i’m gonna have to go with the bren on this one
You should…
:lol: :lol:
And what about Russian guns? I like Degterev. As for Bren, I know only about its magazins of 30 shots. If there were bigger? If seems it is not enough, compare it with german MD-34 - 100, MG-42 - about 75. And russian PPS(I mean Spagin, not Sudaev - 90 bullets, and Suomi of Finland - not bad for light)
K I think we could debate on wheater or not the Bren was a LMG. But if not I think the American 30 cal and the German MG-34 and MG-42 were better.
Finland had a machine gun named Finland??? :roll:
I think you misunderstood my post 
the Bren WAS a light machine gun although once it was rebored to 7.62 it was officially known as the LMG in British service and no longer called the Bren.
Finland had a machine gun named Finland??? :roll:[/quote]
Yep, they had!!
K I think we could debate on wheater or not the Bren was a LMG. But if not I think the American 30 cal and the German MG-34 and MG-42 were better.[/quote]
I think we have to define “Light Machine gun” You can not compare the Bren with the 30 cal and mg-42. They are completely different type of weapons. We can compare the BAR the BREN and the Mp 44. And any others of those types.
More about Suomi:
http://www.world.guns.ru/smg/smg52-e.htm
(in english with main characteristics)[/quote]
Finland had a machine gun named Finland??? :roll:[/quote]
Yep, they had!!
http://guns.connect.fi/gow/suomi1.html[/quote]
Okay, they had Suome as sub-mashine gun, but LMG was LS 26 Lahti-Soloranta, recoil-operated, 7.62x54R (Mosin-Nagant), great LMG, it was very accurate, so finnish snipers sometimes used it with scope as sniper rifle.
http://www.winterwar.com/Weapons/FinSmallArms/FinAutomatics.htm#LAHTI-SALORANTA
Does anyone speak finnish??? Puhutko Suomea??
onlu using russian-finish military phrase-book:
Jos juokset, ammun !
(if you will try to run, I shall shot you)
I will have to remember that one for sure. 
:lol:
I think best gun is dekhtyarev!!!
Do you meand PD 1927 ?
Nothing outstanding at my look, just version of Czech Zb26 (or Bren L4) in mechanical ideas, compilied with Lewis M1915.
Best way to see it - just disassembly L4 or Zb26 near with disassembled PD 1927 - youll see what i meand.
I can’t say that PD 1927 was a pice of scrap, but i can’t honestly say: “PD 1927 was a best LMG during WWII”. Good LMG, but not outstanding, with a lot of problems, partly fixed late in 1942 with new DPM LMG
But i can bet it - best LMG in WWII was German MG 34.
You cannot put the MP44 in this class it was the first of what is now known as an assault rifle. Pretty much what every armed force uses as standard nowadays.
IMO you could add MP44 to LMG class.
It is a machine gun (like MG34 or MG42)? No.
LMG is is designed to be carried and operated by an individual soldier.
So I bet you could carry and fire an MP44, couldn’t you? :lol:
Ya I am getting REALLY confused with what is the deffiniton of LMG (light maching gun) Somehow it is in my head that an LMG is a gun that can be effectively fired while moving, and of course in prone and crouching. You can not even pick up a MG-34 and fire it while crouching. Right so, I am going to make a new post which you can debate about a few guns.
Sure you can’t look at MP43/MP44/StG44 as a LMG. Is it assault rifle (first really good assault rifle in the World).
Wich difference between LMG and assault rifle ?
Okay, let’s try to decide:
- LMG should be used as stacionary based machine gun, but with ability to quick change location. Assault rifle shoul be used in more short range of fire, more in attack, (carry and fire) . LMG should be used as infantry-support weapon, it sould suppress enemies at long range, make covering fire when infantry attack.
