 | This article is missing information about higher-velocity Vickers class D firing 12.7x120mm SR [V/664 and V/690]. (October 2021) |
| Vickers .50 machine gun | |
|---|---|
 A Vickers .50 machine gun, Polish Army Museum, Warsaw (2006) | |
| Type | heavy machine gun Anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1933–1954 |
| Used by | United Kingdom Ireland |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Vickers, Enfield |
| Produced | 1933 - |
| Variants | Marks I–V[note 1] |
| Specifications (Vickers .5 Mk V) | |
| Mass | 63 pounds (29 kg), excluding 10 pounds (4.5 kg) cooling water |
| Length | 52.4 in (1.33 m) |
| Barrel length | 31 in (0.79 m) |
| Cartridge | 12.7×81mm |
| Calibre | 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) |
| Rate of fire | 500–600 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,540 feet per second (770 m/s) |
| Maximum firing range | Altitude: 9,500 feet (2,900 m) Range: 4,265 yards (3,900 m) |
| Feed system | belt |
The Vickers .5 inch machine gun (officially "Gun, Machine, Vickers, .5-in") also known as the Vickers .50 was a large-calibre British automatic weapon. The gun was commonly used as a close-in anti-aircraft weapon on Royal Navy and Allied ships, typically in a four-gun mounting (UK) or two-gun mounting (Dutch), as well as tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. It was similar to the .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun but fired the enlarged calibre British Vickers 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) ammunition; this round was shorter in length than the American .50 BMG (12.7×99mm).
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