The 50 cal Browning, still in service almost 100 years later

[orangesunset]

The M2 Browning, or 50 cal as it is still called, has been in service with most militaries for over 50 years. The 50 cal has been used in a variety of roles, it is effective against lightly armored vehicles like most APCs, it has been mounted in aircraft and even used as a sniper weapon. The 50 cal is still in use by even the USA.

What is interesting is the M2 is almost identical in design to the original Browning Machinegun which was chambered for the 0.30 round. If you disassemble a 50 cal next to the original Browning Machinegun the parts are almost identical except the 0.30 is just smaller. The same design was chambered for the 7.62 round and this is still in service in many countries.

A testamement to the brilliance of Mr Browning.

M2 Browning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Shimus]

I was going to write a thread on this, then I saw your post. It is indeed a testament that 50 yrs down our lives his guns are still being used (and modified).

Not even that, but when you ask for brands of guns and names, along with COLT, Mr.Browning comes up in conversation quite a bit.

 

[orangesunset]

Not even that, but when you ask for brands of guns and names, along with COLT, Mr.Browning comes up in conversation quite a bit.

The M1911 45 is actually a Browning design, and it is still one of the best designs out there. For some reason the M1911 is never called a Browning, while the Browning Hi-Power 9mm always carries his name. Both designs are still being used today, in both law enforcement and the military.

There are M1911 and Browning in the military that have been in heavy continous use for 30+ years, and they still function well. Some of the MGs same story, they might be a little heavier, but they are a good robust design. Other newer designs have come and gone, because they can't stand up to the abuse.

 

[crimsonghost747]

Lovely weapon, though the age starts to show in the older models. Good thing that they are still making improved models of this very same weapon, doesn't really matter for most of the roles it's used in (vehicle mounted, perimeter security etc) but reduced weight and faster set-up time is always nice for the poor fellow having to carry it around when setting up a defensive position.

 

[Shimus]

I think .50 cal will always have a place in warfare due to its penetration purposes - not many army or military standard vehicles can stand up to a chain blast of bullets from it. Unless we make new alloys and metals for these vehicles, I don't see them going away - only getting more improved.

 

[Rainshield7]

I was going to write a thread on this, then I saw your post. It is indeed a testament that 50 yrs down our lives his guns are still being used (and modified).

Not even that, but when you ask for brands of guns and names, along with COLT, Mr.Browning comes up in conversation quite a bit.

Yeah that is something to talk about. Browning and his guns are still amazing and work well on the battlefield. That M2 Browning .50BMG machine gun weapon is still effective even in the modern warfare setting.

 

[orangesunset]

I think .50 cal will always have a place in warfare due to its penetration purposes - not many army or military standard vehicles can stand up to a chain blast of bullets from it. Unless we make new alloys and metals for these vehicles, I don't see them going away - only getting more improved.

Unless they manage to perfect the laser weapons which USA and other countries are mounting on ships and airplanes, it isn't going anywhere. The problem with projectile weapons is the weight of the ammo, this is mainly caused by the wieght of the projectile itself. I think laser weapons are the future, but it will take a long time before they will figure out how to make them man portable.

 

[Shimus]

Not only portability, but sustainability too. Keeping a generated beam weapon active (even if not firing it) would take considerable self generated energy. I could see early prototypes being like a flamethrower pack but with batteries or plasma.

Laser weaponry is indeed far off still so if we could focus on weight of ammo too -- making a lighter projectile travel farther, faster-- is the way to research. Or making the modern soldier more self sufficient.

 

[003]

This is fantastic. But I think even though that it's still in service, it's not used anymore like what how it used to be used. Nevertheless it still used to do some simple stuff, the basic function of the machinery. And also, because it has already aged, it should be really constantly monitored and checked up to avoid accidents and again injuries and deaths, especially of loyal patriots who protect the country.

 

[CivilDefense]

The venerable Ma Deuce may not be pretty or state of the art, but she works and keeps on working. Vehicle or tripod mounted M2s can put a lot of hurt down range in a hurry. There are some experimental designs in 25mm that are being kicked around, but not have replaced the old war horse.