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For a cross-game overview of assault rifles, see assault rifle. For a cross-game overview of submachine guns, see submachine gun. For a cross-game overview of miniguns, see minigun. |
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This is an overview article, listing content appearing in multiple Fallout media. For information specific to a given game or TV series, consult the table on the right. |
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A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to provide sustained automatic fire, appearing in several Fallout titles.
Models[]
Automatic rifle[]
The automatic rifle is a selective fire, air-cooled automatic rifle chambered for the powerful .308 caliber round, loaded using detachable 20-round box magazines. This striker fired automatic rifle was one of the oldest and earliest light machine gun models, with a barrel screwed into the receiver, greatly limiting the ability to quickly replace barrels in the field, forcing the operator to fire carefully and more precisely than with stationary machine guns.[1]
It is used by Casino Security at the Sierra Madre Casino & Resort. Automatic rifles used at the Sierra Madre were equipped with a fixed wooden buttstock and closed-type adjustable iron sights, consisting of a forward post and a rear leaf sight with 100 to 1,500 yard range graduations.[1]
Bozar[]
Described as the "ultimate refinement of the sniper's art," the Bozar is a light machine gun designed from the ground up for use on the move, rather than from a stationary position. The large collapsible stock, front handguard, muzzle brake and the bulk of this large weapon ensure it remains under the operator's control even when fired in fully automatic mode and despite the long recoil operation. The scope ensures accurate fire at medium distances, while the detachable 30-round 5.56mm box magazine allows for quickly reloading by an infantryman on the move.[2]
One downside is that the Bozar requires extra maintenance and can be prone to jamming if not kept scrupulously clean. If one gives it the care and attention it needs, it will be a powerful, accurate tool no matter when and how it is used.[3]
Browning automatic rifle[]
The M1918 Browning automatic rifle[Non-canon 1], more commonly known as the BAR, was developed by John Browning in 1917 for the American Expeditionary Forces. Mass production of the BAR came to a halt when superior rifles with less recoil were produced. The BAR was mass produced from 1917 to 1950, with a supposed 100,000 made during this period of time.During its service, the Browning automatic rifle was used as a support weapon for pinning enemy soldiers with the high powered .30.06 rifle caliber it chambers.[Non-game 1]
Its use has carried onwards post-War. It was used by New California Republic remnants during the Battle of Griffith Observatory.[4]
Light machine gun (Fallout: New Vegas)[]
The light machine gun is a bulky weapon designed around a gas-actuated long-stroke piston system, providing reliable round extraction after each shot. The weapon fires from an open bolt, reducing the danger of rounds cooking off and firing uncontrollably after firing prolonged bursts.[5]
For portability and ease of use, it was manufactured entirely from metal, with wood used as the grip and handguard. A barrel shroud additionally protects the operator from accidentally burning themselves on a hot barrel during barrel changes. The barrel itself can be released and quickly swapped out using the prominent latch, though since the front sight post is permanently fixed to the barrel, replacing it also means that the weapon loses accuracy due to losing its zero. While taken together it can be clunky, especially for a weaker operator[6], it provides excellent firepower in the field and more than makes up for its deficiencies.[citation needed]
Light machine gun (Fallout 76)[]
An alternative design for the squad light machine gun, the MG42 was designed during the later half of World War II in Nazi Germany.[Non-game 2] Designed from the start to be low cost and easy to build, the MG42 is an air-cooled, belt fed, open bolt, recoil-operated machine gun with a barrel capable of quick changes in the middle of combat.[7] After World War II, copies of the MG42 produced in the United States would be a semi-common sight in Appalachia.[8]
Light support weapon[]
The light support weapon is a selective fire gas-operated design with a short-stroke gas piston system located above the barrel, designed in a bullpup arrangement with a bipod, shoulder strap and rear pistol grip.[9] The extended barrel provides an increased muzzle velocity and further stabilizes the bullet, giving a greater effective range.[10] The layout has caused problems for operators trying to fire it while prone and was thus remanded to National Guard units across the nation.[11] The LSW has earned itself a reputation as a reliable automatic weapon that provides excellent firepower in a very compact package.[11]
M2 Browning[]
- TV series article: Heavy machine gun
The M2 Browning is a machine gun chambered in the powerful .50 round. Highly effective against infantry and other soft targets, materiel, lightly armored vehicles, boats, fortifications, and aircraft. Though heavy and cumbersome when used away from a mount, the advent of power armor and the creation of handheld frames for personnel use allowed this venerable weapon to be used by soldiers on foot.[12]
M60[]
The M60 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position.[13] Chambered for 7.62mm rounds, its design was created using many concepts introduced during World War II, including manufacture from stamped metal sheets, a pistol grip, stock, and a semi-bullpup design, where most of the weapon's action occupies the stock.[13] It is easily distinguished by its distinctive barrel shroud and barrel with integrated front post (a source of issues for gun crews, as replacing the barrel removes the calibration).[13] It saw extensive use by the United States and allies in the latter half of the 20th century as a result.[14][15]
Bren gun[]
 | The following is based on information from Fallout Tactics. |
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The Bren is a Czech .303 caliber machine gun that was employed by the British and her commonwealths on the eve of World War II. It carried into the wasteland where it is a proficient choice of firepower, but not an exceptional one.[16]
Chauchat[]
The standard machine gun for the French during World War I, the Chauchat has seen better days than in the wasteland, due to its poor build quality. They are exceedingly rare, and those that are found post-War don't even work.[Non-game 3] (Cannot be fired or utilized in any way by the player in-game.)
