
Historical Information | |||||
Caption | US Navy sailor J. D. Estes posing with a Browning M2 machine gun, Corpus Christi, Texas, United States, Aug 1942 ww2dbase | ||||
Date | Aug 1942 | ||||
Photographer | Howard Hollem | ||||
Source Information | |||||
Source | ww2dbaseUnited States Library of Congress | ||||
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Licensing Information | |||||
Licensing | This work is believed to be in the public domain. Please contact us regarding any inaccuracies with the above information. Thank you. |
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Metadata | |||||
Added By | C. Peter Chen | ||||
Photo Size | 991 x 727 pixels |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
2.
Bill says:
13 Sep 2011 08:16:39 PM
PROPGANDA SHOT IS IT A .30 CALIBER OR IS IT A .50 CALIBER MACHINE GUN?
My guess its a Browing M-1919 .30 Caliber Air Cooled, Machine Gun. The weapon looks way to short and small, to be a .50, holding that .30 and firing could be done, but the .50 that's another story but during WWII anything could have happened.
I wanted to point out what the fifty's got going for it. The M-1919 fires the .30 Caliber slug or 7.62mm, and the .50 fires the .50 Caliber or 12.7mm slug. So don't be confused, say its way past my bed time, so I'm calling it a day.

13 Sep 2011 08:16:39 PM
PROPGANDA SHOT IS IT A .30 CALIBER OR IS IT A .50 CALIBER MACHINE GUN?
My guess its a Browing M-1919 .30 Caliber Air Cooled, Machine Gun. The weapon looks way to short and small, to be a .50, holding that .30 and firing could be done, but the .50 that's another story but during WWII anything could have happened.
I wanted to point out what the fifty's got going for it. The M-1919 fires the .30 Caliber slug or 7.62mm, and the .50 fires the .50 Caliber or 12.7mm slug. So don't be confused, say its way past my bed time, so I'm calling it a day.
3.
Bill says:
14 Sep 2011 10:53:29 AM
I have another question, where is the charging handle?, it should be on the gunners right.
Anyway the debate will continue until one day an ex-armorer will answer the question,
and clear it up for the ww2db.
And I say again that reciver is to short for the fifty. And if I'm wrong, as I've said win some, looses some.

14 Sep 2011 10:53:29 AM
I have another question, where is the charging handle?, it should be on the gunners right.
Anyway the debate will continue until one day an ex-armorer will answer the question,
and clear it up for the ww2db.
And I say again that reciver is to short for the fifty. And if I'm wrong, as I've said win some, looses some.
4.
Bill says:
14 Sep 2011 04:26:50 PM
My objective is to bring the best information
to ww2db, I know some will respond with that ain't so!
The fifty was developed in different versions that were water-cooled, air-cooled, the aircraft version may have had a shorter receiver and 36 inch barrel as I said I'm no expert, just remember what experience I did have in operating the fifty caliber, and the .30 caliber machine guns.
1944 production of the fifty caliber reached 45,000 weapons per month! And by 1945 total production was 1,900,000 weapons, ammunition
for the fifty reached 10,042,250,000 that's over ten billion rounds!

14 Sep 2011 04:26:50 PM
My objective is to bring the best information
to ww2db, I know some will respond with that ain't so!
The fifty was developed in different versions that were water-cooled, air-cooled, the aircraft version may have had a shorter receiver and 36 inch barrel as I said I'm no expert, just remember what experience I did have in operating the fifty caliber, and the .30 caliber machine guns.
1944 production of the fifty caliber reached 45,000 weapons per month! And by 1945 total production was 1,900,000 weapons, ammunition
for the fifty reached 10,042,250,000 that's over ten billion rounds!
5.
Bill says:
24 Dec 2015 08:32:42 PM
THAT AIN'T NO FIFTY (.50) CALIBER M2 MACHINE GUN. THAT WEAPON IS A THIRTY (.30)CALIBER MACHINE GUN....

24 Dec 2015 08:32:42 PM
THAT AIN'T NO FIFTY (.50) CALIBER M2 MACHINE GUN. THAT WEAPON IS A THIRTY (.30)CALIBER MACHINE GUN....
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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13 Sep 2011 07:08:20 PM
LOOKS LIKE A WWII PROPGANDA SHOT FOR NAVY RECRUTING.
Holding that .50 Caliber (12.7mm) machine gun
is hard enough, but loaded w/ammo "Ma Deuce" eats a lot of lead and fast.
The weight of the receiver group is about 56lbs and the barrel is 26lbs.
Firing from the hip position? I never saw that and without some type of heat protection that barrel will heat up real fast, just holding it by the left hand.
I also have no idea what the wide leather belt is for.
FULL METAL JACKET:
The Fifty fires a big and heavy slug and is very effective against aircraft, ground targets, equipment, light armord vehicles and personnel, trust me you don't want to be on the receiving end of the fifty caliber.
Its the weapon to use, when you want to reach out and touch someone...
The "Ma Deuce" or Browing M-2 .50 Caliber
Machine Gun is an automatic, recoil operated,
air cooled crew served weapon. Ammunition is fed from disintegrating metallic link-belt
from 100 round ammunition cans.
The weapon is still in service with the US Armed Forces, NATO and other foreign countries today.
Weapon systems have advanced since WWII but lead is going to be around for awhile yet.