With the FN® M2HB-QCB Mk2, FN Herstal introduces the latest configuration of its iconic Browning .50 calibre (12.7x99mm) heavy machine gun. It includes several upgrades that improve maintainability and operational effectiveness. The Mk2 comes with two major improvements whilst retaining the FN® QCB configuration for maximum reliability, safety and effectiveness. There is no loss of interchangeability for parts or mountings with earlier FN® M2HB-QCB versions. The barrel of the FN® M2HB-QCB Mk2 is factory fitted with an effective flash hider, or ready for the customer to add one as and when required. The flash hider greatly reduces flash signature, so both survivability and combat effectiveness are improved significantly.
The FN® M2HB-QCB Mk2 is factory fitted with, or ready for easy integration of, an FN SmartCore®. The state-of-the-art FN SmartCore® shot counter allows more efficient and cost-effective preventive maintenance and management. The left handle is ready to take an integrated FN SmartCore® shot counter. This allows more efficient and cost-effective preventive maintenance, which improves weapon reliability and availability, reduces life cycle costs and extends operational life. These upgrades can be retrofitted to the large number of earlier-configuration in-service weapons, either in the customers’ facilities by their own armourers or by FN technical experts, or in FN Herstal sites.
Originally designed by John Moses Browning over a century ago, “Ma Deuce” has the secret to eternal youth: adaptation. The design has had many designations; the official U.S. military designation for the infantry type is Browning Machine Gun, Cal. .50, M2, HB, Flexible. It has been used against infantry, light armored vehicles, watercraft, light fortifications, and low-flying aircraft. The gun has been used extensively as a vehicle weapon and for aircraft armament by the United States since the 1930s. The M2HB (heavy barrel) is manufactured in the U.S. by General Dynamics, Ohio Ordnance Works, U.S. Ordnance, and FN Herstal for sale to the U.S. government and other nations via Foreign Military Sales. FN Herstal has manufactured the M2 machine gun since the 1930s.
The M2HB was derived from the original M2 model that was water cooled. The M2HB features a “Heavy Barrel” instead of water cooling. It is belt fed and is operated by spade grips and a butterfly trigger. The M2HB-QCB is quite similar to the M2HB, but is fitted with a quick change barrel. It was developed by FN Herstal in Europe. The Quick Change Barrel (QCB) variant can be identified by the fixed carry handle on the quick change barrel under combat conditions. To change the barrel no asbestos glove are needed and there are no headspacing problems when fitting the new barrel. The FN® M2HB-QCB Mk2 retains all the advantages of the FN® QCB configuration available on previous FN ® M2HB-QCB machine guns.
