Can someone explain the LMG reload animations to me?

[Malidictus]

The Division's weird LMG reload animation sparked a discussion about weapon mechanics between myself and a friend of mine, both about that game and about Payday 2. Since neither of us are exactly gunsmiths (myself especially), I figured I'd pose the discussion to the Payday 2 community. You guys always give me ♥♥♥♥ for not knowing firearms, so this is me wanting to learn :)

Our talk mostly concerned the Division's generic reload animation, as well as the Payday 2 reload animations for the KSP and the Ksp 58. It's pretty obvious that The Division's animation is wrong. It causes the player character to operate the charging handle twice, full cycles each time - before and after replacing the magazine. I'm sure that no matter the machinegun, that's always going to eject at least one unspent round, possibly two.

Payday 2 is a bit less straightforward. The KSP is modelled on the M249 LMG, which fires from an open bolt position. Near as I can tell, this means the weapon only strips a round from the magazine when the trigger is pulled. When ♥♥♥♥♥♥ and read to fire, the bolt is locked back and no round is in the chamber. In the game, the player always operates the charging handle after replacing the magazine during a reload, whether the weapon has unspent rounds left or not. If I understand open-bolt correctly, this isn't correct. When the KSP is ♥♥♥♥♥♥ and the bolt locked back, replacing the magazine shouldn't require operating the charging handle at all as rounds are loaded only during firing. When all ammunition has been expended and the weapon has dry-fired once after the last round, the bolt would be locked back. A full reload, then, would require operating the charging handle, but only half-way to lock the bolt back. So does that mean the in-game reload animation is "wrong," or do I misunderstand something?

So what about the Ksp 58, then? That's modelled after the M240/FN MAG LMG, which - again - fires from an open bolt position. I would assume that all of the same issues as above apply - no need to operate the charging handle if replacing the magazine with the weapon ♥♥♥♥♥♥, no need to do a full cycle of the handle on a full reload, etc. On top of this, the Ksp 58 reload animation has the character operate the charging handle before replacing the magazien. I initially thought this was pretty cool, assuming there was some weapon mechanics reason for it to be done this way, but now I'm not so sure what the difference would be at all. Hell, the Buzzsaw-42 went from operating the charging handle after a reload to operating it before a reload when it got its new, slightly faster reload animation, so I don't know what to think any more.

It seems to me that the KSP would waste an unspent round when reloading. As the new magazine is inserted withe weapon cokced, operating the charging handle forward would load an unfired round into the chamber and operating it back would eject it out of the port. If the weapon had been fire until empty, then the bolt and the charhing handle would be locked forward, thus operating the handle back would ♥♥♥♥ it, and operating it forward again would un-♥♥♥♥ it again. The Ksp 58 would, instead, eject an unspent round from the magazine being removed by operating the charging handle first, before inserting a new one. So what the hell is going on here?

[Malidictus]

So you mock me for not understanding firearms, but won't help me understand firearms. Sure :)

I did a bit more "research" on the subject, which just means I looked through World of Guns: Gun Disassembly for the operation of various LMGs. I couldn't find most of the PD2 ones, though. That game lacks an M249, an FN MAG, an HK 21, an RPK or an MG 42. It does have alternatives for some ofthem, however. It has an MG 3 which should be close enough to the MG 42, an HK G3 A3 which should have similar mechanics to the HK 21 and an RPD which hopefully has similar mechanics to the RPK. I also used an M 60 to hopefully approximate the KSP, even though I know it's not a good comparison.

The MG 3, the RPD and the M60 all fire from an open bolt position. Reloading all three of those with ammo left in the magazine (i.e. with the bolt ♥♥♥♥♥♥ back) didn't seem to require operating the charging handle at all. Reloading them from empty, however, with the bolt unsprung in the forward position, was weird. World of Guns' reload animation for the M 60 replaced the magazine first, then moved the charging handle back to ♥♥♥♥ the bolt, then forward to return it to its starting position. The MG 3, on the other hand, removed the magazine, operated the charging handle back-and-forth, then placed the new magazine. The RPD moved the charging handle back-and-forth first, then replaced the magazine.

