Quote History Quoted:
What is standard military issue? 30 or 42?
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Quote History Quoted:
What is standard military issue? 30 or 42?
My understanding is 30 is the standard, with 42 going to LMG gunners (for the Austrian army at least), but I'm sure "It depends" since SF probably carries what they want, just like any nation/force issuing AUGs has the option.
Quoted:
What do you mean by semiauto dimensional receiver?
IIRC @maleante is referring to the width of the receiver's stock latch channel, which is narrower on the LMG (just as it is on the semi-auto civilian AUG/SA or AUG Z).
I believe this was done so one cannot inadvertently assemble the LMG receiver (with its open-bolt assembly) into a standard select-fire AUG stock with a conventional hammer pack installed (which would be bad, since it'd begin firing full auto non-stop immediately upon chambering a round). The only way to stop it would be to remove the mag or grasp/hold the charging handle in a rearward position.
Quoted:
Slower reload times? 42 rounds are just as easy to load as 30 rounders. I have heavy MG barrels and they are just as easy and quick to exchange as 20" and shorter barrels. Never heard of nonremovable AUG MG barrels. It does not even make sense. MGs need rapidly changeable barrels unless they are water cooled as WWI guns.
I agree, but do most AUG LMG gunners even carry a spare barrel?
If they do I'd like to see a pic of their setup. (Do they have an insulated barrel carrier to place a hot barrel into?)
I can change an AUG barrel just as fast as an M60E3 barrel. They both have an attached handle to grasp, and the latch on either is easily released. Both need the bolt to be open when it happens (actually the conventional closed-bolt select-fire AUG has an advantage there with its automatic BHO).
I wouldn't necessarily say a fixed barrel on a LMG is a deal-breaker, but it's certainly nice to have the QC feature (assuming spare barrels are available).
My RPD doesn't have that feature, so I have to be cognizant of adhering to the heat limitations of its max firing schedule (which is reached within 2x 100-round belts). The wood handguards will definitely let the gunner know.
Bakelite or aluminum handguards can generally tolerate 2 whole belts (depending on ambient temperature) but really it's the barrel one is saving by avoiding such extreme heat.
Colt's LMG and IAR don't have quick-change barrels either, unfortunately.
The only AUG variants I'm aware of without the QC barrel latch are the USR (which simply had the button/latch severed so as to require a tool or bullet tip) and certain variations of the AUG Z produced for import where it's a legal requirement for civilian firearms.
EDIT: I thought the open-bolt AUG LMG has an automatic bolt hold-open, but judging from the 1 photo I can find of the trigger pack, it appears that it does not (unless there's an interface to allow the magazine follower to disconnect the sear that I can't see).
There seems to be very little info available on these. I can't even find a video of one firing where someone empties the mag.
(My only experience with full auto AUGs has been closed-bolt conversions.)
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