Dragunov wrote:ah. but apparently it doesn't matter (okay, it does.), otherwise they would have changed it on the MG3... no?
but even if it had a handle... where would you put it? on the ground...?
They didn't change it in the MG 3 but MG 3 is, as we all know, basically the same weapon firing 7,62 NATO.
It must not be forgotten that we are talking about the very first examples of belt-fed light machine guns here. They were good guns but not perfect. Many later succesful light machine guns such as the FN MAG or PK series feature a handle on the barrel to aid removing it and for carrying the weapon.
If you don't have a handle on the barrel it will, like I said, just drop in dirt or where ever gravity sees fit to position it. The barrel and the chamber in it are likely to get sand or something else in them that doesn't belong there. This way the barrel has to be cleaned before putting it to use again. When a barrel has a handle it can be put aside pretty much anywhere in the firing position waiting to cool down. It can be put for instance into an empty ammo bin, on the edge of foxhole, against a tree stub, a branch, tree trunk or anywhere but not in the dirt or sand. See my point?
