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MG 42
Adopted by Germany in 1942, in an effort to reduce the machining time and cost inherent in the production of the MG34, the MG42 (MG standing for Maschinengewehr, literally "Machine Rifle" but usually translated as "machine gun" in this context) is perhaps the deadliest machine gun used during the war. Geared for mass production above all else, it was designed to take full advantage of modern production techniques such as replacing machined components with stamped ones; one of the key figures in the project, Ernst Grunow, had no prior experience in firearm design whatsoever and worked for Großfuß AG, a company that normally made sheet-metal lanterns.
The result was a weapon that took 50% fewer man hours to build than the MG34 and cost 24% less. Light weight and great reliability made it one of the first true modern general purpose machine guns, able to be used in the light machine gun role on a bipod or the medium machine gun role on a tripod. The light weight of operating components make the MG42 one of the fastest-firing single-barrel guns which does not require an external power source; with a cyclic rate of 1200 rounds per minute, individual shots are mostly indiscernible. The rate is so fast that even a trained operator has trouble firing a single shot from the full-auto only gun. The distinctive sound led to nicknames such as "Hitler's buzzsaw." The MG42 also features an extremely fast barrel change system, allowing sustained fire even with the extremely high fire rate.
The weapon was issued in the light machine gun role with an ammo drum containing a 50-round belt (the same one used on the MG34), while in the medium role the MG42 typically used 250-round belts. The gun is chambered in the 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge (also known as 8mm Mauser), the same cartridge used in the well known K98k infantry rifles, and ammunition is interchangeable (though Kar 98 ammunition was not issued in belts, making this of limited use in practical terms). Machine gun ammunition was slightly more powerful in order to avoid jams and run the mechanism more reliably.
MG42
Specifications
- Caliber: 7.92x57mm Mauser
- Length: 48 in (121.9 cm)
- Barrel Length: 20.2 in (51.3 cm)
- Weight: 25.5 lbs (11.6 kg)
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,475 feet per second
- Maximum range: 3,800 yards
- Maximum effective range: 1,000 yards
- Cyclic rate of fire: 1200-1350 rounds per minute
The MG 42 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note /Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat! | German Soldiers | 1962 - 1967 | ||
| The Rat Patrol | German Soldiers | 1966 - 1968 | ||
| Stawka wieksza niz zycie | German soldiers and Polish partisans | 1966-68 | ||
| Czterej pancerni i pies | German soldiers | 1966-70 | ||
| Czterej pancerni i pies | Janusz Gajos | Cpl. Janek Kos | 1966-70 | |
| Czterej pancerni i pies | Wlodzimierz Press | Sgt. Gregoriy Saakashvili | 1966-70 | |
| Band of Brothers | German Soldiers | 2001 | ||
| CSI: NY | "Yahrezit" (S05E22) | 2004 - Present | ||
| Ultimate Force | Jamie Michie | Cpl. Finn Younger | 2006 | |
| March of Millions | German soldiers | Ep. 1 | 2007 | |
| Our Mothers, Our Fathers | Lukas Gregorowicz | Jerzy | 2013 | |
| Our Mothers, Our Fathers | German soldiers | 2013 | ||
| Foyle's War - Season 8 | German soldiers | "Sunflower" (S8E3) | 2013 | |
| Black Cats (Chyornye koshki) | Aleksey Komashko | Krechet | 2013 | |
| Days of Honour. Uprising (Czas honoru. Powstanie) | German soldiers, Polish insurgents | 2014 | ||
| The Man in the High Castle | Greater Nazi Reich soldiers | 2015 | ||
| The Saboteur 3: Crimea (Diversant. Krym) | German soldiers | 2020 |
Video Games
| Title | Appears as | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| WWII G.I. | 1999 | ||
| Medal of Honor: Underground | Mounted | 2000 | |
| Return to Castle Wolfenstein | Mounted | 2001 | |
| Battlefield: 1942 | Mounted | 2002 | |
| Medal of Honor: Allied Assault | Mounted | 2002 | |
| Medal of Honor: Frontline | 2002 | ||
| BloodRayne | Mg32 | Man-portable | 2002 |
| Call of Duty | 2003 | ||
| Commandos 3: Destination Berlin | Man-portable | 2003 | |
| Day of Defeat | Man-portable, with deployable bipod | 2003 | |
| Forgotten Hope | Man-portable, mounted on M2 tripod, bunkers and machine gun nests, Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind", Stug III Ausf. G, M4A1 and M4A3E2 "Jumbo" Shermans, Sherman IV and "Firefly", Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber, Junkers Ju 88 and Heinkel He 111 Bombers | 2003 | |
| Hidden & Dangerous 2 | 2003 | ||