Now, either the mechanics of these weapons are VASTLY different or - and this is my guess - it doesn't really matter when you operate the charging handle on an open-bolt gun. Before, during or after replacing the magazine produces the same result - a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ gun. When it's done may well be down to operator prefernece or military doctrine, not down to gun mechanics. Since moving the charging handle only ♥♥♥♥♥ the bolt and isn't capable of resetting it forward (I assume the weapon would need to be dry-fired to un-♥♥♥♥ it), the it seems like you're not intended o operate it only half-way, and it can be used to eject an unspent shell. In fact, I'm not entirely sure that operating the charging handle on a cokced open-bolt LMG even does anything, as it seems to be disconnected from the bolt in that situation.

Now, the HK G3 A3, on the other hand, fires from a closed bolt position, which makes things a bit different. Again, no manipilation of the charging handle is necessary for a tactical reload, but it does differ for a full reload. How World of Guns does it is how Payday 2 does it. The charging handle is moved back to open the bolt and eject the last spent shell casing, a new magazine is inserted and the charging handle is moved forward to push the bolt forward, chamber a round and ♥♥♥♥ the striker needle. I'm not entirely sure, though, if replacing the magazine and THEN moving the charging handle a full cycle wouldn't produce the same result. Seems like the order of operations might not matter, but I don't know enough. It certainly looks, though, like the charging handle is able to manipulate the bolt on both parts of the stroke.

What this tells me is that none of the Payday 2 LMGs should need to operate the charging handle when doing a tactical reload, but all would need to do a full cycle when doing a full reload. I could accept that Overkill didn't give LMGs a tactical reload as a balancing decision (increase their load time artificially), but then why does the Brenner get a tactical reload? What makes that one LMG unique.

Question answered, I guess.

[UnknownMerc]

Probably for balance reasons. The Brenner used to have the best accuracy/stability when the LMG pack first came out, but it was locked at a high level (75 rep iirc) and had low ammo. I assume the ability to tactical reload (shared with the RPK) is due to the smaller magazine size compared to the KSP.

[MissCassidy]

I THINK that there are LMGs where the bolt-thingy releases the mag and after replacing it you have to lock back the bolt-thingy to secure the mag?

I don't know if that's right or just my brain fooling itself.

[Malidictus]

Originally posted by UnknownMercenary:

Probably for balance reasons. The Brenner used to have the best accuracy/stability when the LMG pack first came out, but it was locked at a high level (75 rep iirc) and had low ammo. I assume the ability to tactical reload (shared with the RPK) is due to the smaller magazine size compared to the KSP.

Hmm... I suppose. That's actually an ability the Brenner shares with the RPK, now that I think about it. So I guess our high-calibre LMGs now have a tactical reload, but our low-calibre LMGs don't.

Originally posted by Santa Lucirio:

I THINK that there are LMGs where the bolt-thingy releases the mag and after replacing it you have to lock back the bolt-thingy to secure the mag? I don't know if that's right or just my brain fooling itself.

While that's not impossible, it seems unlikely. The bolt moves with every shot (it's what seals the end of the barrel during firing), so that would keep unlocking an relocking the magazine during automatic fire. I'm no expert, though, so it's entirely possible that's a thing and I just don't know about it.

[PyroPaul]

Originally posted by Malidictus:

Our talk mostly concerned the Division's generic reload animation, as well as the Payday 2 reload animations for the KSP and the Ksp 58. It's pretty obvious that The Division's animation is wrong. It causes the player character to operate the charging handle twice, full cycles each time - before and after replacing the magazine. I'm sure that no matter the machinegun, that's always going to eject at least one unspent round, possibly two.

The Divisions LMG reload isn't incorrect... it is actually the only correct reload animation for an open cover belt fed machine gun out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUJOBIRxkoQ

The Charging Handle is not directly connected to the bolt, and instead are independent of one another. This is because the bolt potentially can be heated up to a Cherry Red glow through sustained firing... If the 2 where directly connected - that heat would feed into that handle, eventually making it impossible to work the weapon without hurting yourself.

In The Division - the operator's first cycling of the handle is to unlock the bolt from the rear position allowing it to slide forward to a closed position - making the weapon safe to work on. The second cycling of the handle pulls the bolt back to the Open position - making the weapon ready to Fire.


