MG3
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Barrel
- 565 mm
- Weight, empty
- 10.50 kg
- Introduced
- 1968
About
What it is, and why it matters
The MG3 (Maschinengewehr 3) is a German general-purpose machine gun manufactured by Rheinmetall AG. It is a post-war evolution of the legendary MG42, rechambered from the original 7.92x57mm Mauser to the standard 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. The MG3 entered production in 1968 as the definitive standardized variant following a series of earlier NATO conversions (MG1, MG1A1, MG1A2, MG1A3). Like its predecessor, the MG3 employs a short-recoil operated, roller-locked mechanism that fires from an open bolt, retaining the MG42's characteristically high rate of fire. The standard MG3 achieves a cyclic rate of approximately 1,100-1,200 rounds per minute with its lighter 650-gram bolt, though interchangeable heavier bolts (900g) can reduce the rate to 700-900 rpm for improved controllability and reduced barrel wear. The weapon features a quick-change barrel system that allows replacement in seconds, essential given its high rate of fire. The MG3 is fed from NATO-standard DM1 (50-round) or DM6 (100-round) disintegrating link belts, with a chrome-lined barrel featuring four right-hand grooves at a 1:305mm twist rate. The weapon serves in bipod-mounted light machine gun and tripod-mounted sustained fire roles, and can also be adapted for vehicle and anti-aircraft mounting. The MG3 has been adopted by over 30 countries and was produced under license in Italy, Greece, Iran, Pakistan, Spain, and Turkey.
The MG3 is essentially a rechambered MG42, making it the direct descendant of what Allied soldiers called 'Hitler's Buzzsaw' in World War II. Its variable rate of fire can be adjusted simply by swapping bolt assemblies of different weights, ranging from a devastating 1,200 RPM with the light bolt to a more manageable 700 RPM with the heavy bolt. The German Bundeswehr is only now beginning to replace it with the HK MG5 after over 50 years of service.
The MG3's variable rate of fire is achieved by exchanging the bolt assembly: the standard 650g bolt produces the high 1,100-1,200 rpm rate, while the heavier 900g bolt reduces it to 700-900 rpm. The Italian MG42/59 uses an even heavier 1,200g bolt for approximately 800 rpm. The weapon retains the MG42's distinctive stamped steel construction, which was revolutionary in its time for reducing manufacturing cost and complexity. Without the buttstock (for tripod or vehicle mounting), the MG3 measures 1,097mm. The barrel weighs 1.7 kg and features chrome lining for extended service life. The MG3 can be fired from the bipod against targets at 600 meters effectively, extending to 1,000 meters when mounted on the Feldlafette (field tripod) with optical sight. Maximum trajectory range reaches 3,000 meters. Production rights were purchased by Italy, Greece, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, Spain, and Turkey, with active manufacturing continuing in Turkey (MKEK) and Pakistan (POF). The German Bundeswehr is gradually replacing the MG3 with the HK MG5 (MG4 in 5.56mm / MG5 in 7.62mm), though the MG3 remains in widespread reserve and secondary use.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Rheinmetall AG
- Category
- Machine Gun
- Country
- Germany
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1968
- Variant of
- Modernized
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 565 mm
- Overall length
- 1225 mm
- Weight, empty
- 10.50 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Roller delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Open bolt
- Trigger
- Automatic only
- Magazine
- Belt
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stamped steel
- Barrel
- Chrome lined steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Parkerized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 820 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3194 J
- Effective range
- 1000 m
- Maximum range
- 3000 m
- Rate of fire
- 1200 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Quick change barrel
Chrome lined barrel- Roller locked mechanism
Stamped steel construction
Muzzle booster
Folding bipod- Tripod capable
Air cooled
Anti aircraft capable- Variable rate of fire
Disintegrating belt feed
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 32 7.62x51mm NATO machine guns | 10.50 kg | 10.51 kg | Near the median |
| Overall lengthAmong 32 7.62x51mm NATO machine guns | 1225 mm | 1149 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 32 7.62x51mm NATO machine guns | 565 mm | 559 mm | Longer than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the MG3
How much does the MG3 weigh?
The MG3 weighs 10.50 kg (23.15 lb) empty.
What caliber is the MG3?
The MG3 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How long is the MG3?
The MG3 is 1225 mm (48.2 in) long overall, with a 565 mm (22.2 in) barrel.
Who makes the MG3?
The MG3 is made by Rheinmetall AG (Germany). It was designed by Werner Gruner.
When was the MG3 introduced?
The MG3 was introduced in 1968.
How does the MG3 operate?
The MG3 uses a roller delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is open bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- German Bundeswehr
- 1968
- Austrian Armed Forces
- 1974
- Italian Armed Forces
- 1959
- Turkish Armed Forces
- Türkiye
- Pakistani Armed Forces
- Pakistan
- Greek Armed Forces
- Greece
- Spanish Armed Forces
- Spain
- Iranian Armed Forces
- Iran
- Danish Armed Forces
- 1962
- Norwegian Armed Forces
- Norway
Provenance
Confidence in this record
83%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/mg3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "mg3", "name": "MG3", "manufacturer": { "id": "rheinmetall", "name": "Rheinmetall AG", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1889, "website": "https://www.rheinmetall.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:49", "version": "701a641626090806677db45286b2453c083ea19a69b3788759e4c38b905e45a5" }, "category": { "id": "machine-gun", "name": "Machine Gun", "description": "Fully automatic firearms for sustained fire" }, "country_of_origin": "DE", "year_introduced": 1968, "barrel_length_mm": 565, "weight_empty_g": 10500, "action_type": "roller_delayed_blowback"}