| Medal of Honor: Infiltrator | Mounted, with infinite ammo, and capable of destroying tanks | 2003 | |
| Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory | Man-portable and mounted | 2003 | |
| Call of Duty: United Offensive | 2004 | ||
| Call of Duty 2 | 2005 | ||
| Day of Defeat: Source | Man-portable, with deployable bipod | 2005 | |
| Sniper Elite | 2005 | ||
| Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood | 2005 | ||
| Call of Duty 3 | 2006 | ||
| Commandos: Strike Force | 2006 | ||
| Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45 | Man-portable, mounted on SdKfz 234/1 and 234/2 "Puma" Armored Cars and Jagdpanther IV tank destroyers | 2006 | |
| Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 | 2006 | ||
| Time Crisis IV | With DShK grips | 2006 | |
| ÜberSoldier | Mounted and man-portable with 50-round drum | 2006 | |
| Medal of Honor: Vanguard | Mounted | 2007 | |
| Medal of Honor: Airborne | Mounted | 2007 | |
| Clive Barker's Jericho | Demonically-possessed and unusable | 2007 | |
| Call of Duty: World at War | Mounted | 2008 | |
| Death to Spies: Moment of Truth | Mounted | 2008 | |
| The Royal Marines Commando | Mounted | 2008 | |
| Operation Thunderstorm | Mounted | 2008 | |
| Wolfenstein | Mounted; stock is part of Particle Cannon and Liechenfaust 43 | 2009 | |
| Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | 2010 | ||
| Mafia II | Only used in one mission | 2010 | |
| Karma Online | 2011 | ||
| Rage | Skeletal with barrel shroud and recoil booster | 2011 | |
| Sniper Elite V2 | 2012 | ||
| Payday 2 | "Buzzsaw 42" | Man-portable, with various modifications | 2013 |
| Project Reality: Normandy | 2013 | ||
| Enemy Front | Mounted | 2014 | |
| Far Cry 4 | Man-portable | 2014 | |
| Sniper Elite III | 2014 | ||
| Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades | 2016 | ||
| Heroes & Generals | 2016 | ||
| Post Scriptum | Assault Drum infantry configuration, Lafette 42 tripod and Sd.Kfz. 251 mounted | 2018 | |
| Battlefield V | 2018 | ||
| Vigor | "Maschinengewher 3" | Uses 7.62x51mm ammo, like the MG3, but modelled on a MG42 | 2018 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | unusable; only seen during one singleplayer champaign mission | 2020 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro | 1979 | ||
| New Dominion Tank Police | bank robber | 1993 | |
| Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade | Kerberos Squad members | 1998 | |
| Kino's Journey: Life Goes On | Kino | 2003 | |
| Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa | Thule members | 2005 | |
| Black Lagoon | Neo-Nazis | 2006 | |
| Strike Witches | Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke | with Patronentrommel 34 | 2008 |
| Gertrud Barkhorn | |||
| Erica Hartmann | |||
| Eila Juutilainen | |||
| Strike Witches 2 | Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke | with Patronentrommel 34 | 2010 |
| Gertrud Barkhorn | |||
| Erica Hartmann | |||
| Eila Juutilainen | |||
| Strike Witches: The Movie | Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke | with Patronentrommel 34 | 2012 |
| Gertrud Barkhorn | |||
| Erica Hartmann | |||
| Eila Juutilainen | |||
| JoJo's Bizarre Adventure | Rudol von Stroheim | S1E26, "The Ascendant One" | 2012 |
| Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion | Homura Akemi | w/ Doppeltrommel magazines | 2013 |
| Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow | Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke | with Patronentrommel 34 | 2014 - 2015 |
| Gertrud Barkhorn | |||
| Erica Hartmann | |||
| Eila Juutilainen | |||
| Brave Witches | Nikka Edvardine "Nipa" Katajainen | with Patronentrommel 34 | 2016 - 2017 |
| Gundula Rall | |||
| Eila Juutilainen |
MG3
The MG3 is an updated version of the MG42, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO and first introduced in 1958. Changes include a chrome-lined barrel, a new friction ring buffer, an improved feeding mechanism, recalibrated sights and NATO compatibility. Some versions feature a heavier bolt to reduce the rate of fire, allowing the MG3 to be fired from the shoulder more easily.
The MG3KWS (German: Kampfwertsteigerung; lit. "Combat improvements") is a modernized variant of the MG3, developed by Rheinmetall and Tactical Groups. It was designed as a substitute until the Heckler & Koch MG5, a 7.62x51mm NATO variant of the MG4, could be able to fully supplant all MG3s currently in service. The MG3KWS has many distinguishing features from the original MG3, such as a Picatinny rail system on top of the receiver and heat shield hand guard, an adjustable cheekpiece, a shoulder rest, a revised bipod, and a unique carry handle which doubles as a foregrip.
