MG 42

MG 42
MG 42 (top)
Type	General-purpose machine gun
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1942–1968
Wars	World War II, Portuguese Colonial War[1]
Production history
Designed	1942–1959
Manufacturer	Mauser Werke AG Wilhelm-Gustloff-Stiftung Steyr-Daimler-Puch, Großfuß AG, MAGET (Maschinenbau und Gerätebau GmbH, Berlin-Tegel)
Produced	1942–1945 (Nazi Germany)
Number built	400,000+
Variants	MG 45/MG 42V, MG 1, MG 2,Rheinmetall MG 3, M53, MG 74
Specifications
Weight	11.57 kg (25.51 lb)
Length	1,120 mm (44 in)
Barrel length	533 mm (21.0 in)
Cartridge	7.92×57mm Mauser
Action	Recoil-operated, roller-locked
Rate of fire	1,200 rounds/min (varied between 900–1,500 rounds/min with different bolts)
Muzzle velocity	755 m/s (2,477 ft/s)
Effective range	1000 m
Feed system	50 or 250-round belt