What is a Machine gun ..
by the true defination  , my friend believes that a mp5 in fully auto is a "machine gun"

He also said that my friends Ap9 (semi-suto ) is considered a " SMG"

is the ak-47  a Machine gun  , how about a M-16 ?


Can we all agree that the M-60 is a machine gun based on this definition ?

Quoted: What is a Machine gun .. by the true defination  , my friend believes that a mp5 in fully auto is a "machine gun" He also said that my friends Ap9 (semi-suto ) is considered a " SMG" is the ak-47  a Machine gun  , how about a M-16 ? Can we all agree that the M-60 is a machine gun based on this definition ?

IMO... Machine gun uses full size cartridges whereas a sub machine gun uses pistol ammo.

MP5 in full auto is a sub machine gun.

Any semi-auto is not a MG.  It is not a sub machine gun nor a machine gun.

AK-47 (fully automatic) is a machine gun.  M16 = machine gun.  And yes, M-60 is a MG.  

Tell your friend you are reporting his buddy for having an unregistered MG made after 1986

Machine gun means a gun that is built from the beginning to fire fully automatic, full sized cartridges to lay down a wall of lead. Maxim machine gun, mg-42, m60, m249, etc. Sub machine gun for pistol cartridges. M16 is definately an assault rifle, not a machine gun, as it's primary design is for slow, aimed fire. The AK-47 could be either. If it is not fully automatic or burst fire, it is none of the above. I am referring to the practical name, not the legal definition under the NFA.

In Ohio, they have a stupid law that says that any gun that holds more than 31 bullets is a machine gun so...a glock 19 with a 33rnd mag is a machine gun, in Ohio anyway.

Uncle Sam says:

(b) Machinegun.--The term "machinegun" means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

Source: 26 U.S.C. § 5845

Legally speaking, a "machine gun" is any firearm receiver capable of "accepting or being readily converted to accept machine gun parts (full auto sear, etc)".  Examples would be AK receivers with the auto sear pin hole drilled in, AR receivers with similar, etc.  All MG's for civ use have to be pre-1986 and there's a lot of paperwork and you have to go through a C3 dealer.  Legally, automatic is defined as "the ability to fire more than one shot per trigger pull", so 2-3 round burst counts as auto.  Technically speaking, a true machine gun is a heavy rifle-caliber fully-automatic weapon, usually firing from a bipod/tripod or other mount, usually accepting a belt or large capacity magazine of at least 50 rounds.  Most true machine guns are capable of having their barrels changed to prevent overheating.  Strictly speaking, the BAR is not a true MG because it is fed from a 20 round magazine and does not have a barrel capable of being quickly changed out.  The BAR is basically a unusually heavy automatic rifle (18.5 pounds).  Also, a automatic rifle with a hicap mag attached (like a M16 with C-Mag or G36 with C-Mag) is NOT a true machine gun because it lacks the weight and quick-change barrel of a true MG and cannot be used in the sustained fire role.  The M249, M240, M60, M1919, M2HB and MG42 are all examples of true machine guns.  The MG36 (G36 with C-mag) and the "LMG" variants of the M16/AR are not true purpose-built MG's, they are modified rifles, the RPK and RPK-74 fall into the same class because they all use a rifle-type receiver.  Submachine guns (UZI, MP5, MAC-11/9, Thompson, etc), by definition, are shoulder-fired carbine-style weapons firing pistol cartridges, machine pistols (fully automatic handguns) are technically a sub-class of SMG.  Some SBR's are considered SMG's, that particular item is open to debate, but it's my belief that the difference between SMG and SBR is one of caliber more than anything else.  

"Machine gun" is two words.

The way I see it:

"Machine gun" according to the legal definition of the law: Any firearm that fires more than 1 round for each squeeze of the trigger.

But realistically:

UZI/MP5/etc.  - Submachine gun
AK47/M16/etc. - Assault rifle or Automatic rifle
M60/M249/M240 - Machine gun

Maybe we can get chapperjoe in here!


He set us all straight on the difference between rockets and missiles.

Quoted: Uncle Sam says: (b) Machinegun.--The term "machinegun" means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person. Source: 26 U.S.C. § 5845

Survey says: Ding!

Quoted: The way I see it: "Machine gun" according to the legal definition of the law: Any firearm that fires more than 1 round for each squeeze of the trigger. But realistically: UZI/MP5/etc.  - Submachine gun AK47/M16/etc. - Assault rifle or Automatic rifle M60/M249/M240 - Machine gun

The problem is, is thaere are 2 main definitions of "machine gun".

Legal definition - more than one shot per trigger pull.

Military - which breaks automatic weapons into several classes, Machine gun, auto rifle, submachine gun, etc.

Your friend doesn't know shit.

Quoted: In Ohio, they have a stupid law that says that any gun that holds more than 31 bullets is a machine gun so...a glock 19 with a 33rnd mag is a machine gun, in Ohio anyway.

In DC the limit is 12 rounds.

If I take my Glock 17 through with a Standard 17 round magazine I’m considered to be carrying a machine gun.

A machine gun is a firearm which fires more than one cartridge with a single pull of the trigger.  A subset/subcategory of machine gun is a submachine gun.  A submachine gun fires a low power cartridge, typically a pistol caliber cartridge.

All submachineguns are machine guns.

Yes, a military M-16 is a machine gun.

No semi-automatic firearm is a machinegun - NONE.  You DO NOT HAVE a machine gun if you have a "semiautomatic-only" version of a firearm which is also available as a (fully automatic) machine gun.

I think Cooper defined a machine gun as a "crew served weapon", or something like that. In one of his writings he went into great detail to define the differnet types of weapons.

Reminds me of one of the most pathetic and funny things I saw on TV during the beginning of the war in Iraq.

One of the "embedded" reporters showed how utterly clueless he was by referring to a Ma Deuce on the top of a tank as a "submachine gun."  What's funny is you could hear in his voice and look on his face that he knew he didn't know squat about guns, but was bravely chattering in his "I'm a reporter and I know everything" voice.