M2 Browning

M2 Browning

Type	Heavy machine gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	M2HB from 1933–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	World War II Korean War First Indochina War Suez Crisis Vietnam War Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian-Vietnamese War Falklands War South African Border War Invasion of Grenada United States invasion of Panama Gulf War Somali Civil War Yugoslav Wars Afghanistan Iraq
Production history
Designed	1918
Manufacturer	Current: General Dynamics, Fabrique Nationale, U.S. Ordnance, and Manroy Engineering Former: Sabre Defence Industries, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Company, High Standard Company, Savage Arms Corporation, Buffalo Arms Corporation, General Motors Corporation (Frigidaire, AC Spark Plug, Saginaw Steering, and Brown-Lipe-Chappin Divisions), Kelsey Hayes Wheel Company, Springfield Armory, Wayne Pump Company, ERMCO, and Ramo Manufacturing
Produced	1921–present (M2HB)
Number built	3 million
Specifications
Weight	38 kg (83.78 lb) 58 kg (127.87 lb) with tripod and T&E
Length	1,656 mm (65.2 in)
Barrel length	1,143 mm (45.0 in)
Cartridge	.50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO)
Action	Short recoil-operated
Rate of fire	450–635 rounds/min (M2HB) 750–850 rounds/min (AN/M2) 1,200 rounds/min (AN/M3)
Muzzle velocity	2,910 ft/s (890 m/s) for M33 ball
Effective range	1,800 m (2,000 yd)
Maximum range	2,000 m (2,200 yd)
Feed system	Belt-fed (M2 or M9 links)