Light Weight Machine Gun

Abstract

A light-weight machine gun is made by replacing selected components previously made of steel with interchangeable components made of coated titanium alloy. Several different coatings are used on the components depending on the performance requirements of the component as well as factors related to convenience. The back sight bracket, the side plates, bottom plate and cocking handle guide of the receiver, and the carrying handle rod of the carrying handle assembly, are made of titanium alloy coated with tungsten DLC; the front block, also made of titanium alloy, is coated with a first coating of chrome nitride for resistance to wear resistance and secondarily for high temperature resistance, followed by a second coating of chrome carbo-nitride to provide the appropriate appearance; and the titanium alloy carrying handle bracket of the carrying handle assembly is coated with boron carbide. Performance of the lighter machine gun is equivalent to the prior art carbon steel machine gun but with a weight reduction of over four pounds.

1 . A machine gun, comprising:
 a stock;   a receiver body attached to said stock, said receiver body including a back sight bracket, two opposing side plates, a bottom plate, a cocking handle guide, a fire control spring, and a front block;   a receiver cover attached to said receiver body;   a feeder ramp carried by said receiver body;   a trigger assembly in operative connection with said receiver, said receiver carrying said trigger assembly; and   a barrel in operative connection with said receiver body, with
 a heat shield, 
 a carrying handle, 
 a carrying handle bracket, 
 a front sight collar, and 
 a bipod; 
   wherein said back sight bracket, two opposing side plates, cocking handle guide and bottom plate are made of titanium material having a coating of a wear-resistant material.   
     
     
         2 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said wear-resistant material is a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating. 
     
     
         3 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said DLC is tungsten DLC. 
     
     
         4 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said coating is between 0.005 and 0.010 mm thick. 
     
     
         5 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said titanium material is a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said titanium alloy is Ti-6Al-4V. 
     
     
         7 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said front block is coated with a first coating of chrome nitride. 
     
     
         8 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said first coating is 0.0005-0.005 mm thick. 
     
     
         9 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said front block is coated with a second coating of chrome carbo-nitride. 
     
     
         10 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said second coating is not more than 0.006 mm thick. 
     
     
         11 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said second coating ranges from 0.001 to 0.006 mm thick. 
     
     
         12 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said receiver body has a ceramic coating. 
     
     
         13 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said carrying handle bracket is made of titanium material with a heat-resistant coating. 
     
     
         14 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said heat-resistant coating is boron carbide. 
     
     
         15 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said carrying handle is made of titanium material having a coating. 
     
     
         16 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said coating is tungsten DLC. 
     
     
         17 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said front sight collar is made of a titanium material. 
     
     
         18 . The machine gun as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said titanium material is coated with phosphate.