BROWNING MACHINE GUN CALIBER .50 HB, M2
FM 23-65
a U.S. Army Manual
What makes a heavy machine gun designed and developed in the latter days of World War I still relevant to modern militaries? Reliability, durability and longevity, coupled with a hard-hitting, accurate .50-calibre cartridge designed specifically for this machine gun from the .30-06 cartridge - one of the most successful, versatile and popular rifle cartridges ever. developed.
In 1918, as the German military developed thicker armor plate to withstand hits from American rifle cartridges, American firearms genius John Moses Browning was tasked with designing a heavy machine gun to fire a new .50-caliber cartridge capable of penetrating that armour. Browning came up with his famous .50-caliber M2 heavy machine gun, known affectionately to doughboys, GIs, grunts, aircrews, sailors and devil dogs as "Ma Deuce."
This latest edition of the U.S. Army FM 23-36 Browning .50-caliber manual includes an extensive foreword that outlines the history and development of the M2 and its use by the military forces of at least 90 countries throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the operation and maintenance of this incredible weapon.
