MAC-58
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The MAC-58 was a version of the French AA-52 machine gun using .50 BMG instead of 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges. A few prototypes were tested and one was retained for pre-serial production, but it never reached mass production due to the large quantity of American M2 Browning machine guns already in service with the French armed forces.
The MAC-58 was a version of the French AA-52 machine gun using .50 BMG instead of 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges. A few prototypes were tested and one was retained for pre-serial production, but it never reached mass production due to the large quantity of American M2 Browning machine guns already in service with the French armed forces.
Development
On September 23, 1950, the Manufacture d'armes de Châtellerault (MAC) began to develop a 12.7 mm machine gun to replace the M2 Browning. Only the caliber of the weapon was specified, with other features being left to the initiative of consulting firms in Mulhouse, Châtellerault and Saint-Étienne. In Chatellerault, the study was entrusted to a technician under the orders of Chief Engineer Martin and the instigation of directors, BMI and BMI Rabbe Nardin. On February 12, 1956, a dimensional drawing of the weapon was produced and submitted to the technical department of the (Directorate of Weapons Manufacture and Study), resulting in the creation of a prototype. The weapon was inspired by the AA-52 general-purpose machine gun, with a pressed steel shell that necessitated the use of a 3-400 ton press.
Evaluation
Two MAC-58 prototypes were presented to the CABA (Commission d'Adoption du Matériel de l'Armée de Terre) on November 30, 1956 and May 28, 1957, respectively. On June 27, 1957, three machine guns were sent for final evaluation. Two copies were for the Technical Section of the Army. The weapon was deemed valid in its presentation and operating principle, but it could not be mounted on all military vehicles in service because of its shape and lack of rear handles. On December 10, 1959, the seventh and eighth prototypes were given to the Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux for adaptive trials on a circular troop transport vehicle. Ultimately, 12 prototypes were ordered in December 1956, manufactured, and tested. As further development was not considered necessary, the MAC-58 remained a prototype.
References
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1359219937 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.