7.62mm FN MAG General Purpose Machine Gun, c.1980 (machine gun, medium, FN, 7.62 mm GPMG)

Argentine 7.62mm FN MAG General Purpose Machine Gun, 1980 (c). Designed by the Belgian company FN at Herstal in the early 1950s, the MAG (Mitrailleur à Gaz) rapidly became one of the most widespread general purpose machine guns and its many users also include the British Army. It fires from a 50-round disintegrating belt which can be linked together to provide a 250-round capability. The belts can be held in a 50-round box attached to the gun itself or a 250-round box kept beside the weapon. The cyclic rate of fire is 850-rounds per minute. This particular weapon was used by Argentine forces in the Falklands War (1982). It is mounted on the standard tripod to enable it to produce accurate sustained fire to a maximum range of 1,200 metres. However, as most of the fighting on the Falklands took place at night and at short ranges, the tripod restricted mobility and gave the Argentines no advantage.