Aussie C 2 automatic rifle ???

[x westie]

Here's a query for Wes  , did the Aussie's have their own version of the Canadian C 2 light auto which gave us Canuck's added fire power in the infantry section, i think the Aussie's refered to the FN 7.62mm rifle as the  SLR { self loading rifle}, just curious if they made the heavy barreled version with the bipod like us Canucks had . I believe the Aussie bought large numbers of the U.S. M-60 mg when the troops were deployed to Vietnam,was this because they were short of weapons or was the section light auto not a good weapon???  hope you can help me out, Wes i really enjoy your informative posts,  Thanks

 

[Craig B]

Yep . the L2A1 , don't think the Aussie's used 30rd mags for it though .

As for why they bought the M60 , I'll defer to Wes on that one .

Craig

 

[geo]

why did the Aussies use the M60s?
Great weapon for door gunners in Tac Hel Squadrons & Air Cav units.
Great firepower at the section & platoon level would come to mind....

Let's consider that Australia and most Comonwealth countries came out of Korea with old Vickers MGs, Browning 30s and 50s and the old dependable Bren gun....
A mag fed SAW (Bren or FN) would not be very practical....
also certain that the US probably sold em to the aussies for a song

 

[Craig B]

why did the Aussies use the M60s?
also certain that the US probably sold em to the aussies for a song

Quite possibly free 

However , there were better options out there circa 1965(?) .

The FN MAG-58 or the German MG-3 ( MG-3 would have been very unlikley , too many senior NCO's/ senior officers who'd been on the receiving end of the MG-42 in WWII ) are just 2 that are still in service .

Then again it did take us 30 years to dump the C5 GPMG .

Craig

 

[geo]

Yeah but the C5 was pretty much intended as am APC mounted MG. In the dismount, the C5 was a Pl Support weapon... our doctrine didn't include sending a wall of lead at the ennemy....