Specifications
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Length: 48.22 inches
- Barrel Length: 22.24 inches
- Weight:
- Gun: 25 pounds (11.36 kg)
- Tripod: 36 pounds (16.36 kg)
- Total: 61 pounds (27.73 kg)
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,690 feet per second
- Maximum range: 3,500 meters
- Maximum effective range: 1,200 meters
- Cyclic rate of fire: 700-800 or 1100-1200 rounds per minute depending on the Booster and Bolt
The MG3 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| We Want the Colonels (Vogliamo i colonnelli) | Top-mounted on tank, in documentary footage | 1973 | ||
| Illustrious Corpses (Cadaveri eccellenti) | Hull-mounted on Italian Bergepanzer 2 ARV; maybe MG42/59 | 1976 | ||
| The Living Daylights | Czech soldiers | Mounted on vehicle | 1987 | |
| April Captains (Capitães de Abril) | Portuguese marines | 2000 | ||
| The Rundown | Jon Gries | Harvey | Mounted on a dune buggy | 2003 |
| Hotel Rwanda | . | French soldiers | Mounted on Jeeps | 2004 |
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On Wings of Eagles | Revolutionaries | 1986 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel Beasts | MG3A1 | Mounted on Leopard 2A4 tanks | 2000 | |
| Ghost Recon | MG3 | 2001 | ||
| Devil May Cry 2 | Mounted on "Infested Tank" (Leopard 2A5) | 2003 | ||
| Söldner: Secret Wars | 2004 | |||
| Battlefield 2 | MG3A1, coaxial mounting | Mounted on Leopard 2A6 tanks | 2005 | |
| Project Reality | Hand-held & fixed defensive mounting, with optional ELCAN scope, EOTech red dot sight, & 75-round ammo drum & 200-round ammo box | 2005 | ||
| Project Reality | MG3A1, vehicle mounting | Mounted on Leopard 2A6 tanks | 2005 | |
| Alliance of Valiant Arms | MG3A1 | Mounted on Leopard 2A6 tank | 2007 | |
| World in Conflict | MG3A1 | Mounted on Leopard 2 tanks | 2007 | |
| Cross Fire | "MG3" | 2007 | ||
| 7.62 High Calibre | 2008 | |||
| Battlefield: Bad Company | 2008 | |||
| Counter-Strike Online | MG3 | "Christmas Special," Gold finishes | 2008 | |
| Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | With optional C-More red dot sight or ACOG | 2010 | ||
| Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | MG3 | 2010 | ||
| Battlefield Play4Free | With optional EOTech red dot sight or M145 MGO scope | 2011 | ||
| Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 | 2013 | |||
| Warface | with a drum mag | 2013 | ||
| World of Guns: Gun Disassembly | MG 3 (MG 42) | 2014 | ||
| Rainbow Six Siege | Unusable; seen on photo | 2015 | ||
| Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex First Assault | MG33-A | w/ various attachments | Added via the "Renewal" update - shares default iron sights with the Seburo C-30 | 2015 |
| Phantom Forces | MG3KWS | KWS variant | 2015 | |
| Ironsight | MG3 | 75-round drum magazine | 2018 | |
| Insurgency: Sandstorm | MG3 | Added in March 2019 Content Update | 2018 | |
| Cruelty Squad | "AMG4" | 2021 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino | Rico | 2008 | |
| Canaan | Daedala forces | 2009 | |
| Angel Beats! | Matsushita | 2010 | |
| Asobi ni Ikuyo: Bombshells from the Sky | 2010 |
Zastava M53
After WWII, this MG 42 variant was built in Yugoslavia as the M53 machine gun using original German machinery, retaining the 7.92x57mm Mauser caliber. Because of this, the original weapon's design features were retained, making the M53 a near exact copy of the German MG 42. The only major difference is a slower rate of fire.
Specifications
- Caliber: 7.92x57mm Mauser
- Length: 48 inches
- Barrel Length: 20.18 inches
- Weight: Gun: 25.50 pounds
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,475 feet per second
- Maximum range: 3,800 yards
- Maximum effective range: 1,000 yards
- Cyclic rate of fire: 800 – 1050 rounds per minute
The Zastava M53 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savior | seen in machine gun nest | 1998 | ||
| The Hunting Party | Somali irregulars | 2007 |
CETME Ameli
A Spanish-made light machine gun externally based off the MG42/MG3, designed by CETME (Centre for Technical Studies of Military Equipment), chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO. It is basically a miniaturized version of the the full sized MG42/MG3 with some modern design changes.
It has been in service from 1982 to the present day. Despite its very close external resemblance to the German MGs, the weapon operates using a roller-locked delayed-blowback mechanism as opposed to the more simple roller-locked system, similar to the the vast majority of Heckler & Koch weapons.
The weapon is used with 100 or 200-round belts. A STANAG magazine adaptor that replaced the belt feed cover was also made for the Ameli, which and was rarely used.
Specifications
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Length: 38.2 inches
- Barrel Length: 15.75 inches
- Weight: Gun: 14 pounds
- Cyclic rate of fire: 850 or 1200 rounds per minute
The CETME Ameli and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliders | 1995-2000 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Fire | "CETME Ameli" | 2007 | ||
| SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs | AMELI | 2011 | ||
| Call of Duty: Ghosts | Ameli | With MG42/MG3 style vertical charging handle | 2013 | |
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | Ameli | 2014 | ||
| Rainbow Six Siege | ALDA 5.56 | Various Attachments | added in operation Para Bellum | 2015 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | MG 82 | w/various attachments | Added in Season Four update | 2020 |