 Quartering View of A/N M2. | |
| Catridge | .50 BMG |
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,930fps/893mps |
| Range | 2,000yds/1800m |
| Rate of Fire |
~800rpm |
The Browning .50 A/N M2 was a developement of the standard Browning .50 for use in flexible and fixed application aboard aircraft. Major modifications involved the addition of a light weight barrel that dropped the total weight of the gun 20 pounds, and use of the slipstream generated in flight to cool the weapon. The combined effects pushed the cyclic rate of the machine gun from an average of 500 rpm to an average of 800 rpm.
A further development of the A/N M2 concept culminated in the A/N M3, which featured a mechanical or electrical boosted feed mechanism, increasing ROF to 1,200 rpm. Originally seeing use aboard the F-86 Sabre.
Other modifications of the original A/N M2 are used today as offensive and defensive weapons aboard helicopters.