Light Machine Guns

The Bren Gun is a British light machine gun that served as the standard squad automatic weapon for the British Commonwealth forces from 1938 through the 1990s. It was a modified version of the Czech ZB vz. 26, adapted to fire the .303 British cartridge. The Bren was renowned for its exceptional accuracy, reliability, and distinctive top-mounted curved magazine.

The Browning Automatic Rifle M1918 was a US selective-fire automatic rifle chambered in .30-06 Springfield. It was designed by John Browning to provide walking fire for advancing infantry. The BAR combined the portability of a rifle with the firepower of a light machine gun.

A Spanish 5.56x45mm light machine gun developed by CETME. It features a unique roller-delayed blowback action adapted from the CETME rifle.

The Chauchat CSRG M1915 was a French light machine gun chambered in 8mm Lebel, used extensively during World War I. It featured a long-recoil operation and a distinctive open-sided magazine. Despite a notorious reputation for reliability issues, the Chauchat was produced in massive quantities and saw wide service.

A South Korean 5.56x45mm light machine gun that serves as the squad automatic weapon for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

The Degtyaryov DP-27 was a Soviet light machine gun chambered in 7.62x54mmR, known for its distinctive top-mounted flat pan magazine. It used a gas-operated long-stroke piston action and a unique recoil spring housed around the gas piston tube. The weapon was the primary squad-level light machine gun of the Soviet Red Army during World War II.

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon is the U.S. military designation for the FN Minimi, a belt-fed light machine gun chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO. Designed to provide squad-level suppressive fire while maintaining parts commonality and ammunition compatibility with the M16/M4 family, the M249 operates on a gas-operated open-bolt system with a quick-change barrel feature. It can feed from both linked belts (stored in a 200-round box magazine) and standard M16-style 30-round box magazines, though the magazine feed is considered an emergency capability and is generally less reliable than belt feed. The M249 includes a folding bipod, a carrying handle, and a tripod mounting point for sustained-fire applications. At 7.5 kg loaded with 200 rounds, the SAW represents an ideal balance of portability and firepower for infantry fire teams.

The FN Minimi is a Belgian 5.56×45mm NATO light machine gun developed by FN Herstal. It is the basis for the U.S. M249 SAW and has been adopted by over 45 countries, making it one of the most successful light machine gun designs in history.

The HCAR (Heavy Counter Assault Rifle) is a modernized version of the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) chambered in .30-06 Springfield. Manufactured by Ohio Ordnance Works, it is designed as a heavy-hitting designated marksman and support weapon for military and law enforcement.

The HK21 is a German general-purpose machine gun developed by Heckler & Koch as a belt-fed variant of the G3 battle rifle. It uses the same roller-delayed blowback action as the G3 and feeds from disintegrating belts. The weapon was designed for export markets and saw service with numerous military and police forces worldwide.

The Heckler and Koch MG4 is a belt-fed light machine gun manufactured by Heckler and Koch in Germany. It uses a gas-operated rotating bolt system with a short-stroke gas piston. The MG4 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and feeds from disintegrating belts stored in a drum or box container. It features a plastic stock with a built-in hydraulic buffer to reduce felt recoil. The weapon has a folding bipod and a removable carrying handle. It was designed as a lightweight squad automatic weapon for the modern German infantry.

The Negev is a modern Israeli gas-operated light machine gun manufactured by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI). It is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and features a quick-change barrel, a folding stock, and a Picatinny rail system for optics. The Negev was designed to replace the aging FN MAG in Israeli service while offering a lighter, more portable platform.

The IWI Negev NG7 is an Israeli light machine gun chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. It is a modern design featuring a semi-automatic fire mode for precise shooting, a quick-change barrel system, and ambidextrous controls. It can be fed from both belts and magazines.

