One of the few weapons that has been so deeply marked in military history is the M60 machine gun. The M60, nicknamed “the pig” by the soldiers who carried it, epitomized American deadliness, ruggedness, and resourcefulness, and was thus its emblem, serving almost everywhere in the world, for many years after its debut in the late 1950s.
The M60 is a weapon that has its roots in the post-World War II period, when the U.S. Army was looking for a lighter and more versatile weapon to replace the massive Browning M1919. The designers opted for the efficient belt-fed system of the MG42, which was a heavily used German wartime machine gun, and they combined it with the gas-operated, rotating bolt system of the FG42 to improve the overall performance. The result was a general-purpose machine gun that only weighed 23 pounds, had a quick-change barrel that was adaptable for infantry, armored vehicles, and even aircraft use.
The M60 was loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO and was extremely powerful. It could hit the targets at a maximum distance of 1200 meters with the use of optics or 800 meters with the open sights. In addition, the gas-operated, belt-fed system allowed for continuous firing ranging from 500 to 650 rounds per minute, making it a nightmare for the enemy on the battlefield.
The creators intended the gun to be as versatile as possible. It was equipped with a built-in bipod but could also be mounted on tripods or even on vehicles. With a weight of close to 10.5 kilograms empty, it was lighter than the Browning M1919, but still, it was quite heavy for the soldiers to carry over long distances.
The M60 was able, in a short time, to demonstrate not only its value but also its character traits during the war situation. In Vietnam, it ended up being of standard issue to the infantry, helicopter crews, and vehicle teams. While its firepower was at times daunting, it was also very efficient, thus it was a recourse against the first enemy fire most times.
The machine gunner Victor Renza from the 4th Infantry Division, in his recollection, said: “The M60 was a terror weapon—so feared that enemy soldiers often aimed for the gunners first, who were frequently in exposed positions.” The soldiers had to know the weapon by heart; they were even capable of disassembling and assembling it while blindfolded and at the same time carrying hundreds of rounds into the field.
Nevertheless, the M60 also had its drawbacks. Heavy usage would result in the premature wear of some internal parts, and while a quick-change barrel was very clever, there were times in the fighting when it could still cause performance problems. The gun was heavy and a bit unwieldy, especially when the barrels and bipod were involved, and some parts of the gas system would become loose after prolonged firing. Thus, the soldiers had to do some makeshift repairs to keep the gun going.
Moreover, the weapon had to endure difficult scenarios to prove its reliability. There were some reports from units in which it was stated that even with very careful maintenance, only half of the M60s were good to go for harsh conditions. The adaptability of the weapon encouraged the production of some specialized versions. The standard infantry model was equipped with a rubber-coated steel handguard and a folding shoulder rest. M60C was made for fixed helicopter mounts, and it came with hydraulic charging and electric firing, while the M60D was for aerial pintle mounts and had the spade grips and ring sights. The differences in these models allowed the M60 to be just as a squad automatic weapon as well as a suppressive fire platform from vehicles or aircraft.
The M60 gun distinguished itself from other similar types of firearms by its multi-role capabilities, even if it was not as good as the latest models regarding simplicity and durability. Although it was heavily influenced by the MG42’s rapid-fire characteristics, it did offer a versatility that very few other guns of the time could rival. After some time, the reliability and ease of maintenance of the FN MAG, which was selected as the M240 in U.S. service, became better than those of the M60; thus, it was gradually phased out.
Before the M60 was phased out, it had already established itself as an icon beyond the battlefield. The distinct shape of the gun and its loud report were celebrated in movies, TV, and video games—and perhaps, most importantly, it was the weapon that Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo used in First Blood. The presence of the gun on the scene helped to make it the symbol of the oldest and most powerful army – the U.S. The M60E6, which is a modified version of the M60, is still used by a few select units even though the M60 has been largely replaced by modern machine guns such as the M240.
The M60 is still appreciated by military collectors and enthusiasts largely because it is an amazing piece of engineering and has great historical significance. Its legacy not only lives on in the history books but also in the memories of the soldiers who carried, maintained, and relied upon the “pig” in combat.
