Posted on 08/06/2007 5:37:38 PM PDT by Renfield
July 31, 2007: Two years ago, field testing of the XM-312, the replacement for the eighty year old, .50 caliber (12.7mm) M-2 ("Ma Deuce") machine-gun, began, in the United States and overseas. Then, nothing. That's because the test results were not encouraging, the biggest shortcoming being the low rate of fire (about 260 rounds per minute). This is about half the rate of the M2, and was believed adequate for the 25mm smart shells the XM312 was originally designed for (as the XM307). But for 12.7mm bullets, it didn't impress the troops. There were some reliability problems, which could be fixed. The rate-of-fire issue, however, has proved to be more difficult. Meanwhile, a new upgrade for the M2 has been fielded, and Ma Deuce still rules the battlefield. The new M2E2 has a quick change barrel, flash hider and lot of small improvements. It is much in demand.
Originally, the M2 replacement was going to be the M-307, which was designed so it could fire either the computer controlled 25mm "smart shell" of the XM-25, or (by changing the barrel and receiver), .50 caliber ammo. But it was felt that a straight replacement for the M-2 was needed quickly. The original plan was for the troops to begin getting the XM312 in 2008, or sooner.
The M-2, nicknamed "Ma Deuce" by the troops, has been around so long because it was very good at what it did. Accurate, reliable, rugged and easy to use, many of the M-2s currently in use are decades old, and finally wearing out. The army doesn't want to build new ones, and wasn't sure it could do without the venerable, and very useful, Ma Deuce. So it ended up going ahead with the plan to build a new .50 caliber machine-gun (the XM312). Actually, the new Ma Deuce is basically the XM307, but without the ability to fire 25mm rounds. The XM312 weighs 36 pounds (compared to 50 for the M-2), even with the addition of the electronic fire control stuff from the XM307.
The fire control system, especially the range finder, makes the XM312 much more accurate with first shot hits, than the M-2. American troops have been testing the XM312 in the United States and Germany, and have also reacted favorably to the lighter weight of the XM-312. The lighter XM312 will be easier for infantry to manhandle into position (along with its tripod mount.) But the lower rate-of-fire on the XM-312 was particularly disappointing to the many troops who had used the M2 in combat recently.
When I go shooting, I get a *ping* after every 8 rounds.
If you put enough tabasco in the cheese so you can’t taste the cheese anymore, it’s OK.
As mild sauces go "Tabasco" is ok. The "Tabasco" brand habenaro sauce is a fairly good medium sauce, but quite a bit more money than I'll pay when I can grow my own habenaro and make 100% puree for when stuff really needs to be hotter. (That's most of the time.)
“...I got to use the M-2 in theater, but this new monster is something I have yet to see....”
Bet you haven’t seen this yet, either...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQFn4Sp0pm8
Hmmmmmm, I suppose it could...
AKA... de-acceleration syndrome.
ROFL! That was some funny stuff!
Tough buzzards!
“...THANKIE! ....that was pretty funny. 8D...”
Er...I get the message...
The new 25 mm smart round was impressive. It knows the range to target and can be fused to burst on impact, or ABOVE the target, so that you can’t hide behind walls, or in a room.
Somebody say DUCK !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLAIemsdmTM
I love the MaDuce, no headspace gauge , all the way in and two and a half out when in doubt.........saved my bacon in VN, Panama and Desert Storm more than once. But alas now my ass belongs to the M134DT !.......Dillion flavored Minigun ! And the M82A1 Barrett 50 cal.
But I do love the M2........
Thanks for the ping !!
Stay safe !
I remember seeing that showcased on one of those future weapon type programs on TV.
It is impressive, but I also remember my first thought was “just more stuff to go wrong”.
The opportunity for the “*&*& me!” demon to step in and play goes up exponentially for each moving part and is multiplied by each electronic component.
Thanks for the ping!
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