Posted on 07/29/2020 7:46:22 AM PDT by w1n1
Have you heard of the Stone 63 light machine gun? The Stoner 63, is a 5.56×45mm NATO, modular weapon system, using a variety of modular components, it can be configured as a rifle, a carbine, a top-fed light machine gun, a belt-fed squad automatic weapon, or a vehicle mounted weapon.
This Stoner was designed by Eugene Stoner in the early 1960s. Cadillac Gage was the primary manufacturer of the Stoner 63 during its history. The Stoner 63 saw very limited combat use by United States forces during the Vietnam War including the Marine Corps and the Navy Seals.
Want to know how good it was?
Ask any of the former Seal members from the Vietnam war and mid 70’s, they can attest it was the thing to have for a four man patrol. The Navy SEALs preferred the modified version as a LMG (Light Machine Gun), honed to deadly efficiency in the jungle environment.
This baby can sing to a 700 rpm cyclic rate. The Stoner 63A (13 lbs) weighed much less than the M60 (23lbs), which required belts of ammunition to be slung over shoulders because it did not have a magazine. This LMG shined at fighting through ambushes or breaking contact at close range. Read the rest of Stoner 63 here.
I think MACV-SOG carried the Stoner 63 some as well.
I recall video of a Seal Team’s example of an exfil using those weapons. The team would leapfrog each other, with the person on the rear sweeping the area with the LMG.
Nothing would have been able to survive that kind of intense fire. Or at least nothing would have survived standing up—I know my face would be in the dirt.
WEBSITE BLOCKED DUE TO TROJAN VIRUS!
When I was younger, I knew a man who worked at Cadillac Gage. I think he was an engineer and often wondered if he had anything to do with the Stoner.
I was in their plant once, maybe early 1980’s. I can’t remember why and don’t remember much about it.
bkmrk
Site won’t open...can someone post a picture!!
Yep. ‘Am Shooting Journal’. Most dangerous firearms blog on the internet.
There are some wiki pictures of the M63 and its derivatives that are confusing. Some pics show the gas tube above the barrel and some show the gas tube below the barrel. Apparently there were/are at least two derivatives of the weapon. Just a guess.
Looks like it would be fun to shoot!
LOL. I wonder where this article was stolen from.
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