Why the M2 Browning Is So Hard to Replace

Chapters 0:00 Why the Ma Deuce Still Survives 0:55 Browning's World War One Problem 2:08 One Receiver, Seven Guns 3:10 The .50 BMG Tradeoff 3:58 Too Heavy for Legs, Perfect for Wheels 5:05 Headspace and Timing 6:05 The M85 Tank Gun That Lost 6:58 XM307 and XM312 8:05 XM806 Cancelled in 2012 9:06 The M2A1 Upgrade 10:11 The Mile-and-a-Half Shot 10:51 The "Illegal to Shoot People" Myth 11:22 The Soviets Replaced Theirs Twice 12:13 The M2 Against Drones 12:43 Why Nothing Replaces It Video description: This video explains why the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun is still in service, from General Pershing's 1918 request for a gun that could stop armored planes to new Army contracts in 2024. The M2 was built as one receiver that could become seven different guns, and the .50 BMG gave it reach against vehicles, boats and aircraft at the cost of an 84-pound gun. We follow the three attempts to replace it: the M85 on the M60 tank, the XM307 and XM312 with their fire control system, and the lightweight XM806 that was cancelled in 2012, when its budget went into upgrading the M2 instead. We also look at the M2A1's fixed headspace and timing, Carlos Hathcock's mile-and-a-half shot, the "illegal to shoot people" myth, why the Soviets replaced their heavy machine gun twice, and the M2's new job against drones in Ukraine. Disclosure: This video is made for documentary and educational purposes only. Anything shown here is done by trained people under controlled conditions; trying it yourself is entirely at your own risk, and neither we nor YouTube accept responsibility for any injury or damage. We are not a gun store, we do not sell or transfer firearms, and we do not show how to modify any firearm illegally, including full-auto conversions or NFA grey areas. By watching or flagging this video you acknowledge the above.