Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F) MG51

General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) [ 1951 ]

The Swiss Army MG51 General Purpose Machine Gun emerged during the post-war years as a simplified, heavier form of the wartime German MG42 series machine gun.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/27/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image released to the Public Domain by Wikipedia user TheBernFiles on 10-27-2006

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The Maschinengewehr 51 (MG51) General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) was developed in Switzerland in the years immediately following the end of World War 2 (1939-1945). The design was highly influenced by the excellent German Army MG42 appearing during the conflict and, therefore, exhibited the same general shape, operation and layout. The MG51 was officially adopted in 1951, hence its formal designation, with production handled by the state-owned Waffenfabrik Bern (usually abbreviated as "W+F"). Beyond its acceptance by Swiss Army forces, the MG 51 was also adopted by Denmark.

The MG51 was born from a World War 2 initiative intending to replace the aged Furrer LMG25 and Waffenfabrik Bern MG11 series of light and heavy machine guns, respectively. The LMG25 was adopted in 1925 and was a "rifle-like" automatic weapon fired from the shoulder while supported under the barrel by a bipod assembly. It was chambered for the 7.5x55mm GP11 cartridge operating under a recoil action and fed from a 30-round detachable box magazine. The MG11, an even older firearm adopted in 1911, was based on the successful water-cooled Maxim machine gun of 1889. This weapon was chambered for the same Swiss cartridge and operated from a short-recoil action while being fed through a canvas-and-metal belt arrangement. Both weapons had seen their best days by the time of World War 2 and an official change to a modernized type was in order.

Despite an open competition approach that included both the SIG and Hispano-Suiza concerns, the state-owned Waffenfabrik Bern's interpretation of the German wartime MG42 eventually won out. Working prototypes were unveiled in 1944 and subsequently set through the requisite evaluation and testing paces. With some modifications to suit the Swiss Army requirement, a finalized form of the weapon emerged in 1950 and formally adopted the following year.

Despite its MG42 origins, the MG51 deviated from its predecessor in that it was constructed of high-end milled steel rather than stamped sheets. Locking flaps were then assigned to the internal bolt assembly as opposed to the rollers as seen in the wartime German model. All of these changes made for a heavier end-product but one that proved just as reliable and robust as the original German offering. The weapon fired from the short recoil principle to a rate of 1,000 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 2,500 feet per second. Ranging was accomplished through available, optional gun optics backed up by traditional iron sights. The MG51 was commonly issued with a heavy-duty tripod assembly that could collapse for ease-of-travel. The pad came complete with carrying straps for "over the back" placement as well as pads to sooth pressure against the carrier's shoulders. Early MG51 production forms were given wooden shoulder stocks and pistol grips though these, with the changing of the times, eventually gave way to plastic types.

The MG51 was initially chambered for the standard-issue 7.5x55mm Swiss (M1911) cartridge originating in 1889 and still undergoing quantitative production today (2013). Feeding of the weapon was through 50-round belts from an awaiting ammunition pack seated beside the weapon (the belt entering through the left side of the receiver). Expanded Swiss military commitments and NATO involvement eventually introduced the 7.62x51mm chambering into the mix. Those MG51 systems procured by Denmark were modified to fire the localized American 30-06 Springfield cartridge.

As the MG51 took the place of both a light and heavy weapon system, the new design was adopted as a fire support and sustained fire solution. For the former, a bipod assembly could be fitted and, in the latter, the aforementioned heavy tripod was utilized. The weapon was further evolved into a vehicle-mounted version under various "Pz Mg" marks to promote improved logistics within the Swiss Army inventory as well as manage a limited defense budget. The MG51 currently sees active service in the Swiss Amy ranks.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Eidgenossische Waffenfabrik Bern - Switzerland
Manufacturer(s)

Denmark; Switzerland
Operators

1951
Service Year

Switzerland
National Origin

FIRE SUPPORT
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.

1,270 mm
(50.00 inches)
Overall Length

564 mm
(22.20 inches)
Barrel Length

35.27 lb
(16.00 kg)
Empty Weight

Gas-Assisted; Short Recoil Operation; Automatic Fire Only
Action

7.5x55mm Swiss; 7.62x51mm NATO
Caliber(s)
May not represent an exhuastive list; Calibers may be model-specific dependent; Always consult official manufacturer sources.

50- or 250-round metal link belt
Rounds

Iron; Optional 2.3x Optical Sight
Sights

Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information.

4,921 feet
(1,500 meters | 1,640 yards)
Max Effective Range

1,000
Rounds-per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

2,460 ft/sec
(750 m/sec)
Muzzle Velocity

MG51 - Base Production Series Designation

MG51/71 - Vehicle-mounted version

PZ MG87 - Tank-mounted version (Swiss Army Leopard 2 MBT).

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon representing special forces

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Images

1 / 1

Image of the Waffenfabrik Bern (W+F) MG51

Image released to the Public Domain by Wikipedia user TheBernFiles on 10-27-2006

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)