Slow-motion really gives an appreciation of the awesomeness of that fine piece of craftsmanship.
The Germans made some fine things... too bad they used them for nefarious purposes.
Somewhere on YouTube there’s an old WWII training video that shows the slow chug-chug of our standard M1919 air cooled MGs versus the buzz-saw staccato blast of the MG42. The narrator says something like “Man, that thing throws a lotta lead!”
But with upwards of 1500 rounds per minute cyclic rate, yeah, you’d expect the thing to sound like a buzz saw.
A testament to the design brilliance of the MG42 is the fact that the German Army still uses it - it’s now re-chambered in our venerable NATO 7.62x51mm caliber, and they simply re-designated it as the MG3.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinmetall_MG3
And on another note - take a look at the physical resemblance of our Vietnam-era M60 to the MG42... no secret where THAT idea came from, huh?
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun
About halfway down the page.
(Off-topic, I know... but GOPster, yah sent me a gun video, and you KNOW what that does to me... it’s like OOH!! Look at the Shiney Thing!!!)