>How do we improve it?
You can't. >If we can't, what should we replace it with?
Nothing, it's going to outlive us all. People will be fighting over Mars and someone will be putting a Ma Deuce on their defensive emplacements.
>How do we improve it?
You can't. >If we can't, what should we replace it with?
Nothing, it's going to outlive us all. People will be fighting over Mars and someone will be putting a Ma Deuce on their defensive emplacements.
It's pretty heavy and while reliable it does require armorer's attention to keep in good order.
Really just make it lighter, give it a more portable mount as an option and the possibility to perform routine maintenance in the field.
>require armorer's attention to keep in good order.
define "armorer's attention", because if it's the timing and headspace issue, also mentioned by this anon
give it the same upgrades as the m1919a6. stock pistol grip and bipod and a huge as muzzlebrake
, that's been a solved issue for a while now with the M2A1, and all M2HB's are upgraded when they need maintenance.
Replace it with a 338 Norma Magnum machinegun. Keep the same rate-of-fire. Or keep using the M2 for another 70+ yrs, which is probably what's gonna happen anyways. BUT WHATEVER YOU, DO NOT TASK SIG WITH DESIGNING A REPLACEMENT FOR IT.
If it's a primary weapon on a vehicle then maybe keep it or replace it with a version that doesn't involve mechanicus-levels of ritualistic maintenance. If it's a secondary weapon, GPMG or AGL, bonus points for airbrusting.
There's a reason the M1 Abrams carries almost ten times as much 7.62 ammo as .50. If you're shooting at something that can be killed with the 7.62 coax, then shoot the coax. If it's something big, you've got the 120 (or the autocannon if it's an IFV). If it's something worth shooting at with the .50 instead of the 7.62 then it's probably dangerous enough that it's worth shooting it with your main gun. Basically all .50 cal/12.7mm-20mm guns are a bit of a weird inbetween, too much for not enough.
It's not a bad weapon, it's just that its mission of low level air defense conducted by literally every single vehicle is no longer as important as it was.
The three niches it still has are on helicopter gunships, arming light vehicles that can't carry anything else, and maybe during heavy urban combat.
>How do we improve it? If we can't, what should we replace it with?
theoretically, it was supposed to be replaced by the M85 .50
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M85_machine_gun
same caliber, but 20 pounds lighter, smaller overall, and could switch between fast and slow RPMs
the issue is that it was unreliable and the proposed infantry-portable version was never made
so it ended up being replaced by its own predecessor, the good old M2
if they ever made an M85 that worked properly it would probably replace the M2
but its just not worth the effort unless theres a collective demand from every infantry battalion for tripod-mounted .50s
I think part of the problem with that gun were the M15A2 disintegrating links. They're push through and oddly shaped to where they want to get caught on each other
Upgrade packages over the years. We can and we simply won't.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM806
>How do we improve it?
You can't.
>If we can't, what should we replace it with?
Nothing, it's going to outlive us all. People will be fighting over Mars and someone will be putting a Ma Deuce on their defensive emplacements.
Make a dual alloy round like a .50 version of the sig round so it shoots more harder
What exactly do you think needs to be improved?
It's pretty heavy and while reliable it does require armorer's attention to keep in good order.
Really just make it lighter, give it a more portable mount as an option and the possibility to perform routine maintenance in the field.
>require armorer's attention to keep in good order.
define "armorer's attention", because if it's the timing and headspace issue, also mentioned by this anon
, that's been a solved issue for a while now with the M2A1, and all M2HB's are upgraded when they need maintenance.
Dammit I meant this one
weight and payload
this
replace it with a 30mm weapon of equal weight and bulk
20 mm smoothbore autocannon.
a special round that kills drones, and some tracking pylon
give it the same upgrades as the m1919a6. stock pistol grip and bipod and a huge as muzzlebrake
Get rid of the timing adjustment, seems to cause more trouble than it solves
Give it the same recoilless tech the ultimax has. Increase rate of fire.
it's perfect, until energy weapons become a thing the M2 will never be replaced
It won't be replaced after that either
You know how when an arthropod evolves into a crab it just stops evolving because it's the ideal bodyplan for their niche? Ma Deuce is like that.
Replace it with a 338 Norma Magnum machinegun. Keep the same rate-of-fire. Or keep using the M2 for another 70+ yrs, which is probably what's gonna happen anyways. BUT WHATEVER YOU, DO NOT TASK SIG WITH DESIGNING A REPLACEMENT FOR IT.
>How do we improve it?
that's the best part, you can't
add 3 more
If it's a primary weapon on a vehicle then maybe keep it or replace it with a version that doesn't involve mechanicus-levels of ritualistic maintenance. If it's a secondary weapon, GPMG or AGL, bonus points for airbrusting.
There's a reason the M1 Abrams carries almost ten times as much 7.62 ammo as .50. If you're shooting at something that can be killed with the 7.62 coax, then shoot the coax. If it's something big, you've got the 120 (or the autocannon if it's an IFV). If it's something worth shooting at with the .50 instead of the 7.62 then it's probably dangerous enough that it's worth shooting it with your main gun. Basically all .50 cal/12.7mm-20mm guns are a bit of a weird inbetween, too much for not enough.
It's not a bad weapon, it's just that its mission of low level air defense conducted by literally every single vehicle is no longer as important as it was.
The three niches it still has are on helicopter gunships, arming light vehicles that can't carry anything else, and maybe during heavy urban combat.
make it out of titanium
frick off
>How do we improve it? If we can't, what should we replace it with?
theoretically, it was supposed to be replaced by the M85 .50
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M85_machine_gun
same caliber, but 20 pounds lighter, smaller overall, and could switch between fast and slow RPMs
the issue is that it was unreliable and the proposed infantry-portable version was never made
so it ended up being replaced by its own predecessor, the good old M2
if they ever made an M85 that worked properly it would probably replace the M2
but its just not worth the effort unless theres a collective demand from every infantry battalion for tripod-mounted .50s
I think part of the problem with that gun were the M15A2 disintegrating links. They're push through and oddly shaped to where they want to get caught on each other
Make it so semi auto fires from closed bolt too
some sort of high-durability suppressor. no point in having everyone adopt suppressors if mounted guns are still gonna be loud as frick
give one to me so I can make it into a man-portable weapon