Marines Begin Fielding Upgraded M2A1 .50-Caliber Heavy Machine Gun

By Tactical-Life

The M2A1 .50-caliber heavy machine gun — an updated version of the legendary M2 commonly referred to as “Ma Deuce” — is now being fielded by Marines, the Marine Corps Systems Command has announced.

Touted as increasing survivability and lethality, the M2A1 sports three key upgrades that make it easier and safer to use than the previous iteration: fixed headspace and timing, a quick-change barrel and a flash hider that reduces the machine gun’s signature by 95 percent at night.

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With the current M2, Marines have to manually set headspace and timing before firing and after changing the barrel when it overheats due to high volumes of fire. “Headspace” refers to the distance between the bolt face and the base of the cartridge case when seated fully in the chamber. “Timing” is the adjustment of the gun so that firing occurs when the recoiling parts are in the correct position. If the headspace and timing aren’t adjusted properly, malfunctions might occur that could injure the user or damage the gun, the USMC says. The M2A1’s fixed headspace and timing …Read the Rest

Source:: Tactical Life