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LOT 1379
U.S. Wayne Pump M3-A.C. 50 BMG Water Cooled Machine Gun, Class III/NFA Fully Transferable Machine Gun
with Field Mount and Ammo Drum - Serial no. 2407045, 50 BMG cal., 45 1/2 inch round bbl., parkerized finish, synthetic
grips. Developed during World War II, the M3 machine gun was a variant of the M2 intended for aircraft use, maintaining
the general bulk and the same hard-hitting 50 BMG chambering, but boosting the rate of fire to 1,200 rounds per minute.
The M3 was airplane armament into the jet age, and are still seen on some active prop aircraft, helicopters, and ground
emplacements like the “Up-Gun” variant of the Avenger Air Defense System deployed to Afghanistan. This particular M3
uses a sideplate manufactured by Wayne Pump of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Wayne Pump made this machine gun as a “proof
of concept” for the Saginaw Steering Division of General Motors, for whom Wayne was a parts supplier, to show they
were equipped to manufacture a complete machine gun. Saginaw didn’t bite, as they were getting out of the machine
gun business at that point. Reportedly, this gun later ended up in the collection of Dennis Tippman of Tippman Arms
Company (noted manufacturer of miniature Gatling guns and Browning-pattern machine guns. This particular M3 has
been outfitted with a heavy water cooling jacket, which would be typical for use in the air defense role from a fixed
ground position or land vehicle mount. A fixed blade front sight is set in a protective cover on the water jacket, with a
flip up ladder rear sight on the receiver behind the feed cover. The right sideplate bears the Wayne Pump markings, with
a left side feed arrangement, smooth plastic grips on the charging handle and spade grips, dual thumb triggers, and a
rotating manual safety. Includes a metal “tombstone” ammo magazine, field tripod (sans pintle and T&E mechanism) and
a ground swivel mount. Barrel included separately, no barrel currently installed in the gun.