M73 machine gun

The M73 and M219 are 7.62 mm NATO caliber machine guns designed for tank use. NATO no longer uses them, but they were used on the M48 Patton and M60 Patton MBT series (including the M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle), asw ell as the MBT-70 prototype vehicles, and on the M551 Sheridan Armored Reconnaissance / Airborne Assault Vehicle (AR/AAV).

Machine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M219
M219 Machine Gun
TypeMachine gun
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service• M73: 1959
• M73A1: 1970
• M219: 1972
Used byU.S./NATO-aligned countries
WarsVietnam War, Present day
Production history
Designed1950s
Produced1950s — 1970s
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass• M73: 31 lb (14.1 kg)
• M73A1/M219: 29.8 lb (13.5 kg)
Length• Overall: 48 in (1,219.2 mm)
Barrel length24 in (609.6 mm)
Cartridge7.62×51mm NATO
ActionRecoil-operated/short-recoil operation with gas assist
Rate of fire500-625 round/min
Muzzle velocity2,800 ft/s (853.44 m/s)
Effective firing range984 yd (899.8 m)
Maximum firing range4,000 yd (3,657.6 m)
Feed systemBelt Feed, left or right hand

Design and development

Designed primarily as a coaxial machine gun by the Rock Island Arsenal and produced by General Electric, the M73 was developed as a replacement for the M1919A4E1, M1919A5, and M37 machine guns that continued to serve in the immediate post–World War II environment.

The Machine Gun, 7.62-MM, M73 was officially adopted in 1959. It is an air-cooled, recoil-operated machine gun, but also using cartridge gases to boost recoil. Though designed as a simplified alternative to the M1919 series, it is of almost identical weight. The weapon is fitted with a quick-change barrel, pull-chain charging assembly, and can be made to feed from the left or the right hand side (though the left-hand feed is more common).[1]

An attempt to make the M73 useful as a flexible infantry gun saw the weapon fitted with sights and a pistol grip trigger as the Machine Gun, 7.62-MM, M73C. Equally unpopular, very few of these weapons were produced. Sources claim that it saw limited use in Vietnam.[2]

The M73 suffered from numerous malfunctions and was prone to jamming. An improved M73E1 was eventually developed in 1970 with a simplified ejection system, being type classified as the Machine Gun, 7.62-MM, M73A1. In 1972, it was decided that this weapon was sufficiently different from its predecessor and was redesignated Machine Gun, 7.62-MM, M219. These weapons were eventually replaced by the M60E2 and M240 machine gun, and vehicles still in service using the M73 series were refitted with these weapons.[1][2]

Variants
Drawing showing the differences between the M73 and M73A1/M219.

M73
  • Adopted in 1959

M73C
  • Flexible infantry variant with sights and pistol grip. Concept development. Never entered service.
  • Used a special tripod, the XM132. It was a standard M2 mount for the .30 cal. Browning M1919A4 with an adapter to fit the M73C.[1]

M73A1/M219
  • Developed in 1970 as an improved version with simplified ejection mechanism attempting to reduce chronic jamming
  • Redesignated in 1972 as the M219

See also

References
Citations
  1. Gary W. Cooke. "M73, M73A1, M219 7.62mm Tank Machine Guns". Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  2. Ezell, 1988. p. 418
Bibliography
  • Ezell, Ed. Small Arms Today, 2nd Edition. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1988. ISBN 0-8117-2280-5.
  • Gervasi, Tom. Arsenal of Democracy III: America's War Machine, the Pursuit of Global Dominance. New York, NY: Grove Press, Inc, 1984. ISBN 0-394-54102-2.

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