中機関銃、あるいは汎用機関銃は、ベルト給弾式で、二脚ないし三脚の取り付けが可能で、フルパワーの小銃弾を用いる。 The medium machine gun, or general-purpose machine gun, is belt-fed, mounted on a bipod or tripod, and fires full-power rifle ammunition.
This medium machinegun (MMG) classification generally includes .264 to .33 caliber (6.5mm to 8mm) automatic weapons. Typical MMG weights are 25 pounds or more when loaded with 50 rounds of ammunition. Remaining ammunition, ground tripod, spare barrel, and other accessories can add another 25 pounds or more to the overall weight of MMG systems. The MMG is generally employed by a crew of three. A MMG generally uses bullets that weigh between 140 and 220 grains. Optimally, they are employed against personnel and light materials (e.g., motor vehicles) at ranges of 1500 meters or less.