The Heckler & Koch MG4 (also known as the HK123) is a
belt-fed
upright=1.35, An M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges, aboard a U.S. Navy">7.62×51mm_NATO.html" ;"title="M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO">M60 machine gun belt loaded with 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges, aboar ...
5.56 mm light machine gun
A light machine gun (LMG) is a light-weight machine gun designed to be operated by a single infantryman, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. LMGs firing cartridges of the same caliber as the other riflemen of the sa ...
designed and developed by German firearm manufacturer
Heckler & Koch
Heckler & Koch GmbH (HK; ) is a German defense manufacturing company that manufactures handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and grenade launchers. The company is located in Oberndorf am Neckar in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, and also ...
. It was developed in the late 1990s and first seen publicly in September 2001. It has been selected to replace the
7.62 mm
The 7.62 mm caliber is a nominal caliber used for a number of different cartridges. Historically, this class of cartridge was commonly known as .30 caliber, the imperial unit and customary unit equivalent, and was most commonly used for ...
MG3 general-purpose machine gun
A general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) is an air-cooled, usually belt-fed machine gun that can be adapted flexibly to various tactical roles for light and medium machine guns. A GPMG typically features a quick-change barrel design calibered for v ...
in the ''
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
'' at the squad support level; it will complement the MG3 in other roles. It will also be the secondary armament of the new
Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Overall, it is designed to be light, provide maximum safety to the user and function reliably under adverse conditions using a wide range of ammunition from different manufacturers, without the need to adjust the gas system. It was known as the MG43 prior to its adoption by the Bundeswehr.
Design details
![MG4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/MG4.jpg)
The MG4 is an air-cooled, belt-fed
gas-operated light machine gun with a positively locked
rotary bolt and is somewhat similar in concept to the Belgian
Minimi light machine gun. Safety mechanisms on the machine gun includes a manual safety incorporated into the fire mode selector toggle; setting the fire selector lever on the "safe" position blocks the trigger mechanically and locks the bolt in the cocked position. When the bolt is not pulled back completely, accidental firing is prevented by an integral, automatic mechanism that prevents the bolt from traveling forward. In addition, the firing pin cannot reach the cartridge primer until the cartridge has been fully chambered.
The machine gun is fed from a disintegrating belt and is carried out in two stages from the top left using an enhanced pawl mechanism. As on the
MG 42 family of machine guns, the belt is expelled to the right and spent cases are ejected downwards, although sideways ejection to the right is an option.
The MG4 has a hammer-forged quick-change barrel that can be safely exchanged when hot without the need for protective gloves; the carrying handle serves as the barrel change grip. The barrel assembly weighs . To reduce the overall length of the weapon for transport, the butt stock can be folded to the left side of the receiver. With the buttstock folded the MG4 remains fully operable. A field cleaning kit is housed within the stock. The MG4 takes zero shifts between barrel assemblies into account by making the front sight of the assemblies mechanically adjustable.
In its standard form, the MG4 is equipped with closed type
iron sights with range settings up to in increments. The folding front sight element is mounted on the barrel assembly and is adjustable mechanically for both windage and elevation. The sight line radius is . Optical or night sights or
laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fi ...
pointers can be mounted on a length of MIL-STD-1913
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail ( or ), or Pic rail for short, also known as a MIL-STD-1913 rail, 1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail (cancelled), is a military standard rail interface system that provides a mounting platform for firearm accessories. It was ...
located on the receiver feed tray cover.
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
models are equipped with telescopic sights with 3× magnification.
A folding bipod weighing is provided. Supporting interfaces are integrated into the receiver to allow the MG4 to be mounted on the standard American
M122A1 tripod for increased accuracy and stability.
Variants
MG4 (HK123)
The Heckler & Koch MG4 (HK123) light machine gun is chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge and has been adopted by the Bundeswehr.
