Origin: Nazi Germany Year: 1942 Type: General-purpose machine gun Caliber: 7.92x57mm (post-war adaptations to 7.62 NATO, 7.5 Swiss, and 5.56 NATO by various countries) Weight: 11.57 kg (25.51 lb) Length: 1,220 mm (48 in) Barrel length: 533 mm (21.0 in) Capacity: 50-250 rds on belt
Perhaps the most recognizable general-purpose machine gun (GPMG), the MG42 exemplified the tactical doctrine of military which originally fielded it. Developed as a replacement for the MG34, the MG42 provided substantial firepower for the German troops which fielded it. German doctrine during World War II placed the machine gun at the heart of the infantry squad. Featuring a lighter weight than most other belt-fed machine guns and a higher capacity and sustained rate of fire than comparable mag-fed light machine guns, the MG42 could both keep pace with the rapid advances of the infantry while also providing impressive firepower, both in the offense and the defense. This combination of lighter weight with traditional belt-fed volume of fire enabled the design to fill a wide variety of roles and set the standards for the GPMG concept.
The design of the MG42 proved to be such a great success that it continued in major military service for years to come. The design was adapted to the 7.62x51mm NATO round and continues in service with the current German military as the MG3. The M53, a Yugoslavian-built clone of the MG42, still appears in the Middle East after a number of them were purchased by Iraq. Swiss built versions in 7.5 Swiss and 7.62 NATO (MG 51 and MG 710-3 respectively) and a Spanish-built adaptation to 5.56x45mm NATO (Ameli) have also been produced. Elements of the design also influenced the design of the highly-successful M60 and FN MAG machine guns.
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