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M60/PIG ???
11echo
Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
Ok here is a question for you 11 "BUSH" types ...WHY did they call the M60 machine gun a "PIG"? I've heard the term used a number of times, but never knew why. Anybody got an answer? THX! ...Mark
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Combat Vet VN
D.A.V Life Member
Take care, Chris
Chris
I bet some of you know the M-60's ancestory. It was developed from the German MG-42, the Mg-42 was developed from the MG-39 (or was it MG-38 or MG-36, I forget?), and the MG3? was developed from a good pre WWII Polish Army LMG.
I liked it because it was accurate, but I didn't like its weight. I wa very young anyway and not a stronman so it was a bit heavy to hold from a standing off-hand position, but otherwise not too bad. I wouldn't have been allowed to carry it in the real deal though perhaps because of my difficulty in holding it up in the standing off-
hand position. Remember in Inf. training firing out to 1,100 meters with it?? I do, and it was fairly accurate too, at that long range from the prone position.
Does anyone know anything about that Polish Army LMG?? I have looked for it, but that was awhile back and dunna know about it now.
Thanx, Chris
We had 12-13 ton Tracks, 113's, APC's, and they were heavy, even when they carried us and not visa versa.
.50cals. and 81mm mortars are also heavy to carry over hill and dale, through forested and mountainous terrain and muddy fields. Glad we did it only a few times.
Gravity/weight sucks.
Chris
hump one in the bush. Loved the weapon, never heard it referred to
as a pig. It did eat up the ammo though. 71-72
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=m-60
Everyone I saw shooting it had no problems, and what soldier in combat doesn't take extra care that his weapon stays clean? My $0.02 anyway.
That quote above is from that link/article, and you were taught to fire in short bursts, as any automatic can jam by continuously firing long bursts. In training you were made to fire one long 100-round belt in one long burst if I remember correctly, and that was to show you that the M60 was reliable and could if necessary fire a looonngggg burst. Otherwise you were supposed to try and fire 3 to 9 round bursts, something like that.
You're right, most people I knew said it was dependable.
Chris
Don't remember of the door-gunner trick either, and I knew a few door-gunners. Sometimes when someone says or explains something it may ring a bell or two, and sometimes that occurs hours, days, or weeks later. All of a sudden something, some memory of a person or incident pops into the present with some catalyst to help, but many things are foggy still, some aren't, both concerning the military and before and after the military. Things happen all the time any time everywhere. People memories seem easiest to recall.
Hmmm, sometimes I forget what year it is, or decade, or century. [;)]
Chris
Chris
Bill
That was a long time ago.
Chris
Whe the M-60 was being developed the Amry, DoD, whomever, was seriously considering a lighter by about 5-ounds French LMG or GPMG that had an 800.meter Max. Effective Range (MER)compared to the M-60's 1,100 MER. This French LMG was good, and may have been the better choice.
Today, a French designed LMG is used by our troops. Is that the SAW, or a different weapon??? I hear the pistol used today is not so good.
Everyone have a good weekend, Chris
PS: I didn't login. I thought this site had an automatic login, but nope. My error. Phhrrtttt!!! to the inet. [8]
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Chris
I heard the term 'the pig' used in AIT at Ft. Polk by cadre and from a couple of Nam vets in Germany. One, Pilgrim, Sgt. Pilgrim from Ole Miss. with one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen crowned by an orange-red carrot top mass of hair, used the term 'the pig', and that is what we also called him at his suggestion/behest. Pilgrim was in the 1st ID around 1969 or so, but I forget what Brigade and Battalion.
Oink, oink, Chris
In Germany, REFORGER '83, we went 56 miles in a 28 hr. timespan. I carried the gun most of the time. I hurt like hell for a couple days. But, we never regretted carrying it along. Because on the last missions we got in place for we lit up some aviation and support units with them so good it was unreal. Their grader who was sleeping with them came out screaming (little looey) that we were all dead....we corrected him. We showed him about 600 rds of imaginary bullets (blanks)laying on the ground that clearly ended a defense of a unit where no one was on guard. We walked away laughing.
I always remember that gun as a great gun. Although, I hear from the guys over in the sandboxes who worked with both that the 240 is better.
What was bad about the M-60 was its weight, and many people say this and many DoD and Dept. of the Army reports list the weight as one factor that many people didn't like. There were other MG's available and the one that the Army and DoD almost adapted was a French MAAG that weighed 5-pounds less than the M-60, that is it weighed about 18-pounds or so in comparison to the M-60's 23-pounds.
The M-60 was not the best designed of weapons and 6-pieces could be put back together the wrong way and the weapon would still assemble but not be fireable, however it was a rugged, accurate, and reliable weapon with considerable range. In Vietnam the longer range of the M-60 didn't matter too much, so hindsight and US DoD etc. reports that are based on actual usage of the weapon and interviews with personnel that used it, suggets that the French MAAG that was considered by the DoD for adaption for Vietnam may have been the better choice even though the MAAG had an 800-meter max. effective range compared to the M-60's 1,100 meters. The 5-pounds less weight of the French MAAG in comparison to the M-60 would have been appreciated by most troops, if they had any common sense, the less weight the better and that is applicable to all weapons going back to broadswords, shields, clubs and etc. Carrying more weight means that you expend more energy and it's good to have some energy in reserve.
Most people that I have known that humped the M-60 in Nam and elsewhere say it was a bit heavy and could be a real bear to carry for an extended period in rough conditions, but that it was reliable and accurate, and that is what I remember about 'the pig'.
In some conditons just about everything can get heavy to one degree and for one reason or another. Even 1-foot long pieces, of nice, cheesey, pepperoni laden pizza slices from a 2-foot diameter pizza. [:D][;)]
Take care abd ciao or chow, Chris
I should know you, where you in the 2/1 arm Cav?? 68-69??
W.D.
Despite all the revisionist crap that the M60 was unreliable or disliked by the troops, neither was true. I NEVER knew the pig to let us down. It was a heavy hitter and very reliable. We always took comfort from having it with us.
Anyway, On the M-60, I heard from those that had experience w/it and read various magazine atricles that mentioned it that the name "PIG" was given to the M-60 because while in use out on patrols and ambushes it got almost all the attention from the 'enemy' when it barked off, thus 'hogging' (or being a pig).
Hey, A funny post of mine dissappeared. I was laughing about the 'pucker factor'.
Whe the M-60 was being developed the Amry, DoD, whomever, was seriously considering a lighter by about 5-ounds French LMG or GPMG that had an 800.meter Max. Effective Range (MER)compared to the M-60's 1,100 MER. This French LMG was good, and may have been the better choice.
Today, a French designed LMG is used by our troops. Is that the SAW, or a different weapon??? I hear the pistol used today is not so good.
Everyone have a good weekend, Chris
PS: I didn't login. I thought this site had an automatic login, but nope. My error. Phhrrtttt!!! to the inet. [8]
we use the 240B Beleive its made by FHN in belgium, might be made in the states. its about the same size at the M-60 its a 7.62x51rd basically a 308. Way better than the 60 reliable and shoots 800rds a min or so. There also is the SAW made by FHN its smaller weighs 13lbs and shoots 5.56