Difference between "machine gun" and "fully-automatic"?

[radioburning]

Sorry, I did a search and can't find this. Is it machine guns that were banned in America in 1934?

[Citadelgrad87]

Fully automatic, meaning one trigger depression equals continued firing until the ammo supply is exhausted ot the trigger is released, means "machine gun."

The terms are interchangeable.

[leelaw]

Firearms that fired more then one round per squeeze of the trigger were first controlled in the 1930s, again in 1964, and finally in 1986.

They are also called "machineguns".

[Pokey]

A machine gun is a term for a weapon capable of firing more than one round with a single trigger press. Fully auto and select fire both fall under this.
As for 1934 NFA, it did not ban MGs it only established control over them.
Last I checked MGs (transferable ones at least) were legal in 38 states (not CA).

OK, OK, I stand corrected. While in a practical sense it is damn near impossible, technically speaking most NFA items are legal in CA. You are required to get a CA permit and the requirements often are a "catch 22" (you have to prove you need it to have it, but you have to have it to prove you need it.....movie industry)

[bobfried]

A machine gun is a term for a weapon capable of firing more than one round with a single trigger press. Fully auto and select fire both fall under this.
As for 1934 NFA, it did not ban MGs it only established control over them.
Last I checked MGs (transferable ones at least) were legal in 38 states (not CA).

MG's, SBR, DD, AOW, Suppressors and every NFA weapon known to man are completely legal in CA.

Theoretically anyone can get one since none of them are banned in California, all you need is the ok from DOJ and you can apply for your tax stamp with the ATF. Of course you have to be a certain type of people in a certain type of business or your better off trying to bring democracy to Burma.

[ke6guj]

In 1934, the NFA was passed that restricted possession of machine gun.

In 1968, the GCA was passed, further resticting possession of machineguns with stuff like no imported machineguns for civilians. An 30-day amensty was initiated to allow for registration of unregistered machineguns.

In 1986, the FOPA was passed with an amendment that further restricted machineguns. No new machineguns can be made for civilian ownership.

[Paratus et Vigilans]

Setting aside state and federal legal definitions of "machine gun" for the moment, in the firearms world, a "machine gun" is a fully automatic weapon that shoots rifle caliber bullets, whereas a "submachine gun" is a fully automatic weapon that shoots pistol caliber bullets.

Common machine guns:
.50 BMG
.308/7.62 NATO
7.62 x 54R
5.56 NATO

Common submachine guns:
9mm Parabellum
.45 ACP

Is that what you were asking, or were you looking for a list of NFA weapons?

[CSACANNONEER]

A machine gun is a term for a weapon capable of firing more than one round with a single trigger press. Fully auto and select fire both fall under this.
As for 1934 NFA, it did not ban MGs it only established control over them.
Last I checked MGs (transferable ones at least) were legal in 38 states (not CA).

Funny, it's my understanding that NFA items, including MGs, are legal to transfer in Ca. You just need to jump through the right hoops and then pay the transfer tax. Yes, this means that technically it is perfectly legal and easier to import into the state and legally transfer a Colt M16 than it would be to transfer a Colt AR15. Under Ca. law, the AR15 is an assault weapon but a legally registered select fire or FA M16 is not an AW.

[fireblast713]

Under Ca. law, the AR15 is an assault weapon but a legally registered select fire or FA M16 is not an AW.

The irony of that, as the M16 is a true "assault rifle" with select fire capabilities, while the AR-15 is it's semi auto sibling.

[bohoki]

i was confused for the longest time what is a chain gun
is that a belt fed or is there some kind of chain drive like a minigun

[ke6guj]

A chain gun uses a motor to power a chain and the chain controls the movement of the parts in the gun. No energy from the firing needed to power the system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_gun

[Army]

A "machine gun" is generally acknowledged militarily as a fully automatic, crew served weapon that is not readily able to be fired from the shoulder or hip (m2, M1919, MK19 etc).

Shoulder fired full-auto (M60, M240, m249 etc) are in the realm of automatic rifles, and do not necessarily require an assistant gunner.

Assault rifles are shoulder weapons that can be selectively fired by the individual.

Submachine guns are weapons that fire a pistol, or sub-caliber ammunition.


Chain guns use a large chain (looking very much like an oversized Harley Davidson timing chain) to revolve a shuttle around a squared track. The shuttle slides in a channel that is part of the bolt assembly. As the chain is run over a powered gear, the shuttle (an actual link of the chain) is pushed forward up one side of the "square track", dragging the bolt assembly with it...in this case, into battery. As the bolt locks into battery, the shuttle now passes through the channel and crosses over to the other side of the track, where it now pulls the bolt assembly out of battery (the round has already fired by this time), and to the rear of the track. The shuttle again crosses over, and the process happens again. Rounds per minute averages 250-400 depending on caliber.

[an actual gun]

Well, for one thing, machine gun is a noun and fully-automatic is an adjective.

Machine gun is a specific class of weapons. It's a "thing". Fully-automatic is simply a description of the mechanism of certain firearms. It'd almost be like saying "What's the difference between a pistol and a double-action?" Well, a pistol is a pistol, some can be double-action and some not.

Machine guns are, as noted, a class of weapons. Different military organizations may define or classify them differently, but the most general consensus divides them into classes of light, medium and heavy. Some may swap these classifications around slightly--for instance some may call the M60 an LMG, an MMG or a general purpose machine gun.

Light machine guns, AKA LMG's, are machine guns that can be readily fired from the shoulder and are in general not crew operated, or at least don't NEED to be crew operated. Above LMG, machine guns of the heavier variety are usually mounted and not considered as portable; thus they require setup, and usually a crew.

Mostly unique amongst machine guns is the lack of a box magazine, instead operating on belt fed ammunition. This is not a defining feature, however--some machine guns have been designed to accept box magazines. Another unique feature of most machine guns is the issue of barrels--the barrel life of a machine gun is generally much less than that of a typical infantry rifle. Most general purpose machine guns are designed relatively modular so that during crew operation, during moments of heavy fire, crewmen will be able to rapidly change the barrel and begin firing anew.

As has been mentioned, a machine gun is designed to fire rifle ammunition. "Sub-machine guns" on the other hand fire pistol-sized cartridges. In the middle of these terms, there are some weapons that don't seem to perfectly fit the above definitions. For instance, some refer to the M249 which fires an intermediate cartridge as not necessarily a machine gun or sub-machine gun. Merely a matter of preference though, I personally feel the M249 could easily be called an LMG, for simplicity's sake.

Despite all this information which is in general held as common knowledge amongst those interested in firearms, in U.S. law terms, a fully-automatic AK-47 and an old Browning M1919 could both be called "machine guns". I wouldn't recommend referring to your AK-47 as a machine gun, though, if you pride yourself with any shred of respect or knowledge on the subject of firearms. Especially around the range, pulling out your civilian semi-auto SAIGA and calling it a machine gun will at best garner laughs, at worst icy blank stares.

[mooster]

Rounds per minute averages 250-400 depending on caliber.

The original 25mm units fired at over 600spm. This was viewed as excessive so they tuned it down to around 250-range. You can now order them down to a little over 100spm. As an electric gun, it's all a matter of voltage tuning (intentional or unintentional) to get a different rate of fire.

[radioburning]

Thanks for the info...

The reason I asked is I was under the impression "machine guns" were banned for civilians in 1934, but I know there's all kinds of FA stuff going on outside of Kali. Thanks again for the info...