Madsen M/50
Dansk Rekyl Riffel Syndikat / Dansk Industri Syndikat · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1952
Also known as: Madsen-Saetter, Madsen-Saetter SFMG Mark 4, Saetter
Overview
The Madsen M/50 (Madsen-Saetter) was a postwar Danish general-purpose machine gun developed by Dansk Industri Syndikat (DISA) as a successor to the famous original Madsen light machine gun. Gas-operated and belt-fed with a quick-change air-cooled barrel, it was a modular design that could be reconfigured between a bipod-mounted light role and a tripod-mounted sustained-fire role. Chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO and .30-06 Springfield, it arrived too late to displace established GPMGs such as the FN MAG and saw only limited production.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 11000 g (388.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1190 mm (46.85") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Full Auto Only |
| Magazine Capacity | 50 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 838 m/s (2749 fps) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 900 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
Calibers
- 7.62x51mm NATO · primary · 7.62mm NATO — also known as 7.62 NATO, .308 Winchester
- .30-06 Springfield — also known as 7.62x63mm, .30-06
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Non Disintegrating Link Belt
- Features: Quick Change Barrel, Air Cooled, Lateral Flap Locking, Belt Fed, Modular Lmg Gpmg Configuration
Variants
- Madsen-Saetter Mk II — Export 30-06
- Madsen-Saetter SFMG Mark 4 — Sustained Fire Gpmg
Service history
Operators
- Indonesian Armed Forces
- Armed Forces of El Salvador
Production
Production years: 1952-1960s
Limited production; main adopter Indonesia, where it was license-built at the Pindad factory. Lost British Army trials (1958) to the FN MAG.
Origin
Country of origin: Denmark
Designer: Erik Larsen-Saetter
Notes
Sources blur the Madsen M/50 designation with the broader Madsen-Saetter family; the 7.62 NATO / .30-06 DISA gun is the design treated here. Weight and length figures vary by configuration (LMG bipod vs SFMG tripod).
Background
Tested by the British Army in 1958, the modular Madsen-Saetter lost to the FN MAG and found its only meaningful adopter in Indonesia, where it was license-built at the Pindad factory - leaving a Danish design's main legacy in Southeast Asia.