Many of us when we think about the idea of the machine gun the image of the browning M2 .50 cal comes to mind. Developed in 1918 as an anti armor weapon, it is the grandfather of all .50 cal machine guns. The .50 cal Machine gun came into its own during the second world war, becomming the principle fighter aircraft armament for many nations. The class of .50cal HMG had many uses since there development, its primary attributes being is bullets hitting power and its impressive range. Its employment is very much like the .30 cal HMG, but can be set further back over lapping the .30 cal field of fire, and protecting its lighter cousin. It should be noted that the .50 cal HMG never lost its ability to be devestating against light armored vehicles, and that many of WWII's early anti-tank Rifles where .50 cal, such as the Soviet PTRS-41, which went on to serve in the Korean war as well. The .50 fits a great nitch between the .30 cal and the anti tank gun, it is an effective killer if infantry, and no scout car or halftrack could ignore the fifties armor penetration ability.
