Bouwer AMG
| Bouwer LAG | |
|---|---|
 An AMG fitted with the 3.4×28TS sight | |
| Type | General-purpose machine gun |
| Place of origin | Lindenholt |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1958–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Antoon Venneklaas |
| Designed | 1950 |
| Manufacturer | Bouwer Others |
| Produced | 1958–present |
| No. built | 1 million+ |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 11.8 kg (26.01 lb) |
| Length | 1,263 mm (49.7 in) |
| Barrel length | 630 mm (24.8 in) |
| Width | 118.7 mm (4.7 in) |
| Height | 263 mm (10.4 in) |
| Cartridge | 7.62×51mm LUCA |
| Action | Gas-operated long-stroke piston, open bolt |
| Rate of fire | 650–1,000 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 840 m/s (2,756 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 800 m (875 yd) (bipod) 1,800 m (1,969 yd) (tripod) |
| Maximum firing range | 3,500 m (3,828 yd) |
| Feed system | Non-disintegrating DM1 or disintegrating M13 linked belt |
| Sights | Folding leaf sight with aperture and notch, front blade |
The Bouwer AMG is a general purpose machine gun designed by Antoon Venneklaas. The AMG is produced in Lindenholt by arms manufacturer Bouwer in their Stokfort small arms plant. The machine gun's production has also been licensed out to other arms manufacturers and sees service around the world under various designations, AMG being the most common name. The name AMG is an abbreviation for Algemeen Machine Geweer, meaning "general purpose machine gun". The AMG fires the 7.62×51mm LUCA cartridge, which is same round the LAG, an other iconic and widely used rifle designed by Bouwer.
Since its introduction in 1958 its action has remained largely the same, however Bouwer has kept the weapon up-to-date through replacing the wooden stock with an ergonomically superior polymer stock and the introduction of "Picatinny rails to more recent AMGs. Bouwer produces three variants of the AMG. A standard model, a model meant for coaxial mounting on armoured fighting vehicles and an airborne variant meant for mounting on helicopters and operated by door gunners.
Although the AMG can be operated by a single person, a second AMG-squad member is needed in order to feed the gun its ammo-belt for sustained fire. AMGs with bipods can be used to engage targets up to ranges of 800 metres, while those affixed to a vehicle or on a tripod can have an effective range of up to 1200 metres. The weapon is air cooled and requires its barrel to be changed after having depleted two of its belts or one of its ammunition belts after rapid sustained fire. A barrel switch can be performed by a single person. Switching the AMG's barrel takes a trained soldier seconds to successfully complete and have the weapon be ready to fire again.
History
Variants
Users
Lindenholt in use as medium calibre general purpose machine gun by the Lindian military. Coaxial and airborne variants also in service as machine guns for their respective vehicles.