HK MG4

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Heckler & Koch MG4
HK MG4 left noBG.jpg
general information
Military designation: MG4
Country of operation: Germany, Spain
Developer / Manufacturer: Heckler
Manufacturer country: Germany
Production time: since 2005
Weapon Category: light machine gun
Furnishing
Overall length: 1030 mm
Total height: 228 mm
Total width: 96 mm
Weight: (unloaded) 7.35 kg
Barrel length : 480 mm
Technical specifications
Caliber : 5.56 × 45 mm NATO
Possible magazine fillings : Disintegration belt: 200
Softpack: 100 or 200 cartridges
Ammunition supply : Ammunition belt
Cadence : (MG4) 890 ± 60 rounds / min
(MG4E) 775 ± 50 rounds / min
Fire types: Burst of fire , continuous fire
Number of trains : 6th
Twist : right
Visor : Open sights
Mounting system: Picatinny rail
Closure : Turret lock
Charging principle: Gas pressure charger
Lists on the subject
HK MG4 right side

The MG4 is a light machine gun and complements the MG3 at the infantry group level of the Bundeswehr . It was developed by Heckler & Koch as part of the IdZ ( Infantryman of the Future ) program. Due to the lower weight of the weapon compared to the MG3, infantry groups will in future be able to use two fully armed machine guns instead of one machine gunner (MG 1) and one machine gun troop leader or observer (MG 2).

development

The MG4 was presented to the public for the first time in 2001 - still under the name MG43. The functional reliability was tested in hot weather and dust tests on the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona . Right from the start, the weapon was designed to work under different conditions with ammunition from different manufacturers without having to make adjustments to the gas mechanism. During the development, emphasis was placed on low weight and easy handling for both right-handed and left-handed shooters. Securing elements have been added to the bolt, barrel and handle. The catch edges on the bolt carrier prevent unintentional firing of shots when loading is finished and the weapon cannot continue to fire due to damaged ammunition. The lock can also be secured by folding up the tension lever . Compared to the MG3 , which has a slide lock , the MG4, like the G36, has a rotation lock on both sides of the handle.

technology

The MG4 is a light, multi-purpose machine gun with a belt feeder and a locking bolt. The theoretical rate of fire is between 775 and 950 rounds / minute, depending on the version. Empty tubes are ejected downwards out of the housing, optionally they can also be ejected to the right. Both standardized NATO and US ammunition boxes can be attached to the weapon. In order to reduce the overall length of the weapon, the shoulder rest can be folded down to the left, whereby the weapon remains fully functional. There is a cleaning kit in the shoulder rest. A collapsible bipod can be attached to the front of the weapon. A mount for the US tripod M122 is also available. In the standard version, the weapon is equipped with a mechanical sight that can be adjusted in 100 m steps up to 1000 m. A Picatinny rail is attached to the housing for mounting optional sighting devices .

In order to check the charge status more quickly, in contrast to the MG3, a mechanical charge indicator protruding upwards was introduced on the cover of the feed unit. If a cartridge is in the feeder, it pushes a marked lever upwards. The charge indicator can be read optically through a red dot and felt in the dark. The fold-out handle is also used to change the pipe, so that gloves for heat protection can be dispensed with.

use

literature

  • Richard Jones: Jane's Infantry Weapons 2010-2011. Jane's Information Group, Coulsdon 2010, ISBN 978-0-7106-2908-1 .

Web links

Commons : HK MG4  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Richard Jones: Jane's Infantry Weapons 2010-2011. P. 369.
  2. MG4 machine gun. Armed Forces Base of the Bundeswehr, accessed on October 2, 2012 .
  3. ^ Gordon Arthur: Royal Malaysian Navy Special Forces . In: Combat & Survival . August 2015, ISSN  0955-9841 , p. 48 .
  4. Miguel Machado: AFEGANISTÃO: UNIDADE DE PROTECÇÃO DA FORÇA EM OPERAÇÕES. zero. In: Operacional. November 27, 2009, Retrieved August 9, 2015 (Portuguese).
  5. Spanish Army procures the MG4 E ( English ) Heckler & Koch. August 2, 2007. Retrieved February 15, 2010.