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Pics: Another Freaky Australian Fact - FN MAG 58s with US M60 Bipods

1feral1

1feral1

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This is a unique Australian mod on the 7.62mm GSMG (General Service Machine Gun) FN MAG 58 (Generic FN made Cdn issue C6 GPMG) where Australian Infantry Units are having their generic alloy MAG 58 bipods replaced with these. The alloy ones just can't cut it here with the abuse inflicted on the MGs, going to ground, etc.

So, anyways, today I took a few pics.

No these are NOT photoshop   ;D

I reckon you would not beleive it unless you seen it first, so here ya go. Any comments or feedback from any machinegunners would be appreciated.


Cheers,

Wes
 
What makes the M60 bipod better? Is it made of steel? Also, I have heard of Aussie MAGs being fitted with Bren bipods- is this true?
 
The M60 bipod, is by far more robust, but each leg must be opened one at a time, as there is no 'spring' action like the alloy MAG 58 bipod.

About the L4 BREN bipods on MAGs, yes its true, and have a perferated bit of steel welded to each leg. These are not as common now, and may be being replaced by the M60 types, as its been a while since I have seen them.

M<y Unit has only the M60 bipods on all our MAG 58s, plus we have some converted UK made L7's which have been converted to MAG 58.

See the below pic.

The L7 has been lined off as has the UK NSN, and MAG 58 has been engraved, but the UK maker UE, can still be seen, along with the RR01, which means 'Repaired by Rebuild 2001' at the wksp level right in Brisbane.


Cheers,

Wes

 
Thanks Wes. Another question- what is the scale of issue of MAGs in the Aus Army ie. are they at the platoon or company level or in a battalion MG platoon?. I ask this because I've seen a lot of pics of Ausie infantry but very few with MAGs.
 
Although I am posted to the School of Infantry, Dismounted Combat Division, I am not too sure. Its not a section weapon (the F89A1 Minimi is used for that), but platoon weapon. Its already Friday night here, and I am off work til Tuesday. Give me a few days to find out how many per PL.

Cheers,

Wes
 
MAg 58's are issued to DFSW units and usually used at company level in support of infantry operations. They are bipod mounted under "normal circumstances" but most of the time i've seen them in use has been with a TRIPOD and firmly weighed down with sandbags in a pit.

For infantry use the heaviest that they'll generally go is the M60 because of portability, although even that is slowly being phased out in favour of the two F89 Minimis at section level.

 
BOOMER004 said:
I see that you still have a gas regulator on the barrel. I do miss those.
Click to expand...

Well, the C-6 still has a gas-regulator (it wouldn't really work without one), ours just suck.  As a one-time Machinegunner, that was the first thing I noticed in the pics as well.
 
Interesting about the FN-MAG 58 standard bipod not cutting the mustard for the Aussies.

That's the first that I'd ever heard about problems with the bipod, and given its over 50 years of use with various nations all over the world, I was a bit suprised.

Thanks for the factoid Wes.
 
I imagine the steel bipods are a bit heavier than the alloy ones, and would be more troublesome to deploy. At the same time, I think strgnthening the bipod joints would do much to increase accuracy in the light role. If there is one part on the C-6/C-9 that could be overengineered it would be the bipod joints. They should also make it a user servicable part, and include a few spares in the cleaning kit.

Of course, our's  probably worked fine when they were still kinda new, and not just plain worn out like they are now.
 
Wesley,

Totally off topic but do you know Rob Calhoun? IIRC he works at the Infantry School in Australia as well.

MG
 
Ma Rung said:
MAg 58's are issued to DFSW units and usually used at company level in support of infantry operations. They are bipod mounted under "normal circumstances" but most of the time i've seen them in use has been with a TRIPOD and firmly weighed down with sandbags in a pit.

For infantry use the heaviest that they'll generally go is the M60 because of portability, although even that is slowly being phased out in favour of the two F89 Minimis at section level.
Click to expand...

Firstly Sir, welcome to Army.ca. You'll enjoy yourself on this site.