Weapons that perform the cycle action only once and AFTER the reload typically implies that the bolt was released forward and closed through pulling the trigger while no ammunition was in the chamber - effectively 'dry firing' the weapon. While this puts undue stress and wear on the gun - it quickly closes the bolt, allowing an operator to safely work on the weapon... with the bolt pulled back to open after the reloading action is done.



A weapon that performs the cycle only once, and does so BEFORE the reload is actually incorrect and incrediably dangerious. Although typically you can find videos of people performing a reload exactly like that online - something you should also take note of is the position they typically are in when peforming this reload.

most of the 'reload while bolt is open' action is performed while the weapon is either mounted or resting on a support system... Such as a Vehicle pedestal mount or Bipod while prone.
When you reload like this - you do not have to manage the weight of the gun - and you can take your hand off the grip to aid in your reload.

However, you don't reload like this in video games... you reload while standing.

So you make the weapon ready to fire before you start putting live ammunition right next to it's firing chamber, all the while trying to keep the weapon's entire weight balanced by holding on as best you can to the Pistol Grip and Trigger Assembly...

Just the Picture of 'Safety' right there...

[Malidictus]

What's the video intended to show? All I can see is a person firing a machinegun. I didn't see a reload there.

Originally posted by PyroPaul:

In The Division - the operator's first cycling of the handle is to unlock the bolt from the rear position allowing it to slide forward to a closed position - making the weapon safe to work on. The second cycling of the handle pulls the bolt back to the Open position - making the weapon ready to Fire.

Ah, I see. I did actually run into a wepon which does this in World of Guns - the Browning M2. It seems to replace the box, open the top to eject the last chain segment, close the top, pull a new belt through it, then work the charging handle twice in succession. From the looks of the internals, it seems like the weapon actually fires from a closed bolt position and the belt sits on top of the breech. To load a round, a finger latches onto the lip of the cartrige and pulles it back behind the barrel as the bolt opens, then chambers the round on the forward stroke of the handle. This is done once to position the finger onto a round, then a second time to actually load the round. Odd design choice, but then the M2 seems like a MASSIVELY complicated weapon.

As to the division, though, I don't understand what you mean. What does "unlock the bolt from the rear position" even mean? Are we referring to uncocking the weapon? I freely admit to not understanding how these things work, but from what I've seen the charging handle isn't able to move the bolt forward, only back. It seems to ratchet past the bolt on the forward stroke. On the M 60, for instance, the charging handle appears to be completely disconnected from the bolt, with a protruding structure which catches on a lit on what the game calls an "operating rod" - part of the recoil system to which the bolt is attached. I see no means by which the charging handle could release the bolt forward.

In either case, I don't buy the Division animation simply because it's identical for all the LMGs, from the MG 42 (Big Alejandro) to the M 60 to all the others, and it always shows the belt being loaded with the top open while it seems like some of these LMGs need to be loaded with the top down. Again, though - it's entirely possible that I just don't know what the ♥♥♥♥ I'm talking about, so if you could please elaborate, I'd appreciate it. Despite my reputation here, I do actually want to learn this stuff, at least in a theoretical sense :)

Originally posted by PyroPaul:

The Charging Handle is not directly connected to the bolt, and instead are independent of one another. This is because the bolt potentially can be heated up to a Cherry Red glow through sustained firing... If the 2 where directly connected - that heat would feed into that handle, eventually making it impossible to work the weapon without hurting yourself.

I'm probably misunderstanding something here, but that doesn't seem to be the case for all weapons. In the AK 47, for instance, the charging handle is part of the bolt carrier, which appears to be in constant contact with the bolt and is what actuates it. During fire, the charging handle even jumps back-and-forth. It's not part of the same piece of metal, certainly, but it sits immediately on top of the bolt from what I can see. On the G3 A3, by contrast, the charging handle sits at the end of the recoil system on what looks like a solid chunk of metal. It moves the bolt by means of moving the recoil system from "the other end," so heat transfer would indeed be unlikely. Because it's a wedge between the recoil system and the gun casing, it also doesn't move during fire.

Originally posted by PyroPaul:

Weapons that perform the cycle action only once and AFTER the reload typically implies that the bolt was released forward and closed through pulling the trigger while no ammunition was in the chamber - effectively 'dry firing' the weapon. While this puts undue stress and wear on the gun - it quickly closes the bolt, allowing an operator to safely work on the weapon... with the bolt pulled back to open after the reloading action is done.

