MG 42
Mauser Werke AG · Machine Gun · Discontinued · 1942
Also known as: Maschinengewehr 42, Hitler's Buzzsaw, Bonesaw, Spandau
Overview
The MG 42 (Maschinengewehr 42) is a German 7.92x57mm Mauser general-purpose machine gun developed during the Second World War. Designed around stamped-steel construction for rapid mass production, it used a short-recoil, roller-locked action and fired from an open bolt at an extreme cyclic rate of around 1,200 rounds per minute, producing the distinctive tearing sound that earned it the nickname 'Hitler's Buzzsaw'. Belt-fed and air-cooled with a quick-change barrel and dual bipod/tripod mounting, it served in both light and sustained-fire roles and is widely regarded as one of the most influential machine guns ever built.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 11600 g (409.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1220 mm (48.03") |
| Barrel Length | 533 mm (20.98") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 50 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 754 m/s (2474 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3696 J (2726 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 1200 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 7.92 Mauser, 8x57 IS, 7.9x57mm
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Disintegrating Link Belt, Drum Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Quick Change Barrel, Roller Locked Mechanism, Stamped Steel Construction, Muzzle Booster, Bipod Mount, Tripod Capable, Air Cooled, Dual Role Mount
Service history
Operators
- Wehrmacht · adopted 1942
- Waffen-SS · adopted 1942
- Bundeswehr · adopted 1959 · as MG3
Conflicts
- World War II (1942-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 423,600 · Production years: 1942-1945
Built by Mauser Werke, Wilhelm-Gustloff-Stiftung, Steyr-Daimler-Puch and others; peak output of roughly 211,000 units in 1944. Some sources cite higher totals.
Origin
Country of origin: Germany
Designer: Werner Gruner
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
Roughly 423,600 were produced between 1942 and 1945. The design directly influenced postwar machine guns including the German MG3 (a 7.62x51mm NATO derivative) and informed the American M60.
Background
The MG 42's cyclic rate was so high that individual shots could not be distinguished, producing a ripping buzz that Allied soldiers nicknamed 'Hitler's Buzzsaw'. Its quick-change barrel let crews swap an overheated barrel in seconds, and the stamped-steel, roller-locked design proved so sound that it lived on as the Bundeswehr's MG3 for decades.