7.62mm Lightweight Machine Gun Unveiled by Knight's Armament Company [AUSA 2017]
On the heels of the re-naming of their Stoner LMG as the Lightweight Assault Machine Gun (LAMG), Knight’s Armament company has introduced a scaled-up version of the same weapon in the 7.62x51mm caliber, with provision for other calibers should they be requested. The new machine gun is patterned after the Stoner LMG/LAMG, and features the same short top cover and fixed receiver rail of its smaller cousin. The other components, such as the barrel, feed tray, etc, are all scaled up to fit the larger caliber, resulting in a heavier unloaded weight of approximately 12.5lbs – still far, far lighter than an M240 or other traditional Western 7.62mm belt fed machine guns. According to KAC representatives, the new weapon does not yet have an official name, but “Medium Assault Machine Gun sounds as good as anything.”
The “weapon” being shown off at the show was actually a 3D printed sintered aluminum weight simulating mockup, but according to Trey Knight firing examples do exist, though they are currently “at a very early stage of development.” That Knight’s would develop a lightweight 7.62mm machine gun is not entirely surprising. Current preference appears to be shifting away from 5.56mm belt feds in favor of either magazine-fed automatic rifles or 7.62mm belt fed machine guns.
Also present was a similar weight simulator for the LAMG :
Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. He can be reached via email at nathaniel.f@staff.thefirearmblog.com.
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Is it lighter than MK48?
M240 probably is better at arge range with tripod, but why everybody is speaking about new ighter 7.62 MGs and not speak about MK48?
Couple that light weight platform with the .338 Norma Magnum and you have yourself a winner