MG 3 machine gun

MG 3
A MG 3
Type	General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin	West Germany
Service history
In service	1959–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Nigerian Civil War Bangladesh Liberation War[1] Iran–Iraq War Lebanese Civil War The Troubles Kurdish–Turkish conflict Second Sudanese Civil War[2] Somali Civil War Kargil War War in Afghanistan War in North-West Pakistan Syrian Civil War Boko Haram insurgency[3] Libyan Civil War War in Iraq (2013–2017)[4] Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)[5] Russo-Ukrainian War[6] Myanmar Civil War
Production history
Designed	1959
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall License-built by: Beretta, MKEK, Ellinika Amyntika Systimata, Defense Industries Organization, Military Industry Corporation, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas
Produced	1959–present
No. built	1 million+
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	11.5 kg (25.35 lb)[7] 27.5 kg (61 lb) (mounted on tripod)
Length	1,225 mm (48.2 in) 1,097 mm (43.2 in) (without stock)
Barrel length	565 mm (22.2 in)
Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO
Action	Recoil-operated, roller locked
Rate of fire	800–950 rounds/min or 1,000–1,200 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	820 m/s (2,690 ft/s)
Effective firing range	200–1,200 m sight adjustments
Maximum firing range	600 m (1,969 ft) (bipod) 1,200–1,600 m (3,937–5,249 ft) (tripod mounted) 3,000 m (9,843 ft) (gun carriage) 3,750 m (12,303 ft) (terminal)
Feed system	50-round non-disintegrating DM1 belt (can be combined in a drum); 100-round disintegrating DM6/M13 belt
Sights	Open tangent iron sights or optical sights

The MG 3 is a German general-purpose machine gun chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The weapon's design is derived from the World War II era MG 42 that fired the 7.92×57mm Mauser round.^[8]

The MG 3 was standardized in the late 1950s and adopted into service with the newly formed Bundeswehr, where it continues to serve to this day as a squad support weapon and a vehicle-mounted machine gun. The weapon and its derivatives have also been acquired by the armed forces of over 40 countries. Production rights to the machine gun were purchased by Italy (MG 42/59 ^[it]), Spain, Pakistan (MG 1A3), Greece, Iran, Sudan and Turkey.^[9]