The M60 machine gun is a versatile, belt-fed, gas-operated weapon used by the United States military since the 1960s. It fires 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges and is designed for sustained fire, making it effective for infantry support. Weighing around 23 pounds, it can be mounted on vehicles or used as a portable weapon by soldiers. The M60 features a quick-change barrel to prevent overheating during extended use. It has been employed in various conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, and remains a reliable choice for military forces around the world, despite the introduction of newer models.