MG-81: The fastest firing GPMG ever produced

Old but VICIOUS!, This is probably the fastest firing GPMG ever produced.









It was cheap and simple to produce, Light in weight around 6-7Kg. Just why isnt it still produced today?

Probably because of the high rate of fire. A machine gun needs to be fed and this thing has a serious appetite! The rate of fire is double that of most other GPMGs which means that it will need twice the ammunition to sustain fire for the same amount of time. With a MG, high ROF can often mean more misses per second.

The high rate of fire can be useful, but it causes more problems than it solves. If the ROF was cut, then this weapon has some advantages, such as the fairly light weight (for a machine gun) and the option of left or right feed. It is also pretty short at only 965mm, while still firing a decent cartridge. However this slowed te round down considerably reducing its' effective range somewhat.

I think that it was discontinued as there are other options available in a more ergonomic package and with a more sustainable rate of fire.

Nice find.

[edit on 6-5-2007 by PaddyInf]

Browno, the MG 81 is neither a GPMG nor would it have been the fastest firing GPMG had it been one, that "honour" goes to the MG42 with the light bolt.

The MG 81 is an aircraft gun designed to be put into a mount, hence it has no "propoer" sights nor buttstock. It also was not designed for a quick barrel change which is difficult if not impossible during flight - but also not necessary due to increased air cooling. So it is also not especially "light" as you state, its just an MG lacking important features to be used by foot soldiers.

n an aircraft you neither have such severe restrictions on ammo count and -weight since the machine does the carrying for you. Also, in the end you need less ammunition than an infantry unit snce the time envelope for successful firing is much shorter - which in turn is the explanation for the insane firing speed.

And it isnt used anymore since noone puts defense MGs on planes anymore as well.



[edit on 6/5/2007 by Lonestar24]

Originally posted by Lonestar24
Browno, the MG 81 is neither a GPMG nor would it have been the fastest firing GPMG had it been one, that "honour" goes to the MG42 with the light bolt.

The MG 81 is an aircraft gun designed to be put into a mount, hence it has no "propoer" sights nor buttstock. It also was not designed for a quick barrel change which is difficult if not impossible during flight - but also not necessary due to increased air cooling. So it is also not especially "light" as you state, its just an MG lacking important features to be used by foot soldiers. ...

...And it isnt used anymore since noone puts defense MGs on planes anymore as well.

[edit on 6/5/2007 by Lonestar24]

The MG42 with light bolt fitted fired at 1600rpm. The MG81 fired at between 1600 and 1750rpm depending on gas setting. Also the MG81 was widely used as an infantry fire support weapon and light role machine gun. It was also used as as a tank pintle mount machine gun. While not a GPMG in the strictest sense (probably for the reasons that you cite), it was still used as such (see Brownos' first image).

Image

There was also the MG-81Z which was twin mounted increasing its ROF to 3,000RPM, If there was two MG-81Z mounted together, Its ROF would be 6,000RPM matching the M134 Minigun.

It was used on a Samaka type Jimpy Mount, Just imagine the firepower from that!

"why isn't it still in production?"

Answer : Metal storm

Originally posted by the-real-syn "why isn't it still in production?" Answer : Metal storm

In the 1920's, the Germans began to develope a machinegun which did not contravene the Treaty of Verseilles.

It had to be the same calibre as the army's rifles [7.92mm], be light enough to be carried by one man, be capable of a medium/high rate of fire in a light role and be capable of high sustained rates of fire in a supported [defensive] role.

Solothurn of Switzerland came up with the ideal weapon, the Maschinengewehr 30. The MG30 became the standard infantry MG, being adopted as the MG 15 (developed later as the MG17) by the Luftwaffe.

Heinrich Vollmer (Mauser Werke) redesigned the MG30, developing the MG34, which became the world's first GPMG.

Further development of the MG17 by Rheinmetall-Borsig during the 30's, led to the weapon being introduced in a twin gun mode, most notably on Heinkel and Dornier medium and light bombers. The Ju 87B Stukas were armed with a single weapon. Each weapon was fitted with a rubberised flexible mount.

By the 1940's, the MG 15/17 was replaced by the Mauser 7.92 mm MG 81 and the MG 81Z (twin-MG 81) - again utilising the rubberised flexible mount.

The MG 81/81Z were in turn converted to heavier infantry machineguns right up until the end of WWII by which time, over 18,000 had been converted.

The MG 81/81Z were replaced by the 13mm machineguns [MG 131] and also by 20 mm machine cannons [MG 151/20].

So you see the-real-syn, the reason it is no longer in production is not Metal Storm, but the German capitulation in 1945.

[edit on 7-5-2007 by fritz]

reply to post by Browno


You forget the fact that it is 2 machineguns in one.