Belarusian machine gunner with 580-round ammo backpack - photo

**Jon** · Jul 27, 2020, 01:11 PM

Belarusian machine gunner with 580-round ammo backpack.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...k_fullsize.jpg

Previously:

Anti-aircraft ammunition linking - video
Soviet machine gun belt loading tool - GIF
M61 Vulcan cannon feed system - GIF
Northrop Grumman M230LF chain gun - GIF
Automated ammunition manufacturing - GIF

**trigger** · Jul 27, 2020, 09:19 PM

Just what a gpmg needs clean fresh well behaved ammo when it gets hungry

**TheElderBrother** · Jul 27, 2020, 10:17 PM

I'm betting that's a guy who doesn't skip leg day. Or carry his own water.

**Nick79** · Aug 1, 2020, 09:32 PM

For all the snowflakes that are clueless about weapons and confuse semi-automatic rifles with "assault weapons" - - THIS is an ASSAULT WEAPON.

**Duke_of_URL** · Aug 2, 2020, 06:13 PM

As a former machine gunner, I can appreciate the belt backpack and feed protection sheath. They allow the gunner to be independent of a sidekick to manage ammunition and provide over-watch. An upside for the Platoon is they get another full-time Rifleman. The downside is that the machine gunner must carry all of his own ammunition plus a heavy machine gun! Parachuting with all that would be quite challenging, especially with a rucksack!

**Unkle Fuzzy** · Aug 3, 2020, 10:44 AM

I'll bet feed jams are a bitch though.

He'll still need a 2nd man just in case of a jam...he can't reach it if he had to.

I'll bet his mobility sucks...better off with a well trained 2 man crew. That much ammo will end up cooking off spectacularly if he isn't very careful about sustained fire.

**Duke_of_URL** · Aug 3, 2020, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Unkle Fuzzy

I'll bet feed jams are a bitch though.

He'll still need a 2nd man just in case of a jam...he can't reach it if he had to.

I'll bet his mobility sucks...better off with a well trained 2 man crew.

Yep, I agree, this must be for a special application. Since the machine gun is the most important weapon in the platoon, it's usually noticed whenever your firing stops. Of course bad guys always want to kill the machine gun first and the radio operator second, so those are unenviable positions to volunteer for. Oh, the things we do when we're young.