The light machine gun is a bulky weapon designed around a gas-actuated long-stroke piston system, providing reliable round extraction after each shot. The weapon fires from an open bolt, reducing the danger of rounds cooking off and firing uncontrollably after firing prolonged bursts.[1]
For portability and ease of use, it was manufactured entirely from metal with wood used as the grip and front handguard. A barrel shroud additionally protects the operator from accidentally burning themselves on a hot barrel during barrel changes. The barrel itself can be released and quickly swapped out using the prominent latch, though since the front sight post is permanently fixed to the barrel, replacing it also means that the weapon loses accuracy due to losing its zero. While taken together it can be clunky, especially for a weaker operator, it provides excellent firepower in the field and more than makes up for its deficiencies.[2]
Characteristics[]
Light machine gun expanded
The LMG is one of the best weapons when it comes to pure damage per second. The combination of good refire rate, magazine capacity, base damage, and reload speed results in excellent crowd control properties. Especially when used properly, aiming down its iron sights, rather than fired from the hip, when its spread is fairly high.
Note that it is a top tier Guns weapon, requiring a maxed-out weapons skill (100) and 8 Strength to wield without penalties. The high strength is also needed due to another reason - a fully loaded drum magazine contains 200 rounds and weighs 5.2 pounds. Twenty of those can be fired (a total of 3996) before the weapon breaks.
↑Joshua Sawyer on Formspring July 27, 2011: "Was the Light Machine Gun from New Vegas based on any one weapon in particular? It's a mishmash of M60 and M249 SAW parts."
Bozar: An accurized, unique light machine gun with a scope.
A light machine gun in first person view.
Looking down the iron sights.
A light machine gun with the expanded drums modification.
