M60 tank’s coaxial machine gun

[@Waltham1892]

The gun always used to run away on us. The loader had to twist the feed belt to jam the gun to get it to stop firing...

[@timellis484]

these things were not that reliable, they used to jam frequently. it was a wonderful day when we got the FN M240 for our M60A3s. that is a superior MG. but an interesting video from Cold war days.

[@andyoertig2007]

The M73/M219 was a POS! Thank God the Army replaced them with the M240! I loved the M240!!!

[@carlosmolano8580]

Crewed a 60a1 never had any problems with th coax.

[@daveduffy2823]

They didn’t have the M85? The CEV we had used the M85.

[@timellis484]

@@daveduffy2823 the M85 was in the commander’s cupola, M73 was the coax.

[@daveduffy2823]

@@timellis484 Thanks!

[@stevewilson4514]

Ah, the M73 MG. What a colossal piece of Dog Shit. When I went through the Small Arms Repair Course at Aberdeen in 1980 there were certain weapons you did a live fire test on after you fixed it. The M73 was one of those. The instructors told the Army students to stand with their back against the wall, place their hand on top of the feed cover and press down while firing. That was just in case it fired out of battery, it would prevent anyone else from getting fragg’ed by that turd. I was a Marine student and since the Corps never adopted it, we didn’t have to train on it.

[@truthseeker2321]

I went to that same school in 1982,but I was in the army. People think I'm lying when I tell them that I had both army and marine instructors in that MOS. By the time I went through it, we only had to learn to work on the 73,but we live fired the M240 in its place. I never again saw an M73, even though I was sent to an Armored division over in Germany after graduating. All of our M60 tanks had the M240.

[@beardo52]

This Machine Gun did have its own sight, it was a red ring having no magnification, and when properly adjusted, the area fire was within the red ring. (No one ever used that though, always zeroed the Coax with the Main Gun sights.

[@BiggyInDaHizzy]

Awesome pre Cold War military training vid! I loved these! You can hear a constant dim humming sound in them, that's what I love most! Right on

[@MarcoPolo-qo1ge]

I like the voice of this man 😁

[@marclayne9261]

2ACR...Bamberg, FRG...Cavalry Scout...1979--81...

[@HerbWalker]

Hohenfels Germany it was : "Gunner _Coax_ Piggies!!!" Hahaha

[@pappydc12]

"beet field in the open!"

[@combatarmsvicio]

good video!

[@mikemiller4979]

What happened to the fired brass ? Collection bag ? On the floor ?

[@daveybernard1056]

Reloaders are very anxious to know this!

[@Walter_E_Kurtz]

Looks like it's falling down into a feed bag in the video, I had to go back and watch, I was curious too.

[@Jan-hx9rw]

There was a canvas collection "brass" bag that mounted under the gun. If you were a loader, you forgot to make sure the brass bag was in place only once. If it wasn't there, you were in for a fun couple of hours pulling all the spent brass out from under the turret floor. And then dealing with your tank commander's ire.

[@Alfsp1]

Is the barrel that was changed out still good to use after its cooled down ..or just junk ?

[@wrickerishwrung1935]

still good, the minimi machine gun comes with 3 barrels that are swapped roughly every 400 rounds

[@NuclearFantasies]

Just needs to cool down.

[@shockwave6213]

Wrickerish Wrung I don't see why they don't just use water cooling jackets on coaxial guns.

[@randomman057]

More complicated parts that need to be maintained and can break down. Changing barrels is quick and easy. Also, adds weight and takes up additional space that may be needed for other systems.

[@shockwave6213]

-random man- I suppose. I guess water cooling is dead now. Actually the Russian 2K22 Tunguska has water cooling on its cannons

[@thegunbox81]

Good info to know.

[@highway2run]

Loved the 30 call Browning

[@Jan-hx9rw]

Yeah, the National Guard still used the 30 cal Brownings as coaxes in the early 70s on the M48s. Trained on it at Knox in 71, my tank back at the home station had one in 72.

[@moushumidas1901]

HOW MUCH AMMO DOES THAT BOX HOLD? AND HOW MUCH DOES THE TANK CARRY?

[@Jan-hx9rw]

5950 rounds of 7.62, 2000 rounds in the banana box on the side of the turret. Took a while to load that up for tank gunnery tables, and we never loaded it full because the tables never called for that much.

[@truthseeker2321]

@@Jan-hx9rw How much .50cal ammo for the M85? Funny thing is, I worked on both weapons and was around the M60 tanks of the 2AD FWD, and it never crossed my mind to ask any of the crews.

[@kainhall]

they sorta copied the MG-34 on the way you remove the barrel..... rotate the receiver out of the way.... slide it out directly rearward . this is also why most german tanks still used the 34 over the 42 on the MG42.... the barrel comes out the side (its a nicer system for the infantry.... but not enough room in a tank) . germany would have LOVED to use the 42 in tanks..... as it was MUCH cheaper and quicker to make but that barrel change system....which is PERFECT for the infantry.... would just not work in a tank

[@pauljones6885]

I loaded those on the M60, they were a POS and never feed right.