L6A2 General Purpose Machine Gun

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L6A1
Place of origin Arthurista
Service history
In service1947 - present
Used byCommonwealth Army, Madrastan Army
Production history
Designed1946
ManufacturerDominion Arsenal (1947 - 1979), Arthuristan Dynamics (1979 - present)
Produced1947 - present
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Weight8.5kg
Length1,156mm
Barrel length635 mm (25 inch)

Cartridge7.62x51mm, 6.5x55mm
ActionGas operated, open bolt
Rate of fire650-1,000RPM
Effective firing range1,000m
Feed systemDisintegrating metallic belt,
Sightsadjustable diopter sight

The L6 is a general purpose machine gun of Arthuristan origin. It was introduced in the Commonwealth Army and Commonwealth Marines in the early-1950's and remains in widespread service.

Design

The L6 was designed to replace the Bren light machine gun, Lewis gun and Vickers machine gun at all levels, from infantry section to battalion, as Arthurista's first GPMG (it was often referred to by the troops as the 'Gimpy'). The designers essentially took a Bren gun, converted it to use a disintegrating belt and chambered it in the 7.62x51 cartridge, although Ghantish weapons utilise the 6.5x55. In order to maintain suppressive fire, the barrel can be swapped out rapidly without the recourse to clumsy gloves or armourer's tools. The design also features an adjustable gas-valve, which allows the volume of gas be varied in order to compensate for gun fouling or to adjust the rate of fire.

The gun was intended for use as both a bipod-mounted light machine gun among infantry sections, as well as a tripod mounted heavy machine gun at the battalion level, though they would be supplanted by the M2 HB heavy machine gun and Mk 19 grenade launcher in due course in that latter role.

Product improvement

The weapon underwent a thorough overhaul in the early-70s. Designated the L6A1, it received a mount for telescopic sights and a bracket for night vision equipment. In the subsequent L6A2 upgrade, weight was reduced by roughly one kilogram with the use of a new aluminium lower receiver, the replacement of wooden parts with polymer and various other cosmetic changes which resulted in a significantly different look. Conversely, the barrel profile became slightly heavier for increased accuracy and barrel life.

L6V Vehicle-Mounted Gun

The L6V variant was specifically designed to serve as the co-axial weapon of armoured vehicles. It features modifications such as the removal of the buttstock, an electric-firing mechanism (with a backup mechanical trigger), as well as a heavier barrel, radial cooling ribs and a forced air-induction cooling shroud.

L6C Light Machine Gun

The L6C is a LMG variant of the L6. Rather than adopting the belt-fed modification, the L6C retained the magazine-feed design of the original Bren, albeit re-chambered in 7.62x51mm. It may be fed by its native 30-round magazine, or standard 20-round box magazines intended for the L54 rifle. They are mainly issued as a substitute for the standard GPMG among light infantry formations for which the encumbrance of a belt-fed weapon is an inconvenience.