MG34 Effective Range

[deutscher40]

MG34 with tripod effective range is listed at 3200 metres. Was this due to optics mounted or what made the effective range such a distance?

[Simperator]

Hi,

If you are referring to the cartridge: the 7,92 mm Mauser cartridge is effective until ca. 4'000 meters, of course the hitting probability decreases at such distances.

If you are referring to the gun: the MG 34 in the heavy version role had a stable fire platform which had optics and a mechanism which moved the weapon a little when fired, so the bullets covered a certain target area. The MG team also possessed other optic devices like a range finder and binoculars.

I hope this answers your questions.

In this video at 09:10 it is explained how the tripod works:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VDxAv3--RY

Regards,
Simon

[[JBG] Schneller]

Any MG mounted on a tripod, especially if it is being used with the Traversing & Elevation mechanism can be effective as far as the bullet can fly. Certainly at great distances, the trajectory turns in to a big arc and the barrel must be elevated considerably. However, this creates a more "area fire" oriented weapon. The MG section leader may designate what in the US Army is called a "Beaten Zone" where the MG will put bursts of fire EVEN WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE TARGET. The fire may actually be arcing over houses or trees and may be adjusted by a distant soldier that can see the splash of the rounds. This can be used as an area denial technique and discourage troops from moving through a bottleneck or other terrain feature.
Yes, I know this sounds like miniature artillery at this point. But, in wide open country (Korean War perfect example) .30 Cal MG's could and did created beaten zones as far away as the bullet will fly.

The other main consideration regarding "effective" range is the Tracer Burnout Distance. In a direct fire mode, if the Gunner cannot see the bullet anymore or where it is landing, this could end the effectiveness of the weapon as a direct fire, point target weapon. Typically tracers burnout LONG before the bullet reaches the end of its flight.

[[JBG] Schneller]

Also research the term "Plunging fire". This would have been a common tactic of HMG crews to hit areas they could not always see from their location. Forward units using field phones could have directed this long-range fire like miniature artillery. Not so much do destroy enemy units but (at very low cost) deny them easy access or traverse of small areas. VERY common tactic of the HMG platoon/section in WW2/Korea.

[Moul1984]

I'm respecting all the opinions above and want to say, that such distances are hardly reacheble in real conditions. When I was at my service, I was at 1 km shooting range and it's very hard to hit something even with a powerful sniper rifle. And now imagine that you're shooting with a heavy, high rate of fire machine gun. It's very hard to control it and, i think, more difficul to hit somebody at distances more than 1 km. Nevertheless, bullet will fly over 3 km, but I'm talking about accurate fire.

[Delta Tank]

Also research the term "Plunging fire". This would have been a common tactic of HMG crews to hit areas they could not always see from their location. Forward units using field phones could have directed this long-range fire like miniature artillery. Not so much do destroy enemy units but (at very low cost) deny them easy access or traverse of small areas. VERY common tactic of the HMG platoon/section in WW2/Korea.

I agree with everything that you wrote. The reticle pattern in the old binos, don't know if the new ones still have it in them, the vertical portion was to adjust machine gun fire. Maybe someone from Australia will chime in and expand on what I am about to write, I attended a class at the Infantry School where an Australian major described indirect fire techniques with the General Purpose Machine Gun (7.62 x 51mm). Max range was around 2800 meters, max ord was 60 meters or so?? You do get a beaten zone, and at max range you get plunging fire. A great book that I read a long time ago was called a "Riflemen went to War" and in there he describes laying three or four machine-guns in such a way that their beaten zones intersect and overlap. It is a book on World War I.

http://www.amazon.com/Rifleman-Went-War ... 1614271674

Mike

[Gustav_SC]

This was particularly common in WWI (lots of static positions, stockpiled ammo, etc). I read about an action (the Somme, 1916, I believe) where one water-cooled Vickers MG, firing out of direct line of sight for an "area denial" effect, went though some huge numbers of rounds without a stoppage. It was hundreds of thousands of rounds, the crew was just linking the belts together and feeding it, the gunner was just moving through the fixed T&E. It lasted for hours.