No one LMGs (i meand real life, not movies or games) can be used for “carry and fire” with any hope to hit targets - after 2nd shoot LMG operator will shoot in clouds. A hawe heard about Rambotitos, who can run and shoot from M60 or PKM (in some ugly tales with two LMGs in hands). But i never seen it in real life, specially in battle. - According to destination, LMG designed for automatic fire in most cases (some of LMG don’t hawe semy-auto mode). Is it meand - LMG hawe a large long heavy barrel, mostly removable barrel. Ususally in WWII period and late LMGs got a barrel with radiator for better cooling.
- Long heavy barrel need for LMG not only because auto fire. LMG should hawe more long range of fire than assault rifle, usually real range of fire (accurate fire, not range of ball flight) about 2-2.5 times more, than range of fire of assault rifle.
For example, range of accurate fire from AKM can be about 600 meters, but PKM pretty accurate at 1200-1500 meters (i meand real use). - Matter of bullet kind. By reasons of detinations assault rifles and LMGs n normal case use different kind of bullets with simular cartrige and calibre.
Machine guns bullets usually more hevy than bullets for assault rifles. Yes, you can use in LMG cartriges for assault rifle and can use for assault rifle cartriges for LMG, but in case with assault rifle barrel (and not only barrel) will be out of duty more sooner than with use with normal cartriges.
Why LMG bullets need to be hevy and sometimes got more powder inside ? Becase range of fire, ballistical matter. - LMGs usually hawe bipods. And, in most cases can be used in turrets, but i never heard about assualt rifles with ability to use them in turret.
- Clips, stripes and other things. Usually LMG’s designed for use stripes or clips with large quantity of rounds. In best case LMG can use clips and can use stripes too, as MG 34.
In case with BREN, Johnson LMG and BAR M1918 - these guns are not clear LMG. BAR was designed as automatic rifle, but was so hevy and durable, so become a LMG after all. Johnson was designed as paratrooper version of LMG and was a auto-rifle, that can be used as LMG (and FG-42 was a very simular to M1941 LMG).
BREN ? Oh… that CZ 26 nuke mutant was a LMG, but… this top-mounted clip… can’t say something good about it. But looks pretty cool and exotical.
BAR was used as LMG also because USA in WWI and in WWII haven’t anything that can be used as LMG, exept a Lewis M1915 LMG. Same story with Britan Army.
USSR got PD, PDM as LMG (that LMG used mechanical idea from CZ26, but got clip as Lewis M1915).
Germans got great MG-34 (they still hawe it as LMG in Bundeswer now).
Japan maket whole bunch a strange ugly things, that they called a LMG, (including a japanese version of BREN/CZ26 as paratrooper’s assault rifle).
I can continue this idea, but mine selfmaked english (i guess is it more “preatorian’s” than english) don’t allow it now.
So, MP43/MP44/StG44 can be used as LMG because: short light unremovable barrel (after three or so clips with full auto continius fire barrel will be very hot and is it will short range of fire, make it unaccurate and recoil will rise a lot), after 3-5 clips of full auto fire without pauses (yeah, all clouds will be in holes, right) you can carry your StG44 directly to gunsmith. If you will shock overheated barrel of any assault rifle - this gun will shoot with ballistic of firework and you’ll be able to kill somebody only if you put barrel in month to your enemy.
LMG as MG24 can fire without any problems 20 - 100 shoots per one serie according operating manual. After 500 shoots nonstop fire (by series of 5-50 shoots) you should change a barrel or cooling already used.
Opps… sorry, but you can fire MG-34 while runing or crouching. But i not surу in effect of this fire.
Ussually germans use this tactics: MG34 operator carry MG, moving, second number of MG34 crew run near and, in such of needfull, MG34 operatop use left shoulder of second number as turret. Second number hold bipods legs in left arm and lead stripe with rounds by right hand (in case if MG34 use stripe, if MG use roundclip - second number hold MG by right hand, just pressing barrel to left shoulder). What happends with with left ear of second number - i just guessing…
Somewhere in archives i hawe photos of MG34 crew, using this tactic.