What's the Difference between a Machine Gun and a Sub-Machine Gun?

Question

Seems like it depends on the ammo mostly then? Okay, how about an AK-47 or similar rifles that use what looks, to my untrained eye, like rifle bullets...7.62 mm or something if I'm not mistaken.

Answer 1

Size mainly. And whether it can be fired off-hand.

Answer 2

Machine guns are usually set in a speficic position due to it's weight.A sub machine gun can be carried.They have the advantages of rapid fire with a pistol round.Not as accurate as a rifle but good in close quarters.

Answer 3

The difference is bullets and function. The machine gun uses rifle ammo or larger. A sub-machine gun uses pistol ammo only. The AK-47 is a hybrid known as an assault rifle. This uses a bullet that is as big as a rifle round but has a small pistol size cartridge to fire the bullet. The 7.62mm in NATO is bigger than the Russian 7.62mm The NATO round is described as such 7.62mm x 51 while the Russian is 7.62mm x 39 the difference being the cartridge size. the smaller size gives the user a sub-machine gun sized weapon while getting that large rifle punch at short to medium ranges.

Answer 4

Sub-machine gun is a smaller sized bullet, example the Heckler & Koch 9mm submachine gun, or the Uzi sub-machine gun is basically a pistol caliber bullet.
The M-60 machine gun on the other hand shoots the venerable 7.62 X 51 or .308 caliber rifle bullet, much bigger and nastier. With greater range, penetrating power, the machine gun is the champ but, it is heavier and less likely to be carried easily for example by police officers or security.
The sub-machine gun was made for lighter weight, portability and the ability to set a lot of bullets into motion, while still being smaller than the bolt action rifles which were the other weapon for field soldiers when they were developed.

Answer 5

In a nutshell a machine gun usually uses long arm or rifle cartridge or larger calibre ammo and is consequently too heavy to carry and fire with one arm or without some exertion. A sub machine gun on the other hand was developed to utilise pistol ammo and thus be more compact and easily fired while in the full heat of battle. The M1 Browning 12.7 mm machine gun vs the Sterling MK4 9mm sub machine gun.

Answer 6

A machinegun is a firearm capable of being fired from a mounted position or shouldered. It fires rifle cartridges from a belt or high capacity magazine, and has a rate of fire of several hundred rounds per minute in automatic fire.

A submachine gun is a firearm that is larger than a pistol and smaller than a rifle that typically fires pistol cartridges in either semi-automatic, fully-automatic or burst fire modes.

Firearms such as the AK-47 and M16 are neither of the above, they are Automatic Rifles (please don't call them "assault rifles"). It is a fine line between an Automatic rifle and a Machinegun, they are distinguished by their weight, rate of fire and standard magazine capacity. Automatic Rifles generally have a magazine capacity of 25-30rds while Machineguns have magazines or belts carrying anywhere from 75-250+rds. The best way to tell them apart by looks is if it is large, heavy and can hold a lot of bullets it is likely a Machinegun. If it is small, compact and holds a small amount of RIFLE bullets it is likely an Automatic Rifle. Just about any firearm that shoots pistol cartridges in any automatic mode is going to be a submachinegun.

Ammo is not an accurate way to distinguish an Automatic Rifle from a Machinegun. An M16, an Automatic Rifle, fires a 5.56 bullet, same as the M249 which is a Machinegun. Or the AK-47 which fires a 7.62x39mm bullet and is an Automatic Rifle. Likewise the RPK-47 fires the same cartridge yet is a Machinegun.

I know this may sound a little confusing, so if you have any specific questions please feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 7

Very Simple.

Machine Guns Fire Rifle cartridges
Sub-Machine Guns fire Pistol Cartridges.

Answer 8

A Machine Gun is usually supported by either a tripod or a pedestal. A human usually cannot support, aim, or shoot the gun in the standing position.

A Sub-Machine gun can usually be held with two hands by the firer alone, without any support such as a tripod or pedestal.

Answer 9

Depends on which language you speak. The Germans call their submachine guns like the MP5 and MP7 "maschinenpistole" which literally means machine pistol. The Russians call their submachine guns like the PPSh-41 "pistolet pulyemot" or machine pistol. We tend not to use the "machine pistol" terminology.

Answer 10

Try to think of it this way. Anybody can lift and fire a sub-machine gun, but only Rambo can lift and fire a machine gun.

Answer 11

not 100%sure but a sub machine gun is a smaller gun or pistol fired from the shoulder eg an ak 47 or an old fashioned sten gun,or uzzi type weapon.
a machine gun is not meant to be held but is larger and usually in a fixed position to fire.