The Johnson M1941 Light Machine Gun is a magazine-fed automatic weapon designed by Melvin Johnson and produced during World War II. It shares the same short-recoil operating principle as the Johnson M1941 Rifle but is configured for sustained automatic fire. The LMG fires the .30-06 Springfield cartridge from a 20-round detachable box magazine. It features a quick-change barrel, a bipod, and a rear monopod. The Johnson LMG was lighter than the Browning Automatic Rifle at 13 pounds. It was adopted in limited numbers by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Dutch East Indies Army.

The KAC LAMG is a light machine gun developed by Knights Armament Company. It features a short-stroke gas piston system with a patented dual recoil spring system. The LAMG is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and feeds from standard STANAG magazines or linked belts via an adapter. It is significantly lighter than traditional squad automatic weapons, weighing under five kilograms. The weapon features a free-floating handguard with M-LOK attachment points. It was designed for maximum controllability in automatic fire with minimal weight.

The L4 Bren Gun is a British light machine gun converted from the original .303 Bren to 7.62x51mm NATO in the 1950s. It retained the modified Czech-designed ZB-26 action with a distinctive top-mounted curved magazine. The L4 served as the British Army's squad automatic weapon through the Falklands War and beyond.

The Lewis Gun was a gas-operated light machine gun chambered in .303 British, notable for its distinctive top-mounted pan magazine and tubular aluminum cooling shroud. Designed by Isaac Newton Lewis, it was one of the first truly portable machine guns. The weapon was widely used by British and Commonwealth forces.

The M249 Para is a compact variant of the M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) developed by FN Herstal for airborne and special operations forces. It features a shorter barrel and a collapsible stock for reduced overall length during transport. The M249 Para retains the same gas-operated, open-bolt action as the standard M249. It is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and is belt-fed or magazine-fed. The reduction in size and weight makes it more suitable for operations requiring mobility and compact stowage.

The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR) is a U.S. Marine Corps squad automatic weapon based on the Heckler & Koch HK416. Chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, it is designed to provide accurate sustained fire from a magazine-fed platform rather than a belt-fed machine gun.

The MG 15 is a German air-cooled machine gun designed for flexible mounting on World War II aircraft. Developed by Rheinmetall, it was adapted from the MG 30 design. The MG 15 fires the 7.92x57mm Mauser round from either a 75-round saddle drum or a 250-round belt. It has a distinctive large air-cooled barrel jacket with cooling slots. After the war, the MG 15 was adapted for ground use by several countries.

The MG 42 is a German general-purpose machine gun designed in 1942 that became one of the most feared and influential machine guns of World War II. It featured a revolutionary recoil-operated roller-locked action and a high rate of fire of up to 1,500 rounds per minute. The MG 42 was known for its distinctive tearing canvas sound during sustained fire.

The Madsen Light Machine Gun was a Danish automatic weapon chambered in various calibers from 6.5mm to 8x56R. It used a unique combination of short recoil operation and a tilting bolt mechanism. The Madsen was one of the first truly successful light machine guns and had an exceptionally long service life spanning over 70 years.

The RP-46 is a Soviet light machine gun developed by Degtyaryov, chambered in 7.62x54mmR. It is an improved belt-fed version of the earlier DP-27 light machine gun. The RP-46 can use both belt feeds and the original DP-27 pan magazines. It was designed to provide more sustained fire capability than the magazine-fed DP-27. The gun was a transition between the DP-27 and the later RPD and PKM designs.

The RPD (Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyaryova, or Degtyaryov Light Machine Gun) is a Soviet light machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov. It was chambered in 7.62x39mm M43 and fed from a 100-round drum magazine or 100-round linked belt. The RPD combined the firepower of a machine gun with the mobility of an assault rifle.

The RPD is a Soviet light machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov, chambered in 7.62x39mm M43. It was one of the first light machine guns designed around an intermediate cartridge and fed from a distinctive 100-round belt contained in a drum magazine. The RPD served as the standard squad automatic weapon of the Soviet Union and its allies for decades.

