Army tests prototype .50-caliber gun

[280plus]

Army tests prototype .50-caliber gun

No link sorry, probably Military Times.

By Kris Osborn - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday May 13, 2008 17:15:07 EDT

The Army Soldier Weapons Center at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., has ordered three prototypes of a first-of-its-kind lightweight .50-cal. machine gun that fires with less recoil force and can be carried more easily in rough terrain than the Armys current .50-caliber weapon, service officials said.

Dubbed LW for lightweight and made by General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (ATP), the 38-pound gun weighs less than half as much as the 82-pound M2 and incorporates a host of technologies designed to improve accuracy.

The gun uses what is called impulse averaging, so it doesnt come to a hard stop. With an M2 today, you would have to take your eye away from the sight because it would shake, said Army Col. Carl Lipsit, program manager for soldier weapons at Picatinny.

For several years now, the Army has been working with industry in an effort to develop lightweight .50-caliber weapons. The LW .50-cal. is intended to be mounted quickly on light vehicles Common Remote Weapons Station, a turret controlled remotely by soldiers with a joystick and video screen. The M2, a combat fixture for 70 years, will not be replaced, just added to, said Lt. Col. Mike Ascura, product manager for crew-served weapons at Picatinny.

Weve done a market survey of the arms manufacturers to look and see what is available. It will still be a crew-served weapon with a tripod. It will be man-portable, he said.

The Army has ordered three prototypes from GD ATP for testing, which could lead to orders for thousands of the weapons.

The LW 50 has 250 pounds of recoil force, one-quarter that of the M2; has fixed head space and timing; and fires 200 to 300 rounds per minute up to 2,000 meters, Army and GD ATP officials said.

The gun was recently test-fired by Special Operations Forces (SOCom).

We conducted a 10,000-round early user assessment with SOCom forces at a test center in Yakima, Wash., said Bob Cavoretto, GD ATPs senior program manager for advanced crew-served weapons.

In coming months, SOCom and Army evaluators will test the three prototype LW 50s at a GD ATP facility. The company will refine the design to incorporate lessons and customer input.

This contract gets us started to develop a weapon design. The intent is to submit a follow-on proposal which would go in during the early quarter of next year to support government development, he said.

More prototype testing is slated for Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., by 2010.

Low-rate initial production is scheduled for 2011, Ascura said.

[BlueStarLizzard]

you know what i hate about this stuff?

we lowly civilians will never get our hands on one. all we can do is read, drool and day dream about plinking with such an awsome toy. 

[Standing Wolf]

If we're paying for it, we should be able to own it.

[wmenorr67]

I like the idea of fixed head space and timing.  But in reality not sure how practical a new .50 cal is going to be.

[Vodka7]

You guessed right on the source:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/defense_50caliber_051308/

It's got a picture too.

[280plus]

Thanks Vodka! 

[El Tejon]

Please, please, please let them shoot the snot out of it so we know it works before we hand it to someone's 19 year old.

[wmenorr67]

Well the article says it already has had 10,000 rounds through it.

[El Tejon]

10K from one weapon?  That's a weekend.

Shoot a bunch to death and see what breaks.

[wmenorr67]

Read the article and you will see that they are getting ready to test three weapons extensively.

[Jamisjockey]

you know what i hate about this stuff?

we lowly civilians will never get our hands on one. all we can do is read, drool and day dream about plinking with such an awsome toy. 

But what I love is that it will turn our small units into even more destructive forces of nature.  My Marine Corps will have a field day with this new toy. 

[Manedwolf]

you know what i hate about this stuff?

we lowly civilians will never get our hands on one. all we can do is read, drool and day dream about plinking with such an awsome toy. 

I would like a Mk 19 and several cases of ammo for it, thx.

[280plus]

How about we hook up about 6-7 miles of ammo belt to it, tape down the trigger and let 'er rip. 

[MicroBalrog]

I would like a Mk 19 and several cases of ammo for it, thx.
[/quote]

There is a transferable one.

One.

The ammo, however...

[Mabs2]

Thing looks familiar.  I think I've read about it before.
Can't remember anything tho.

[The Annoyed Man]

How about we hook up about 6-7 miles of ammo belt to it, tape down the trigger and let 'er rip. 

That sounds like a perfect setup for our pirate hunting expedition! .

[Devonai]

Just wait until some commander decides that it's light enough for a gun crew to hump dismounted.  Naturally, it'll be the smallest guy in each platoon and the two skinniest guys as AG/ammo bearer.

[41magsnub]

Just wait until some commander decides that it's light enough for a gun crew to hump dismounted.  Naturally, it'll be the smallest guy in each platoon and the two skinniest guys as AG/ammo bearer.

My squad actually had to pack an M2 once.  One guy on the barrel,blank adapter, and miles gear, two guys on the gun itself (rotating), 1 guy on the tripod,3 guys on ammo.  We carried it for a 10 mile road march in Kansas in August.  So not cool...  especially since we were a mechanized unit and had not really been road marching.  ever.

[BlueStarLizzard]

10K from one weapon?  That's a weekend.

Shoot a bunch to death and see what breaks.

i solemnly volenteer to test fire this weapon for AS LONG AS IT TAKES. my dedication to the needs of the US military should not be questioned.... and they won't have to pay me nothin' either!