A weapon that performs the cycle only once, and does so BEFORE the reload is actually incorrect and incrediably dangerious. Although typically you can find videos of people performing a reload exactly like that online - something you should also take note of is the position they typically are in when peforming this reload.

In this case, I was going off of what I saw in World of Guns: Gun Disassembly. As I have no practical knowledge of firearms (ain't even seen one in real life), my sources of information are incredibly limited. That 30€ I spent to unlock all current and future weapons in the game was well-spent, put it that way :) That game shows the M 60 operating the charging handle after a reload, the RPD doing it before a reload and the MG 3 doing it after removing one magazine but before adding another. I don't know how the game makers chose the reload animations they use, and I'm not insisting that they're incorrect. Merely that that's all I had to go on.

Thanks for the explanation.

[PyroPaul]

Originally posted by Malidictus:

As to the division, though, I don't understand what you mean. What does "unlock the bolt from the rear position" even mean? Are we referring to uncocking the weapon? I freely admit to not understanding how these things work, but from what I've seen the charging handle isn't able to move the bolt forward, only back. It seems to ratchet past the bolt on the forward stroke. On the M 60, for instance, the charging handle appears to be completely disconnected from the bolt, with a protruding structure which catches on a lit on what the game calls an "operating rod" - part of the recoil system to which the bolt is attached. I see no means by which the charging handle could release the bolt forward.

In either case, I don't buy the Division animation simply because it's identical for all the LMGs, from the MG 42 (Big Alejandro) to the M 60 to all the others, and it always shows the belt being loaded with the top open while it seems like some of these LMGs need to be loaded with the top down. Again, though - it's entirely possible that I just don't know what the ♥♥♥♥ I'm talking about, so if you could please elaborate, I'd appreciate it. Despite my reputation here, I do actually want to learn this stuff, at least in a theoretical sense :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXzkHxwaoV4

at ~4 minutes it starts talking about the firing operation and reload. This is for one of the first itterations of the M60, however it technically can apply for open cover, belt fed machine guns.

While the video denotes closing the bolt by pulling the trigger - effectively dry firing the gun. It was eventually discovered that doing this excessively actually can cause damage to the gun - so the action was evolved so that to release the bolt, you pull the charging handle back - past the point which it normally ♥♥♥♥♥, which in turn releases the catch that holds the bolt back - allowing you to ease it forward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGVNNPCqeRg

an M249 clear/reload - notice he returns the bolt to 'closed' position by easing it forward with the Charging Handle before placing a fresh belt on the weapon, then cocking it a second time?

That is the 'textbook' way to reload a belt fed machine gun - and it is the way the Division displays it's LMG reloads. However, there are multiple ways to reload any Machine Gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrzmRdMPT84

same exact gun being reloaded while the bolt remains open, thus removing the need to charge the weapon a second time. A fresh round is instead placed directly onto the firing position, so that when the feed cover is closed, the weapon can be fired immediately.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bj82MOgx88

This shows a video of 'Speed Loading' an M2HB .50 cal - in which he doesn't even open the cover of the gun, simply put an empty link to the first feed position, then manually cycle the weapon until that first link is ejected out the side. Again - this can be applied to ANY machine gun.

None of the above methods are the 'incorrect way' and technically all the above methods can be used with pretty much any belt fed machine gun.

It is simply what you asthetically what to present the player with.

It is simply from my personal experience that you don't reload an Open Bolt firearm while the Bolt is Open. It is like reloading a handgun with the hammer ♥♥♥♥♥♥ back... increadiably unsafe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POnZTsqM79k

Video illistrating a common malfunction/unintentional discharge that occurs 'Open Bolt' firearms.

[JIMTOMAV]

Originally posted by Malidictus:

So you mock me for not understanding firearms, but won't help me understand firearms. Sure :)

I did a bit more "research" on the subject, which just means I looked through World of Guns: Gun Disassembly for the operation of various LMGs. I couldn't find most of the PD2 ones, though. That game lacks an M249, an FN MAG, an HK 21, an RPK or an MG 42. It does have alternatives for some ofthem, however. It has an MG 3 which should be close enough to the MG 42, an HK G3 A3 which should have similar mechanics to the HK 21 and an RPD which hopefully has similar mechanics to the RPK. I also used an M 60 to hopefully approximate the KSP, even though I know it's not a good comparison.

