Heckler & Koch PSG1 vs M60 machine gun

FORCETALLY

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ASmall arms

Heckler & Koch PSG1

Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle

Credit

Geckcgt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

BSmall arms

M60 machine gun

General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Heckler & Koch PSG1Length

1.23 m

Length source ↗

M60 machine gunLength

1.105 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Heckler & Koch PSG1larger figure on 3 of 4

Length+11%
Barrel length+16%
Muzzle velocity+2%

M60 machine gunlarger figure on 1 of 4

Mass+46%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

18 of 81 rows sourced on both sides

1.23m

1.11m

Length+11%

All recorded figures & sources

1.23 m

Length

Single source

1,230 mm (48.4 in)^[source]

1.105 m

Length

Single source

Configuration

Details

Heckler & Koch PSG1 and M60 machine gun configuration
Specification	Heckler & Koch PSG1	M60 machine gun
Type	Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle^[source]	General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun^[source]
Place of origin	West Germany^[source]	United States^[source]
In service	1972–present^[source]	1960–present^[source]
Used by	See Users^[source]

Wars	Lebanese Civil War War in Iraq (2013–2017) Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir Russian invasion of Ukraine^[source]	Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Dominican Civil War Cambodian Civil War Moro conflict The Troubles Lebanese Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War Salvadoran Civil War Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Persian Gulf War Operation Gothic Serpent War in Afghanistan Iraq War Cambodian–Thai border stand-off Colombian armed conflict Insurgency in the Philippines Bougainville conflict Myanmar conflict various others^[source]

Designer	Heckler & Koch^[source]	—

Designed	1968^[source]	1952–1957^[source]

Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch SEDENA (licensed)^[source]	Saco Defense U.S. Ordnance^[source]

Produced	1972–2014^[source]	1957–present^[source]

Variants	PSG1A1 MSG90^[source]	See Variants^[source]

Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO^[source]	7.62×51mm NATO^[source]

Action	Roller-delayed blowback^[source]	Gas-operated , short-stroke gas piston, opened rotating bolt^[source]

Feed system	5, 10 or 20-round detachable box magazine . 50 round drum also compatible.^[source]	Disintegrating belt with M13 Links^[source]

Sights	Hensoldt ZF 6×42 PSG1 telescopic sight with illuminated reticle^[source]	Iron sights^[source]

Role	semi-automatic sniper rifle / designated marksman rifle^[source]	—

Source measurement	The PSG1 is mechanically based on the Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Its shot-to-shot variation is expected to be better than 1 minute of angle (MOA) with match ammunition. This level of accuracy is only average compared to most modern bolt action sniper rifles, but is still exceptional for a semi-automatic rifle and at one time was claimed to be "one of the most accurate semi-automatic sniper rifles in the world."^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage PSG1s are not supplied with iron sights but come equipped with the Hensoldt ZF 6×42 PSG1 scope with an illuminated reticle . The scope has a built-in bullet drop compensation range adjustment feature which can be adjusted from 100 to 600 m.^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The PSG1A1 variant was introduced by Heckler & Koch in 2006, and features two major improvements. First, the cocking handle was relocated a couple of degrees counter-clockwise. This was because when locked rearward, it could physically interfere with the long scopes often used on the rifles. The second modification involved the replacement of the outdated Hensoldt scope. Non-police users often found the scope's 600 m range limitation and simple crosshairs inadequate for their needs. In addition, the rechargeable batteries are difficult to recharge and for which to find replacements. A final fault is that Hensoldt does not service the scope in the United States. For these reasons, the PSG1A1 has been outfitted with a Schmidt & Bender 3–12×50 Police Marksman II scope, mounted on 34 mm (1.3 in) rings. To remedy brass ejection a brass catcher must be installed.^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details / PSG1A1; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—

Source measurement

The PSG1 is mechanically based on the Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Its shot-to-shot variation is expected to be better than 1 minute of angle (MOA) with match ammunition. This level of accuracy is only average compared to most modern bolt action sniper rifles, but is still exceptional for a semi-automatic rifle and at one time was claimed to be "one of the most accurate semi-automatic sniper rifles in the world."^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

PSG1s are not supplied with iron sights but come equipped with the Hensoldt ZF 6×42 PSG1 scope with an illuminated reticle . The scope has a built-in bullet drop compensation range adjustment feature which can be adjusted from 100 to 600 m.^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The PSG1A1 variant was introduced by Heckler & Koch in 2006, and features two major improvements. First, the cocking handle was relocated a couple of degrees counter-clockwise. This was because when locked rearward, it could physically interfere with the long scopes often used on the rifles. The second modification involved the replacement of the outdated Hensoldt scope. Non-police users often found the scope's 600 m range limitation and simple crosshairs inadequate for their needs. In addition, the rechargeable batteries are difficult to recharge and for which to find replacements. A final fault is that Hensoldt does not service the scope in the United States. For these reasons, the PSG1A1 has been outfitted with a Schmidt & Bender 3–12×50 Police Marksman II scope, mounted on 34 mm (1.3 in) rings. To remedy brass ejection a brass catcher must be installed.^[source]Heckler & Koch PSG1 · Design details / PSG1A1; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

—

Country of origin	Germany^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 108, cell 2; revision 1377789247; retrieved 2026-10-02	—

Unit cost	—	US$6,000 (M60E3)^[source]

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