journalist by profession and a propagandist by inclination.
Do you have to headspace M2s?
Unlike many newer gun systems in common use with the military, armorers must headspace M2s after installing a new barrel. If they don’t headspace the guns correctly they will not run reliably. In extreme cases they can cause the big .50-caliber cartridge to detonate out of battery, injuring machinegunners in the process.
What can a 50 caliber M2 do?
With a rate of fire of between 400 and 550 rounds a minute, .50-caliber rounds from the M2 can literally shred drywall or wooden buildings, or even unarmored vehicles. At favorable angles and ranges it can penetrate the top, side, or rear plating of armored vehicles and aircraft like personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, or attack/scout helicopters. This makes the M2 a very dangerous thing to have in your bag of military tricks, and is why the .50-caliber has remained the love of soldiers, sailors, and Marines in every military force that fields it.
How heavy is the M2?
What became known as the M2 started on John Browning’s drawing board (working with Colt) as a scaled-up M1917A1. In fact, the two looked almost identical except for the larger size and different firing grips of the .50-caliber weapon. Otherwise, the two weapons shared many common features, including their water-cooled barrels and feed mechanisms. Both were also very heavy, with a water-cooled M2 tipping the scales at over 220 pounds with its tripod and condensation can. To help reduce this to a more manageable weight, Browning adopted an air-cooled barrel (weighing 81 pounds by itself) to get rid of the water jacket and can. Still, the air-cooled M2 still weighed in at a hefty 128 pounds, with the standard tripod adding another 44 pounds. Clearly, the M2 was never intended to be a man-portable weapon, rather being destined for mounting on vehicles, aircraft, ships, and other heavy platforms. Nevertheless, the M2 or, as it was often called, “Ma Duce” (pronounced “Ma Doose,” and combining both the M and 2—“duce,” or two—as well as the thought of “Mother,” or loved one), was a heavy machine gun for the ages, from the start the finest such weapon ever designed.
What caliber was the Browning machine gun?
Nevertheless, by the start of the Great War, he fully understood what he wanted to create: a family of automatic weapons ranging from a personal machine gun (the famous Browning Automatic Rifle, BAR) to an improved version of his 1895 machine gun tooled to fire rifle-caliber (7.62mm/.30 caliber) ammunition, the M1917A1.
How many M2s did the B-17 have?
For example, B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers each had a dozen M2s as their defensive armament, while six of the .50-caliber weapons became standard for the F-6F Hellcat, F-4U Corsair, and P-51 Mustang fighters. Millions of the .50-caliber weapons were produced and used in every theater of the war.
What is the deadliest weapon ever made?
Military Weapons: The M2 Browning .50-cal. From its inception, the M2 Browning .50-Caliber Machine Gun has been considered one of the deadliest (and highest produced) weapons ever made. When one thinks back to the weapons of mass destruction that emerged in the 20th century, usually the atomic bomb or poison gas come to mind.
How many rounds can a machine gun fire in 27 minutes?
10,000 Rounds in 27 Minutes. By the end of the 19th century, there were several machine guns that did just that. In 1880 the British Army adopted the Gardner machine gun, which could fire 10,000 rounds in 27 minutes (over 370 rounds a minute). However, it took an American inventor working in Europe, Hiram Maxim, ...
What weapons were used in the 20th century?
When one thinks back to the weapons of mass destruction that emerged in the 20th century, usually the atomic bomb or poison gas come to mind. But when you tally up the deaths from the world’s wars over the past hundred years, the simple fact is that atomic and chemical weapons created only a handful of casualties compared to more conventional ...
How long did the AN/M2.50 serve?
During the 1,350 days in between, the AN/M2 .50 served in the air, on land and at sea, and it was a part of every major battle in every theater of operations around the world. That is something that cannot be said about any other U.S. military firearm that was in service at the time. It was the principal tool used in thousands of combat actions that resulted in the awarding of decorations like the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Medal of Honor. Considering the significant contribution to the war effort that it made and its relative obscurity in the history of U.S. small arms, the AN/M2 .50-caliber machine gun is truly the unsung hero of U.S. firepower during World War II.
What caliber was the AN/M2?
Unsung: The AN/M2 .50-cal. Machine Gun in World War II. When we think of the firearms used by U.S. forces during World War II, the AN/M2 .50-caliber machine gun doesn’t exactly jump to the front of the line.
What type of turret did the B-25 use?
On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers flew from U.S.S. Hornet in the now-famous Doolittle Raid. Each was equipped with a dorsal turret armed with a pair of .50-cal. AN/M2s. But that was really only the beginning of the B-25’s special relationship with the AN/M2. The B-25 went through field modifications that upgunned it with AN/M2 .50s in external blisters on both sides of the fuselage, as well as in the aircraft’s nose. This paved the way for factory-built B-25 gunships mounting as many as—in the example of the B-25J gunship—14 forward-firing AN/M2 .50-cal. machine guns.
How old was Finn when he fired the M2?
Because he was firing from an exposed position, the 32-year-old drew return fire and suffered painful wounds, but he kept on fighting.
What was the AN/M2 used for?
Nevertheless, it was in action from Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, through Aug. 18, 1945, when the gunners on two B-32 Dominators used it to fire America’s final shots of the conflict. During the 1,350 days in between, the .50-cal. AN/M2 served in the air, on land and at sea, and it was a part of every major battle in every theater of operations around the world. That is something that cannot be said about any other U.S. military firearm that was in service at the time.
Who made the AN/M2 machine gun?
Markings on AN/M2 .50-cal. machine gun Serial No. 1482994 indicate its production by the Frigidaire Division of General Motors. It was one of the six guns used to shoot down an Arado Ar 234 jet bomber during the April 25, 1945, air raid on the Obersalzberg in southern Bavaria.
Where were the AN/M2s located?
Fourteen miles to the northeast, at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, sailors also set up temporary fighting positions for AN/M2s. In a ditch for a sewage line, five sailors set up a pair of AN/M2s—a .30-cal. and a .50-cal. They used some of the framing structures in the ditch as field-expedient platforms, and tied sections of rope to secure the guns. Nearby, on the parking ramp for Patrol Squadron (VP) 11, CPO John William Finn directed his sailors in setting up several AN/M2s and their instructional/training tripods. As the squadron’s highest-ranking aviation ordnanceman, he was not just familiar with the operation of these guns, he also had full access to them and the ammunition they needed. Over the course of the next two hours, Finn personally operated an AN/M2 .50-cal., directing effective machine gun fire against attacking Japanese aircraft. Because he was firing from an exposed position, the 32-year-old drew return fire and suffered painful wounds, but he kept on fighting. After the raid was over and he had received cursory medical attention, he supervised the re-arming of returning aircraft. Nine months later, Finn was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on Dec. 7, 1941.