This article deals with the Browning primarily as an aircraft and naval weapon. See the article on Small Arms for further discussion of the Browning as an infantry weapon.
| Bore |
0.5" 12.7mm |
| Ammunition
type |
AP, ball, incendiary, or tracer
solid shot in 110-round belts |
|
Weight of projectile |
1.6 ounce 45.4 gram |
|
Velocity |
2930 feet per second 893 meters per second |
|
Range |
7400 yards 6770 meters |
|
Altitude |
15,000 feet 4570 meters |
| Rate of fire | 550-700 rounds per minute |
| Weight of gun |
64 lbs 29 kg |
The Browning 0.50 machine gun was a successful heavy machine
gun design when used on land and in the air. It traded a
relatively low rate of fire for range, accuracy, and hitting power,
having a significant
armor
piercing capability against aircraft armor and
light Japanese
tanks. Both
air-cooled and water-cooled versions were used on land. Those
mounted on
aircraft were invariably air-cooled since the slip stream provided a
highly
efficient flow of air.
The M2 was developed in 1933 from the M1921 and
revised in 1940 with a lighter barrel and double recoil springs that
improved its nominal rate of fire. Its reliability steadily improved
throughout the war, reaching a low of one jam per every 4000 rounds
fired. The M3 was developed at the very end of the war and achieved a
rate of fire of 1200 rounds per minute, a new record for a heavy
machine gun. All versions were belt-fed.
The 0.50 round had a nominal penetration of 21 mm
at normal impact at a range of 600 feet (183m). However, this dropped
rapidly for oblique hits or if the bullet was subject to yaw. The
typical penetration during air combat was 10-15 mm, which was normally
still adequate.
Barrel wear was a significant problem for the
aircraft version of the weapon, and aircrew were trained to fire
no more than a 75 round initial burst and 25 round bursts thereafter. A
longer burst would overheat the barrel, wear out the rifling, and
destroy the accuracy of the gun. In January 1944, the U.S. Air Force adopted chromium alloy (Stellite) barrel
liners that reduced wear and allowed much longer bursts.
The Browning was much less successful as a naval antiaircraft gun and was replaced with 20mm Oerlikons as fast as these became available. Its round was simply not heavy enough to do the job. The weapon was more effective in its role as an antipersonnel weapon on submarines, PT boats, and other small craft.
References
Campbell
(1985)
Williams and
Gustin (2003)
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007-2009 by Kent G. Budge. Index
