Semiauto Madsen LMG in action

[Ian]

I took a semiauto Madsen LMG to a 2-gun (like 3-gun, but without shotguns) match this weekend. It was a beast to haul around (20 pounds), but really a lot of fun. It's a 1946 Chilean Army gun rebuilt as a semiauto, and chambered for 8mm Mauser. I was a little surprised (and happily so) that it didn't give me a single malfunction of any kind while shooting. The closest thing to a malf was discovering that to eject a live chambered round (at the end of a course of fire), you have to give the charging handle a very brisk yank. Otherwise it will only partially extract, and the Madsen design has no good way to either finish extracting a round in that condition, nor a forward assist to push the round and bolt back into battery.

Anyway, here are a few stills from the match video (I'm going to put them on my resume if I ever apply for a job with the Rio de Janeiro police ) :

Overall I came in 29 of 38, which I'm quite happy with. My best stage was a tie for 5th place, and my worst was a tie for last place.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

You had to come in first in style points. That is way cool.

 

[Robert]

Ian you have the coolest stuff.

 

[Walkalong]

That is ultra cool.

 

[Trent]

Haha! Very nice.

 

[Ian]

Here's the complete match video, for anyone who's interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=L44vzCo33tc

 

[yzguy87]

Thats a cool video! Definately 1st in style!!!

 

[waterhouse]

Awesome.

 

[303tom]

I Agree With Everyone, Awesome !................

 

[Trent]

Ok. I watched the video.

And .. wow.

I couldn't stop giggling man.

That was awesome.

 

[Ian]

It really was a lot of fun to run the match with that beast - and I was lucky that the stages were pretty conducive to having a cool rifle this month. The footage came out even better than I'd hoped.

I have a couple plans for upcoming months...

Two of the other shooters and I are planning to do a "gas impingement month" at some point, using a Ljungman, Hakim, and Rasheed between the three of us. I'm also going to to an Enfield match sooner or later, with a No4 Enfield rifle and a No2 Enfield revolver. And best of all, once my 7.62x39 Chinese Bren semiauto is finished I'm going to do a match with that and a Chinese-import Broomhandle Mauser.

 

[Trent]

My favorite parts where when you put your boot to the plywood to extract your barrel, and the next favorite, when you were trying to get that really low opening figured out. Buzzer goes off for max time and I heard you say "thank God".... I was thinking "that dirt is about to get that action ALL sorts of goofed up"

You know I may need to bring the MG42 out for one of these local 3 gun shoots.

"Load and make ready"

......

......

"Are you ready?"

"Not yet!"

.....

.....

"OK I'm good."

 

[Geronimo45]

Heh, fantastic work.

Two of the other shooters and I are planning to do a "gas impingement month" at some point, using a Ljungman, Hakim, and Rasheed between the three of us. I'm also going to to an Enfield match sooner or later, with a No4 Enfield rifle and a No2 Enfield revolver. And best of all, once my 7.62x39 Chinese Bren semiauto is finished I'm going to do a match with that and a Chinese-import Broomhandle Mauser.

Winning!

 

[Ian]

Trent, you should use the PKM! Even a goofball like me would be hesitant to try to use a 42 - it's even heavier, and harder to hold at the shoulder. The PKM, though, would be a perfect LMG/GPMG for a match like this. Just hope your stages don't call for any mandatory reloads.

 

[Trent]

Trent, you should use the PKM! Even a goofball like me would be hesitant to try to use a 42 - it's even heavier, and harder to hold at the shoulder. The PKM, though, would be a perfect LMG/GPMG for a match like this. Just hope your stages don't call for any mandatory reloads.

Mandatory reloads, hell. We need mandatory BARREL changes. And to be squadded up with A gunners.

Hmm.

The MG42 would be tough. But that PKM isn't easy to shoulder either, heavy barrel, and 100 rounds in a box hanging from the bottom. I'd be hard pressed to hold it there long. I can probably use the sling to take some of the weight off of my front arm.

Accuracy wise I'd much, much, much rather have the PKM. That gun shoots awesome groups (1 to 1.5 MOA off the tripod).

 

[Ian]

You don't have to load all 100 rounds, y'know...

 

[Trent]

Well, there's that.

Speaking of round count, did you even GET to shoot your handgun that day???



EDIT:

You don't have to load all 100 rounds, y'know...

You obviously don't know me, or my personality, that well.

Go big, or go home.