Why do machine guns have semi-auto function?

Question

why do machine guns, and submachine guns, which are not very accurate guns even on single fire, have the function to begin with? you are not going to use a machine gun as a sharpshooter weapon, you are not going to use a uzi to snipe somebody 200 yards away because it is horribly inaccurate. so why bother putting a single fire function on a gun that is only meant to shoot rapidly???

Answer 1

I have been to Iraq several times and have never fired my m16 or m4 on automatic.  Give a weapon single fire allows the operator to have greater accuracy when firing at a point target.  Most automatic "machine guns" like the m249 saw or the 240g/b do not have a single shot.  Now if Ive got something more compact like the uzi you mentioned, I still would prefer to have single shot for rules of engagement purposes.  Why send 3-5 rounds downrange when you can get the job done with 1?  Ammo is heavy and you never know when you are going to get more!

Answer 2

Apparently they have them to make you ask foolish questions. Machine guns are not inherently inaccurate.

Answer 3

It gives variety. No just kidding. In semi the firearm functions like a regular weapon. Getting away from little sub-guns, look at the M-16. Semi for precision and auto for suppression or saturation.

The M-16, M60 and M2 do not fall under your statement of being horribly inaccurate at 200 yards...

Answer 4

I don't know where you get the idea that machine guns or submachine guns are innaccurate. It would be really easy to make hits on a body sized silhouette with something like an H&K MP5 at 200 yards, especially with some kind of red dot or holographic sights.

Answer 5

If you are low on ammo, spray n' pray isn't going to work. And you're right, they are not sharpshooters, but accuracy greatly improves when you are not trying to keep the muzzle of the gun down from the recoil.

Answer 6

The Uzi I've shot with a shoulder stock was pretty accurate when fired on semi auto from the shoulder.

You can still make a precision shot.

Most crew served MG's don't have a semi auto selection because they are meant to be used for sustained automatic fire.

If you are grouping rifles in your question I can tell you for sure that an M16 or M4 on Semi Auto is extremely accurate and can make precision shots out beyond 200 yards easily.

Answer 7

so u don't have to keep reloading

Answer 8

Mainly it's an ammo conservation thing.  Although, without a lot of intensive training, it is reasonably difficult to keep on target while unleashing a magazine on auto.  The semi auto mode does improve accuracy by a lot.

You would probably be surprised by how accurate machine guns can be.  Carlos Hathcock used a Browning M2 (.50 browning machine gun) during the Vietnam war as a sharpshooting rifle.

Answer 9

UZIs and MP5s are very accurate 9mm firearms. High pressure 9mm that is used in sub-machine guns is twice as accurate and powerful as regular 9mm used in handguns. You can hit someone at 200 yards in semi-auto with them, where as in fully automatic this would be more difficult. The UZI has flip sites so you switch between 100 yards or 200 yards. You must have been under the impression that they had no accuracy at all. Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Sub-machine guns are much more accurate than pistols.

Also like other people have mentioned the repeat fire mode saves ammo. When you are limited to how much ammo you can actually carry you better make every shot count. You can still double tape in semi-auto if necessary. Shooting in fully automatic is only necessary for suppression fire and quick spray and pray tactics at close range. The Israelis would use tracers in their UZIs so they could shoot first and then aim later by following the tracers.

Also look at the AK-47. In fully automatic the recoil is much more severe than with a sub-machine gun. It is very inaccurate to shoot in fully automatic, yet when in semi-automatic the AK-47 is accurate enough to be a decent deer rifle. You have a maximum effective range of 400 meters.

Answer 10

mainly to save ammo. the special forces such as the SAS, GSG9, and Delta force always use the semi auto option when entering a building. "two to the chest, one to the head" is the motto. it is meant to conserve ammo and at ranges of 25 feet or less, there is a huge difference in accuracy. you also don't want to be spraying and praying when there are civilians or hostages in the building. real life is not like the movies.

Answer 11

Sometimes a single aimed shot will 'do the job',

without revealing your position.

The gun isn't all that inaccurate, and anything inside 3" from the center is good enough.

Single shot is also used with silencers.

Answer 12

Conservation of ammo.

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Answer 13

to save ammo!