M249 SAW[]
The M249 squad automatic weapon, chambered in 7.62mm, was adopted as a squad level machine gun, vastly increasing the firepower available to individual squads.[citation needed]
| End of information based on information from Fallout Tactics |
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Heavy machine gun[]
 | The following is based on information from Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel. |
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This heavy machine gun is chambered in .44 Magnum ammunition and fires it at a very rapid rate, however the weapon's accuracy is poor.
Behind the scenes[]
- The assault rifle seen in Fallout 4 was referred to as "machine gun" in the Fallout 4 art book.[Non-game 4]
- A GP machine gun based on the M60 was cut from Fallout: New Vegas.[Non-game 5]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Automatic rifle appearance.
- ↑ Bozar appearance and function.
- ↑ Fallout 2 item description: "{35000}{}{Bozar}"
"{35001}{}{The ultimate refinement of the sniper's art. Although somewhat finicky and prone to jamming if not kept scrupulously clean, the big weapon's accuracy more than makes up for its extra maintenance requirements. Min ST: 6.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2)) - ↑ Fallout TV series episode: "The Beginning".
- ↑ LMG appearance and mechanics are modeled after an FN Minimi, according to Joshua Sawyer.
- ↑ Requires a STR requirement of 8 to use effectively in-game.
- ↑ Model details
- ↑ Light machine guns in Fallout 76
- ↑ Weapon appearance
- ↑ Weapon performance
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Fallout 2 item description: "{35500}{}{Light Support Weapon}"
"{35501}{}{This squad-level support weapon has a bullpup design. The bullpup design makes it difficult to use while lying down. Because of this it was remanded to National Guard units. It, however, earned a reputation as a reliable weapon that packs a lot of punch for its size. Min ST: 6.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2)) - ↑ Weapon performance and design in Fallout 76.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Visual appearance of the weapon.
- ↑ Fallout 2 item description: "{38700}{}{M60}"
"{38701}{}{This relatively light machine gun was prized by militaries around for world for its high rate of fire. This reliable, battlefield-proven design, was used on vehicles and for squad level fire-support. Min ST: 7.}"
(PRO ITEM.MSG (Fallout 2)) - ↑ Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel item description: "name_m60Heavy = {M60}"
"desc_m60Heavy = {The 7.62mm M-60 saw widespread use with U.S. and allied forces during the latter half of the 20th Century as a light machine gun. It could also be mounted on vehicles.}"
(Items.txt) - ↑ Presence of Bren guns in Tactics.
Non-game
- ↑ M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle on Wikipedia
- ↑ Real-world history of the MG42, which parallels the LMG in 76, as evidenced by its schematics name in-game.
- ↑ Chauchat on Wikipedia
- ↑ The Art of Fallout 4 p.21: MACHINE GUN
The first gun made for the game. We mainly wanted something beefy that would look right in the power armor's hands. It was also a chance to explore the modification and customization. We designed it to allow interchangeable barrels and magazines. At this early stage of the project, we didn't plan on giving the player too many options, but we'd go on to develop a deeper and more flexible system. This particular gun would later become the assault rifle." - ↑ Joshua Sawyer on Tumblr: "Big Guns was never going to be part of F:NV, but the GP Machine Gun was going to be a .308 MG that I later decided was unnecessary in the base game. I think my initial idea was to base it on the M60. In the end, the LMG is an aesthetic blend of the M60 and M249 SAW.
We added the .308-chambered Automatic Rifle (BAR) in Dead Money, and I think the limited mag size, high damage, and relatively low RoF set it apart from the LMG."
Non-canon
- ↑ Named in-universe only in Fallout Tactics. The Fallout TV series uses props of the real-world BAR, but they are not named directly in the show.