The RPK (Ruchnoy Pulemyot Kalashnikova) is a squad automatic rifle derived from the AK‑47 family, designed to provide sustained fire support while retaining the rugged simplicity of its assault‑rifle counterpart. Developed by the Kalashnikov Design Bureau in the early 1960s, the RPK features a longer, heavier barrel, reinforced receiver, and a bipod, enabling higher rates of fire and improved accuracy at the squad level. Chambered primarily in 7.62×39mm, it uses the same gas‑operated, rotating‑bolt system as the AK‑47 but with a heavier bolt carrier and a larger gas piston to handle the increased heat. Its reputation rests on exceptional reliability under adverse conditions, ease of maintenance, and logistical compatibility with standard AK magazines and ammunition, making it a staple in Soviet and Warsaw‑bloc forces. The weapon’s distinctive features include a stamped steel receiver with reinforced ribs, a detachable steel bipod, and a unique muzzle device that can accept a flash suppressor or a rifle grenade launcher, underscoring its versatility as both a light machine gun and a rifle grenade platform.

The RPK-16 is a Russian light machine gun chambered in 5.45x39mm based on the AK-12 platform. It features a heavy profile 580 mm barrel for sustained fire and improved accuracy. The weapon uses a 45-round box magazine or a 96-round drum for high capacity. It has a Picatinny rail system on the handguard for mounting optics and accessories. The RPK-16 can be configured with either a long barrel for the LMG role or a short barrel for assault use.

The RPK-203 is a light machine gun chambered in 7.62x39mm, developed by the Kalashnikov Concern as an export variant of the RPK series. It is designed for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and is based on the AK-103 assault rifle platform. The RPK-203 features a longer, heavier barrel for improved sustained fire accuracy. It has a side-folding polymer stock and a bipod for stable firing. The weapon is intended to provide squad automatic fire capability with the widely available 7.62x39mm round.

The RPK-74 is a Soviet light machine gun developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is the 5.45x39mm variant of the earlier RPK light machine gun. The RPK-74 shares approximately 75 percent parts commonality with the AK-74 assault rifle. It features a longer, heavier barrel, a bipod, and a reinforced receiver for sustained fire. The weapon uses a 45-round magazine or a standard 30-round AK-74 magazine. It was designed as a squad-level support weapon for the Soviet military.

The RPK-74M is a modernized light machine gun variant of the AK-74 rifle, developed by the Kalashnikov Concern in Russia. It is an improved version of the RPK-74, featuring a side-folding polymer stock and a reinforced receiver. The RPK-74M is chambered in 5.45x39mm and uses the same ammunition as the AK-74 assault rifle. It has a longer and heavier barrel than the AK-74 for sustained automatic fire. The weapon is designed to provide squad-level automatic fire support.

The Steyr MG 74 is an Austrian general-purpose machine gun chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. It is an improved Austrian variant of the German MG 42 design, featuring a heavier bolt for a reduced rate of fire, improved accuracy, and a polymer buttstock.

The Stoner 63 is a modular weapon system designed by Eugene Stoner in the early 1960s. It was one of the first truly modular firearm designs, capable of being configured as an assault rifle, carbine, light machine gun, or belt-fed machine gun. The most common configuration was the light machine gun variant used by US special forces during the Vietnam War. The weapon is chambered in 5.56x45mm and uses a unique gas-operated piston system. The Stoner 63 was manufactured by Cadillac Gage and later by Colt.

The Ultimax 100 is a light machine gun designed and manufactured in Singapore by Chartered Industries of Singapore. It uses a gas-operated, constant-recoil system that significantly reduces felt recoil. The Ultimax 100 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and feeds from a 100-round drum magazine or standard STANAG magazines. It is one of the most controllable light machine guns ever produced. The weapon is known for its accuracy even in sustained automatic fire. It was designed as a squad automatic weapon for the Singapore Armed Forces.

The ZB vz. 26 was a Czechoslovak light machine gun chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, widely regarded as one of the finest LMG designs of the interwar period. It used a gas-operated tilting bolt action and top-mounted box magazine. The vz. 26 directly inspired the British Bren Gun.