M60 machine gun

Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60
Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60
	M60 machine gun with bipod folded
Type	General-purpose machine gun ; Medium machine gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1957–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Vietnam War; Laotian Civil War; Dominican Civil War; Cambodian Civil War; Moro conflict; Cambodian–Vietnamese War; Sino-Vietnamese War; Salvadoran Civil War; The Troubles; Operation Urgent Fury; Operation Just Cause; Persian Gulf War; Operation Gothic Serpent; War in Afghanistan; Lebanese Civil War; Iraq War; Cambodian–Thai border stand-off; Colombian armed conflict; Insurgency in the Philippines; Bougainville Civil War; various others;
Production history
Designed	1952–1957
Manufacturer	Saco Defense; U.S. Ordnance;
Unit cost	US$6,000 (M60E3)
Produced	1957–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	10.5 kg (23.15 lb)
Length	1,105 mm (43.5 in)
Barrel length	560 mm (22.0 in)
Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO
Caliber	7.62 mm (0.308 in)
Action	Gas-operated, short-stroke gas piston, opened rotating bolt
Rate of fire	550–650 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	2,800 ft/s (853 m/s)
Effective firing range	1,200 yd (1,100 m)
Maximum firing range	4,073 yd (3,724 m)
Feed system	Disintegrating belt with M13 Links
Sights	Iron sights

The M60, officially the Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60, is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. There are several types of ammunition approved for use in the M60, including ball, tracer, and armor-piercing rounds.^[4]

It was adopted in 1957 and issued to units beginning in 1959. It has served with every branch of the U.S. military and still serves with the armed forces of other nations. Its manufacture and continued upgrade for military and commercial purchase continues into the 21st century, although it has been replaced or supplemented in most roles by other designs, most notably the M240 machine gun in U.S. service.^[7]

^ "Dominican Republic: The Coup That Became a War". TIME. May 7, 1965. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
^ "浴火重生——对越自卫反击战对我国轻武器发展的影响". September 23, 2014. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
^ "T52E3 – An M60 Prototype". Forgotten Weapons. March 14, 2012. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d The M60 Archived October 7, 2000, at the Wayback Machine. Federation of American Scientists.
^ "Modern Firearms – M60". October 27, 2010. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
^ "M60E3 7.62mm Machine Gun". fas.org. Archived from the original on October 7, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^ Norman Polmar (January 15, 2005). The Naval Institute guide to the ships and aircraft of the U.S. fleet. Naval Institute Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-1-59114-685-8. Retrieved November 2, 2011.

[1] "Dominican Republic: The Coup That Became a War". TIME. May 7, 1965. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2022.

[浴火重生——对越自卫反击战对我国轻武器发展的影响-2] "浴火重生——对越自卫反击战对我国轻武器发展的影响". September 23, 2014. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2022.

[3] "T52E3 – An M60 Prototype". Forgotten Weapons. March 14, 2012. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2016.

[fasM60page-4] The M60 Archived October 7, 2000, at the Wayback Machine. Federation of American Scientists.

[m60modfire-5] "Modern Firearms – M60". October 27, 2010. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2012.

[6] "M60E3 7.62mm Machine Gun". fas.org. Archived from the original on October 7, 2000. Retrieved March 10, 2021.

[Polmar2005-7] Norman Polmar (January 15, 2005). The Naval Institute guide to the ships and aircraft of the U.S. fleet. Naval Institute Press. p. 500. ISBN 978-1-59114-685-8. Retrieved November 2, 2011.

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Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60
M60 machine gun with bipod folded
Type	General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1957–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Dominican Civil War^[1] Cambodian Civil War Moro conflict Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War^[2] Salvadoran Civil War The Troubles Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Persian Gulf War Operation Gothic Serpent War in Afghanistan Lebanese Civil War Iraq War Cambodian–Thai border stand-off Colombian armed conflict Insurgency in the Philippines Bougainville Civil War various others
Production history
Designed	1952–1957^[3]
Manufacturer	Saco Defense U.S. Ordnance
Unit cost	US$6,000 (M60E3)^[4]
Produced	1957–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	10.5 kg (23.15 lb)
Length	1,105 mm (43.5 in)
Barrel length	560 mm (22.0 in)

Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO
Caliber	7.62 mm (0.308 in)
Action	Gas-operated, short-stroke gas piston,^[5] opened rotating bolt
Rate of fire	550–650 rounds/min^[6]
Muzzle velocity	2,800 ft/s (853 m/s)
Effective firing range	1,200 yd (1,100 m)^[4]
Maximum firing range	4,073 yd (3,724 m)^[4]
Feed system	Disintegrating belt with M13 Links
Sights	Iron sights