Today’s Photo Of The Day brings out the lead-spitting Rheinmetall MG3 machine gun.

It’s a general-purpose Machine Gun made in Germany and it uses the 7,62×51 mm NATO cartridge.

Some of the design comes from the WWII MG42, which used the 7,92×57 mm Mauser cartridge.

The MG3 is an old-timer and came into service late in the 1950s

Below: During the winter exercise Joint Viking 2017. Photo: Hans Kristian Bergan / Forsvaret

Tip of the Day: Don’t use a black hat in the snow.

Below: The Oslo Home Guard. (capital of Norway). The MG3 are belt-fed with non-disintegrating metal DM1 belts.  Photo: Alexander Sylte / Forsvaret

The MG3 has full-automatic trigger only, but it seems (see text below) that there is a single fire trigger group in development.

Below: Exercise Bjørgvin, Norway in 2009.  1 600 soldiers were called for the exercise. QRF Bjørn West solved several different tasks during the exercise. Photo: Jesper Vigander Edwin.

MG3KWS – from Rheinmetall (Source)

Rheinmetall has developed a combat performance upgrade kit for its tried-and-tested MG3 machinegun. MIL-STD-1913 rails mounted on top of and alongside the receiver as well as on top of the feed cover allow all standard optics and optronics to be used with the weapon.

A length- and height-adjustable shoulder stock with integrated buffer and adjustable ground spade, a combined carrying and assault grip, a height-adjustable bipod and a new carrying sling significantly enhance its ergonomics in dismounted operations. Moreover, the receiver can be fitted with a camouflage-coloured coating.

Still in development is an interchangeable pistol grip with selective trigger (single-shot and sustained fire); a new internal safety mechanism that can be put on safe while the gun is uncocked (not only while the bolt is cocked as before); a device for reducing the rate of fire from 1,200 to 800 rounds per minute and a built-in round counter to be integrated into the pistol grip, which will record mechanical stress.

The upgrade kit can be retrofitted during the course of routine maintenance.

MG3KWS – from Rheinmetall

Technical sources, Rheinmetall and Wikipedia.

Top picture: QRF Derby during an exercise. Notice the ejecting shell.  Photo by Alexander Sylte.