Why do they call them "Light" Machine Guns?

[IronicBeet]

I am proud to say that my very first thread on the Escapist is search-bar approved! (To the 4th page, anyway) This is a semi-serious question. Isn't calling it a Light Machine Gun, or a Minigun an oxymoron? Shouldn't sub-machine guns be Light, and Light Machine Guns be Heavy Machine Guns, or something to that accord? It doesn't make much sense at all.

 

[Julianking93]

I always thought it was an ironic title considering they are the largest machine guns.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

According to wiki, it is a single man portable machine gun usually deployed with a bipod.
and Medium machine guns are normally deployed with a tripod.
I never knew this, and I don't know if this is reliable...
[sub]But it's wikipedia...[/sub]
*whacked by old teacher*

 

[Biosophilogical]

Well, they are called light machine guns because they shoot laser beams of pure awesome (also photons are involved).

Seriously??? For the same reason everyone does everything. For shitz and giggles.

In all seriousness??? I have no idea.

 

[Last of the Chinchillas]

I'm pretty sure that's the point: an attempt at being ironic and comical.

"Minigun, huh? Why we should use that name for our most terrifying weapon!"
"Why, sir?"
"Because the enemy will be all like, 'Psshh! It's got mini in the name, so how bad can it be', and then we'll break it out and it'll be all like 'SWEET JESUS, RUN TO THE HILLS!"
"Sir, have you been taking your medication?"

 

[Undead Dragon King]

"Light" is referred to in a relative sense. I'm assuming that you've been playing MW2 and saw the category LMG for the biggest guns. They are called "light machine guns" because they are light enough to be portably used. While the recoil for them is a total *****, they can still be fired on the move. Heavier machine guns like miniguns need to be used from a stationary position. And the term "minigun" was referred to its use on attack helicopters- they're still huge guns, but they were the smallest point-defense guns that the choppers had.

Once again, it's all relative.

 

[Insanum]

Because a LMG is not as heavy as a mounted machine gun. Usually nowadays large machine guns are attached to the AC130.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

it has to do with the caliber/size of the round. A light machine gun fires a rifle round, like 5.56mm in an M249 SAW or 7.62mm in an M240. A submachine gun fires a pistol round, like 9mm in an MP5 or a .45 ACP in a Vector. A heavy machine gun is a weapon that cannot be carried by infantry because it fires 30 cal or 50 cal rounds. the minigun, im not sure why its called that. try wikipedia.

 

[Slaanax]

They are light Machine guns because they can be carried by 1 person. That is all. A saw is like 20 some lbs fully loaded a M2 machine gun is like 100lbs including Tripod. Those aren't exact numbers but Its around that.

 

[Vicrry]

Light machine guns are ones that are man-portable and fireable from an unsupported position - they tend to be smaller caliber and slower firing. Mainly intended as support weapons for the rest of the squad. A M249 SAW is a good example.

Heavy machine guns are larger mounted weapons, either on a vehicle or fixed position. These are larger caliber, more powder behind the bullet, and faster firing as the weapon recoil is less of an issue since it is not intended to be fired by hand. Browning .50 cal is the traditional example here.

Sub-machine guns are a special name for rapid firing weapons using pistol-type ammo, .45 ACP or 9mm for example.

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

Yeah, I guess everyone answered already. I was late to the show.

They're called Light because a single guy can carry one by himself. At the worst, he'll have a friend to feed his ammo belt when he breaks out the bipod. Bigger machine guns? Don't even bother trying to lift it up to fight with.

Edit: You know what? Ignore the ammo belt part. That's stupid. Having a belt of bullets hanging off like that won't do you a lot of good when you're running around.

 

[Sub_par]

i believe minigun is an eponym (named after a person) but i could be wrong

 

[Deleted]

Why do they call them 'miniguns' when they're pretty fucking huge.

 

[Excludos]

i believe minigun is an eponym (named after a person) but i could be wrong

Close. The real name is actually "Gatling gun", which is named after the inventor.

 

[UltraParanoia]

Cause miniguns are smaller versions of gatling guns.

I shit you not.

 

[kingpin44]

light machine guns are used in squads as support weapons, they are flexible and can be easily adapted to any situation. they generally are using rifle rounds, in our case 7.62. heavy machine guns are direct fire weapons to be used against hardened targets, they go anywhere from 50cal to 30mml (a 30mml is a hell of alot bigger then a 50 cal) any bigger than 30mml is usually referred to as a auto canon.

 

[Vicrry]

Also, they're called 'miniguns' as the electric gatling design was initally used for larger rounds, such as 20mm. They scaled down the size, called it a mini version, and the name stuck.

 

[Slaanax]

Wiki says minigun is Gatling Gun scaled down to fire rifle caliber bullets.

John Gatling created the first Multibarrelled Machine Gun back in American Civil War.
He was a pacifist who wanted to create a weapon so fierce it would end all fighting.