MG4E (HK123E)
An export variant of the MG4 that has been slightly modified and is slightly lighter. The letter "E" in the designation stands for "Export". It has a different gas assembly that reduces the cyclic rate of fire. In 2007, the Spanish Army adopted this variant as their standard light machine gun. The Spanish Military of Defence ordered 1,800–2,000 of these light machine guns.
MG4 Vehicle Weapon (HK123 Vehicle Weapon)
A variant of the MG4 configured for use as a vehicle or coaxial machine gun. It lacks a buttstock, rear sight, cartridge case deflector, handguard, and bipod mount. It can be fitted with a remote firing device and safety/fire selector lever. It can also be fitted for dismounted use.
MG4K (HK123K)
A variant of the MG4 with a shorter barrel.
MG4KE (HK123KE)
An export variant of the MG4K.
MG4 A3
A German Army modernized variant is under test that introduces
Heckler & Koch MG5 elements such as being fitted with the Hensoldt ZO 4×30 Intermediate Range Targeting Optic combined with a
red dot
The Red Dot Design Award is a German international design prize awarded by Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG. There are prize categories for product design, brands and communication design, and design concept. Since 1955, designers and producers can appl ...
as optical day sights with 4× magnification to promote accuracy of fire. Like the MG5 the MG4 A3 uses a
RAL 8000 green brown surface finish.
MG5 (HK121) derivative
The
Heckler & Koch MG5 (HK121) general-purpose machine gun is chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It has been adopted by the Bundeswehr as their standard general-purpose machine gun. The MG5 is heavily based on the MG4, however there are only few parts that are interchangeable due to the machine guns having different calibers and their size differences.
Users
* : Standard light support weapon of
Albanian Land Forces
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
* : Limited use on the
Brazilian Army
* : Acquired by the
Chilean Marine Corps in 2014.
* : Used by
ESTSOF.
* : Standard platoon-level support weapon of the
German Army, adopted in 2005.
* : Used by ''
PASKAL
The Pasukan Khas Laut (''Naval Special Warfare Forces,'' Jawi: ), commonly abbreviated to PASKAL, is the principal special operations force of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
PASKAL's task is to conduct small-unit maritime military operations that ...
'' special operations force tactical of the
Royal Malaysian Navy, adopted in 2006.
* : Used by
Portuguese Army,
Portuguese Air Force and
National Republican Guard.
* : Ordered 1,800–2,000 MG4E machine guns in 2007 with deliveries expected to continue over the next four years. Standard LMG for the
Spanish Army, usually fitted with an
ACOG sight.
See also
*
Heckler & Koch MG5
*
FN Minimi
The FN Minimi (short for french: Mini Mitrailleuse; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun/squad automatic weapon developed by Ernest Vervier for FN Herstal. First introduced in the late 1970s, it is now in service in more tha ...
*
IWI Negev
The IWI Negev (also known as the Negev NG-5) is a 5.56×45mm NATO light machine gun developed by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), formerly Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI).
In 2012, IWI introduced the Negev NG-7 7.62×51mm NATO general-p ...
*
Daewoo Precision Industries K3
The Daewoo Precision Industries K3 is a South Korean light machine-gun. It is the third indigenous firearm developed in South Korea by the Agency for Defense Development, following the Daewoo Precision Industries K1 submachine gun and Daewoo Prec ...
*
Ultimax 100
The Ultimax 100 is a Singapore-made 5.56mm light machine gun, developed by the Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS, now ST Kinetics) by a team of engineers under the guidance of American firearms designer L. James Sullivan. The weapon is extr ...
*
RPL-20
The RPL-20 is a prototype light machine gun developed by Kalashnikov Concern for the Russian Military. Though designed in response to feedback following the purchase and testing of the company's magazine-fed RPK-16 light machine gun, the RPL-20 i ...
References
External links
Heckler & Koch Official Site – HK123 Technical Data–
Heckler & Koch Product Catalog 2018
Das Maschinengewehr MG4
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heckler and Koch MG4
5.56×45mm NATO machine guns
MG4
Squad automatic weapons
Machine guns of Germany
Post–Cold War weapons of Germany
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 2005