MG3

Also known as Rheinmetall MG3, Maschinengewehr 3, MG 3, MG 3 machine gun

general-purpose machine gun

Key facts

Type: General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin: West Germany
In service: 1959–present
Used by: See Users
Wars: See Conflicts
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall , License-built by: Beretta , MKEK , Ellinika Amyntika Systimata, Defense Industries Organization , Military Industry Corporation , Pakistan Ordnance Factories , General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas
Produced: 1959–present
Number span no built: 1 million+
Variants: See Variants
Mass: 11.5 kg (25.35 lb) , 27.5 kg (61 lb) (mounted on tripod)
Length: 1,225 mm (48.2 in), 1,097 mm (43.2 in) (without stock)
Barrel length: 565 mm (22.2 in)
Cartridge: 7.62×51mm NATO
Action: Recoil-operated , roller locked
Rate of fire: 800–950 rounds/min (heavy-weight bolt), 1,000–1,200 rounds/min (standard-weight bolt)
Muzzle velocity: 820 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range: 200–1,200 m sight adjustments
Maximum firing range: 600 m (1,969 ft) (bipod), 1,200–1,600 m (3,937–5,249 ft) (tripod mounted), 3,000 m (9,843 ft) (gun carriage), 3,750 m (12,303 ft) (terminal)

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Mass: 11.5
Image: BundeswehrMG3.jpg

Show 4 more facts

Commons category: MG3
service entry: 1960-01-01
Commons gallery: MG3
inception: 1959-00-00

Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

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Article

The Rheinmetall MG 3 is a German general-purpose machine gun chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. Manufactured by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr, designed and derived from the World War II era MG 42 that fired the 7.92×57mm Mauser round.

The MG 3 was standardized in the late 1950s and adopted into service with the newly formed Bundeswehr, where it continues to serve to this day as a squad support weapon and a vehicle-mounted machine gun.