All M60's have long since been out of service and the entire fleet was destroyed by smelt in 2003, with a exception of a small amount kept of 'heritage' purposes. I was indirectly involved in their destruction.

Factors in the disposal of the M60 involved a lend/lease deal between the USA and Australia, and once we were done with them, we either had to return them or destroy them, and since the Seppos did not want them back, they had to be destroyed.

The same goes with the large qty of M16A1 rifles. A signifigant number were rebuilt and sent on to East Timor for their new army ( I was involved in the rebuild programme back in 2000), and once the US found out about it, they were all returned to Australia because of the lend/lease agreement. We still have all the M16A1's all pre 1970 manufacture Colts and GM Hydros). Anyways, cutting a long story short, the East Timorse ended up buying 'off the shelf' Colt M16A2's and FN Minimi LSW's.

However, there are some 'door gun' versions (M60E's I do believe) still in use by our Army Avaition Corps, but ALL GPMGs are long gone to Port Kembla, at Wollongong.

Great 'nickname' BTW   ;D

Cheers,

Wes
 
Mortar guy said:
Wesley,

Totally off topic but do you know Rob Calhoun? IIRC he works at the Infantry School in Australia as well.

MG
Click to expand...

Mate, I was just posted into the SOI in January, and he must be at the School in Singleton in New South Wales, as I am at the Small Arms Wing out of Enoggera, to the north in Queensland. It's a Wing of the SOI which promotes marksmanship training, and its main purpose its to train up our best shots for domestic and international shooting events.

I'll have a squizz on the DRN to find him.

In 2002, I met a RCR WO named Verch, as he was out as part of the CF rifle team at AASAM at Greenbank. if you run into him, he'll remember me. I hope the CF sends a team out this year, as they have not done so since 2002.

Cheers,

Wes
 
Matt_Fisher said:
Interesting about the FN-MAG 58 standard bipod not cutting the mustard for the Aussies.

That's the first that I'd ever heard about problems with the bipod, and given its over 50 years of use with various nations all over the world, I was a bit suprised.

Thanks for the factoid Wes.
Click to expand...

Hi Matt,

The M240B's bipod differs from the generic FN MAG 58 one too. The US manufactured one has no adjusting nut on the underside of it. The nut is used for increasing or decreasing the 'spread' of the bipod legs.

It was deleted in the manufacure process, and the only reason to have it is to give the gun a lower profle and more stability.

Have a squizz at the M240B bipod below, and I also added a M240B pic, along with one of my CFN with a Papua New Guinea Defence Force FN MAG 58. The adjusting screw can be seen  a bit, but its obscured in the pic. The US M240B bipod pictured was damaged and from a 25th ID wpn. It was replaced with a generic FN one, which the US troops really loved. A few months later the 25th was off to Iraq.
 
Wesley H. Allen said:
Firstly Sir, welcome to Army.ca. You'll enjoy yourself on this site.

All M60's have long since been out of service and the entire fleet was destroyed by smelt in 2003, with a exception of a small amount kept of 'heritage' purposes. I was indirectly involved in their destruction.

Factors in the disposal of the M60 involved a lend/lease deal between the USA and Australia, and once we were done with them, we either had to return them or destroy them, and since the Seppos did not want them back, they had to be destroyed.

The same goes with the large qty of M16A1 rifles. A signifigant number were rebuilt and sent on to East Timor for their new army ( I was involved in the rebuild programme back in 2000), and once the US found out about it, they were all returned to Australia because of the lend/lease agreement. We still have all the M16A1's all pre 1970 manufacture Colts and GM Hydros). Anyways, cutting a long story short, the East Timorse ended up buying 'off the shelf' Colt M16A2's and FN Minimi LSW's.
Click to expand...

Hi Wes.

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for clarifying re M60's. I always thought they'd gone into long term storage.

i've been ";urking" on this site for a few months now and i've thoroughly enjoyed some of the discussions. I look forward to participating and contributing more in the future :)
 
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