Rheinmetall MG3

The MG3 ("Machinengewehr Modell 3") is a general-purpose (recoil-operated, roller locked) machine gun chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. Made by Rheinmetall in Germany, it was designed in 1959. It is derived from the World War II era MG 42 universal machine gun that fired the 7.92×57mm Mauser round. Manufacturing started in 1968 by Rheinmetall and lasted until 1979 but later also it was license-built by: Beretta, MKEK, Ellinika Amyntika Systimata, Defense Industries Organization, Military Industry Corporation, Pakistan Ordnance Factories and General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas. The MG3 was introduced into service of Bundeswehr in 1968. The MG 3 is an automatic, air-cooled, belt-fed short recoil-operated firearm. The machine gun has an automatic-only trigger mechanism and a cross-bolt safety in the form of a button that is operated by the shooting hand (in its "safe" position the bolt release is disabled). The weapon fires from an open bolt. The cyclic rate can be altered by installing different bolts and recoil springs. The MG 3 has a quick-change, chrome-lined barrel with four right-hand grooves and a rifling twist rate of 1 in 305 mm (1:12 in).