# O/t Question...guns?



## Roger (May 17, 2003)

Topic arose in conversation today......

can anyone explain...what is the difference between a machine gun and a sub machine gun?

Cheers

Roger


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## Andy (Feb 23, 2003)

Nothing.

They were both designed for the sole purpose of killing human beings.


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## Regal325 (Aug 5, 2005)

Probably wrong, but I thought that a sub machine gun could also fire single shots, whereas a machine gun could not.

As I say, probably incorrect.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

I believe that all sub-machine guns are machine guns but the reverse is not true. Whe the SMG was first produced it used pistol sized ammunition .. I understand that this is the difference.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

> I believe that all sub-machine guns are machine guns but the reverse is not true. Whe the SMG was first produced it used pistol sized ammunition .. I understand that this is the difference.


Ah... so the sten would be an SMG and an AK47 would be a machine gun? (or would that be an assault rifle?

Confused...


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

the AK 47 is a rifle not a machine gun.

But basically a sub machine gun is a small machine gun and only needs 1 person to use it.

A machine gun is heavier and usually req 2 people (one to pull the trigger and one to feed the rounds), believe me when you've done a 6 day exercise as the buddy on a GPMG then you know the difference, 1000 rounds of 7.62 all belted up weigh a hell of a lot!


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

I'm not 100% on this although I probably should be having been in the Army for a few years and have run around enough godforsaken places with one...

AFAIK, "Machine-gun" tends to refer to a heavy calibre non-handheld weapon, i.e. something like an M60 or GMPG that is either tri or bi-pod mounted. These weapons can be fired in either single shot or automatic modes, with some having a multiple shot "burst" capability.

Submachine-gun more often refers to a handheld version of the above. It is obiously smaller, ("sub"), but does pretty much the same thing often having a higher rate of fire, wayward accuracy and a limited range.

They are nasty bits of kit and on both, the end with the hole in is the one to keep pointing away from oneself.

Rich.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

r1ch said:


> wayward accuracy










reminds me of a sgt friend of mine (for some reason sgts and above all got smg's in the RAF) on the range









Talk about couldn't hit a barn door!


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## USEDMODEL (Mar 26, 2005)

pg tips said:


> the AK 47 is a rifle not a machine gun.
> 
> But basically a sub machine gun is a small machine gun and only needs 1 person to use it.
> 
> A machine gun is heavier and usually req 2 people (one to pull the trigger and one to feed the rounds), believe me when you've done a 6 day exercise as the buddy on a GPMG then you know the difference, 1000 rounds of 7.62 all belted up weigh a hell of a lot!


The difference between an SMG (sub machine gun) and a machine gun is that a sub

machine gun is smaller and fires pistol ammunition, like 9mm bullets, usually at a much lower velocity.

Sub machine guns first designed for close quarter house clearance and close quarter defence were the

range was short and the fire rate was high (or if you were a gangster in New York, killing lots

of people quickly)


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## Andy (Feb 23, 2003)

When I was in the Army as a Musician, I was trained to use an SMG.

We were only allowed to fire them in single shot mode but there was a little switch on the side that allowed you to fire it in full auto mode like a machine gun and that little switch was too much of a temptation for many to resist, including myself.

Of course if you got caught doing it it was off to the dungeon but the most common excuse you'd hear on the ranges were "it went onto auto sir"

which was a fair one because they often did, regardless of that switch.


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## Roger (May 17, 2003)

Thanks for all the info Guys...I,m grateful

Roger


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

The submachine-gun is a compact automatic weapon firing pistol ammunition, designed for short-range assault and close-quarter fighting.

The Bren gun was as accurate as some rifles and is a .303-caliber, gas-operated, air-cooled, clip-fed submachine gun. Soldiers respected it highly


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

There is an ethos that abounds the smaller calibre rounds disable an enemy and consume more of the enemy's resources.

A wounded soldier will consume more resources than a dead one.

I always favoured side arms that fired small calibre rounds, such as the Walther and the Baretta, often it is better to have a live opponent (disabled) rather than dead.

I never really cared for firearms.


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## r1ch (Feb 2, 2004)

Stan said:


> There is an ethos that abounds the smaller calibre rounds disable an enemy and consume more of the enemy's resources
> 
> Absolutely tactically correct Stan. The other added benefit for an infantry soldier is that smaller calibre rounds enable more of it to be carried for the same amount of weight. That said, high muzzle velocity, small calibre weapons have a tendency not to "stop" the recipient and where that is required often more ammunition is needed to be expended*. The 7.62mm versus 5.56mm dilemma was the subject of much debate in the military prior to the introduction of the IW and LSW that they currently use. The other factor regarding type of ammunition is its battlefield availability â€" where an enemy has been over run, its good news if you can pick up their unspent ammunition and use it.
> 
> *The term "blown away" was coined in Vietnam by US troops who found that they needed to use sustained bursts of 5.56mm fire from their M16's to stop enemy combatants. This often resulted in the dismemberment of the opponent.


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