 

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

The gun uses what is called impulse averaging, so it doesnt come to a hard stop. With an M2 today, you would have to take your eye away from the sight because it would shake,

Huh? Not being an MG feller, I don't 'zactly see why you have to take your eye away. Anyone care to explain this remark for the ign'ant?

[Modifiedbrowning]

If we're paying for it, we should be able to own it.

I agree wholeheartedly, but, if you owned it would be able to pay for it(ammunition)?

[Phantom Warrior]

I like the idea of fixed head space and timing.  But in reality not sure how practical a new .50 cal is going to be.

Why not?  A light .50 cal with a fixed head space and timing is exactly what I'd like to give someone's 19 year old, assuming the bugs are worked out of it.  I usually come out against the "our Soldiers deserve the best new boom stick" crowd, but a .50 cal that is lighter AND has a fixed headspace would be worth the start up costs, in my opinion.

[280plus]

Pardon me for being uh, uninformed, but what does all this headspace talk mean to me? Or to the operation of the weapon? 

[wmenorr67]

The headspace is the distance between the barrel and the receiver.  If that is not withing specs the weapon will not function properly.  And anytime you have to switch barrels you have to reset the headspacing.  It is a pain in the arse to do if you are at the range, let alone taking fire.

Step by step instructions.

Timing and Headspacing
Timing and headspacing are everything when it comes to firing your M2 machine gun. If you don't set headspace and time your M2 every time before you fire or after you change the barrel, a round can rupture inside the gun. That could injure you and damage the gun.
Pre-check Checks
If your M2's in bad shape now, you won't be able to headspace and time it later. So before you go to the field, do these checks:

Gauges. If the headspace and timing gauges are bent, rusted or pitted, you can't accurately gauge, so tell your armorer. He can order new gauges with NSN 5250-00-535-1217.

Timing nut. If the timing nut can be moved with one finger or it doesn't click as you move it, its spring is weak and it won't hold timing. Tell your armorer.

Barrel locking spring. If the spring can't hold the barrel in place, the barrel can turn during firing and headspace is lost. So test the spring by getting the correct headspace and then trying to unscrew the barrel. If the barrel turns, the spring is weak or loose. Tell your armorer.

Barrel and barrel extension threads. If the threads are chipped or burred, it will be difficult to screw in the barrel. What's worse, you may think you've screwed in the barrel, but you haven't. Result: bad headspace and your barrel may launch down range. Your armorer can usually stone chips and burrs smooth.

How to headspace
Raise cover completely.
Pull the charging handle back until the barrel-locking spring lug is aligned with the 3/8-in hole on the receiver's right side. To keep the bolt back, insert the small loop of an M2 ammo link between the trunnion block and barrel extension.
Screw barrel all the way into barrel extension.
Unscrew the barrel two clicks, remove the link and let the barrel extension and trunnion block are about 1/16th of an inch apart.
Insert GO/NO GO gauge again.
If the GO end fits and the NO GO end doesn't, the headspace is OK. If the GO end still won't fit, repeat these last five steps until it does.

Do not unscrew the barrel more than five clicks beyond the first two clicks in steps 1-5. If you have to turn the barrel more than seven clicks, something's wrong. Tell your armorer.

Headspace Too Loose
If the NO GO end of the gauge fits into the T-slot, the headspace is too loose. To fix loose headspace, do the same five steps you did for too tight headspace, except screw in the barrel one click.

Repeat the five steps until the GO end fits, but the NO GO end doesn't.

How To Time
After headspacing comes timing.

Pull the charging handle all the way back and cock the weapon. Ease the bolt forward.
Pull the bolt back far enough to insert the No FIRE gauge between the barrel extension and trunnion block. Insert the beveled edge of the timing gauge against the barrel notches. Slowly release the charging handle.
Press the trigger. If the gun doesn't fire, go to the next step. If it does fire, you've got early timing.
Pull the bolt back just far enough to take out the NO RIFE gauge with the beveled edge against the barrel notches. Slowly release the charging handle.
Press the trigger. If the M2 fires, then the timing is OK. If it doesn't fire, you have late timing.
Early/Late Timing
Never cock your M2 with the back plate off. The driving spring rod could go through your chest. The bolt must be forward before you take off the back plate.

Take the gauge out of the receiver. Cock the M2, then ease the bolt forward.
Take off the back plate.
Turn timing nut all the way down to the left.
Pull the bolt back only far enough to insert the FIRE gauge, and slowly release the charging handle.
Push up on the trigger bar. Gun shouldn't fire.
Turn the timing adjustment nut one click to the right. Push up on the trigger bar. Continue to alternate turning the timing adjustment nut one click right and pushing up on the trigger bar until the M2 fires.
After the gun fires, turn the nut to the right two more clicks and stop.
Take out the gauge and put on the back plate. Cock the gun, then east the bolt forward.
Recheck the timing two more times with the back plate on. If the timing still isn't right, do the early/late timing procedure one more time.
Still no luck? Tell your armorer. Something's wrong.

Armorers, if you have M2s in your arms room, copy this article and use it to train your M2 gunners. It will help protect your unit and your M2s.

http://safetycenter.navy.mil/media/groundwarrior/issues/winter02/timing.htm


 

[209]

Just wait until some commander decides that it's light enough for a gun crew to hump dismounted.  Naturally, it'll be the smallest guy in each platoon and the two skinniest guys as AG/ammo bearer.

There were times we humped a TOW system, so that little popgun would be a piece of cake.