[The KG9 Kid]

"... Too damn heavy. SEALs traditionally "chopped" their M-60s down to a 15 pound package, with total reliabity."

You were a SEAL, I was a Marine 0331.

SEALs want to carry around light arms and support MGs in the jungle for three days, Marines want a rugged GPMG that sits solid as a rock using a sturdy tripod up on the high ground near the ammo cases with a range card.

These two roles cannot be solved with one GPMG, and the M60 was finally found unsuitable for USMC issue. Only took 30 years to figure it out. If the SEALs still like them, well, they're friggin' crazy. :-D

If it were up to me, the basic Marine GPMG would run 1200 rounds per minute. Water-cooled when deployed in a fixed position, and air-cooled when mobile. Add a sturdy 3x scope to it, and remove all tracer ammo. Now *that* is a machinegun.

[Travis McGee]

If you were a SEAL, I was a Marine 0331.

Great to meet a Marine 0331, whatever that is.

BUD/S class 105, 1979. Creds by freepmail if you would like, then you can tell me about recon school.

[Travis McGee]

Sorry, I misinterpreted your last. You are quite right about the SEAL needs in a light MG. Plus, they have their own armorers to modify and baby everything between missions, unlike the Marines where the weapon must be dragged through hell for weeks at a time with little or no repair capabiltiy.