The MG 3, the RPD and the M60 all fire from an open bolt position. Reloading all three of those with ammo left in the magazine (i.e. with the bolt ♥♥♥♥♥♥ back) didn't seem to require operating the charging handle at all. Reloading them from empty, however, with the bolt unsprung in the forward position, was weird. World of Guns' reload animation for the M 60 replaced the magazine first, then moved the charging handle back to ♥♥♥♥ the bolt, then forward to return it to its starting position. The MG 3, on the other hand, removed the magazine, operated the charging handle back-and-forth, then placed the new magazine. The RPD moved the charging handle back-and-forth first, then replaced the magazine.

Now, either the mechanics of these weapons are VASTLY different or - and this is my guess - it doesn't really matter when you operate the charging handle on an open-bolt gun. Before, during or after replacing the magazine produces the same result - a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ gun. When it's done may well be down to operator prefernece or military doctrine, not down to gun mechanics. Since moving the charging handle only ♥♥♥♥♥ the bolt and isn't capable of resetting it forward (I assume the weapon would need to be dry-fired to un-♥♥♥♥ it), the it seems like you're not intended o operate it only half-way, and it can be used to eject an unspent shell. In fact, I'm not entirely sure that operating the charging handle on a cokced open-bolt LMG even does anything, as it seems to be disconnected from the bolt in that situation.

Now, the HK G3 A3, on the other hand, fires from a closed bolt position, which makes things a bit different. Again, no manipilation of the charging handle is necessary for a tactical reload, but it does differ for a full reload. How World of Guns does it is how Payday 2 does it. The charging handle is moved back to open the bolt and eject the last spent shell casing, a new magazine is inserted and the charging handle is moved forward to push the bolt forward, chamber a round and ♥♥♥♥ the striker needle. I'm not entirely sure, though, if replacing the magazine and THEN moving the charging handle a full cycle wouldn't produce the same result. Seems like the order of operations might not matter, but I don't know enough. It certainly looks, though, like the charging handle is able to manipulate the bolt on both parts of the stroke.

What this tells me is that none of the Payday 2 LMGs should need to operate the charging handle when doing a tactical reload, but all would need to do a full cycle when doing a full reload. I could accept that Overkill didn't give LMGs a tactical reload as a balancing decision (increase their load time artificially), but then why does the Brenner get a tactical reload? What makes that one LMG unique.

Question answered, I guess.

as stated before, its a safety thing, but since when did the PD2 gang care about safety.
so its mostly there for effect.
people are so used to it that it feels like you missed something if you dont do it.

like every single time someone raises their gun in a film you hear a click noise.

+both the RPK and MG42 are in the game, also the MG34 which the buzzsaw becomes with the barrel mod (or close enough).
do the search by country or just search the name.

[Malidictus]

Originally posted by PyroPaul:

*lots of useful information*

Thank you kindly for the long-form response. That's a fairly detailed explanation and a lot of what I was looking for. Sorry to cut your post down, but I don't want to leave large quote blocks. Rest assured, I watched the videos and read the post :) I want to roll my response along with the following:

Originally posted by JIMTOMAV:

as stated before, its a safety thing, but since when did the PD2 gang care about safety.

That's a lot of what I was looking for, yes: "Why do different LMGs move the charging handle at different times, and do they have to." Judging by the technology of the weapons, for the most part the answers seem to be "for the purposes of good practice" and "no." I fully expect the Payday Gang members to be trade personal safety for the sake of expediency - these are the same people who blew up a building they were currently inside, who stormed the FBI offices and took on a PMC singlehandedly. I'd expect them to be both strong enough and confident enough in their own skills to ignore standard safety procedure. Hell, my character sprints with the gun pointing forward - talk about running with scissors :)

I understand how LMGs work much better now, though. With an open bolt LMG, best practice is to uncock the gun by releasing the bolt forward (done either by moving the charging handle if it can unlock the bolt, or else pulling the handle back, unlocking the bolt via the trigger and easing it back via the return stroke), replace the magazine, then operate the charging handle a second stime to recock the weapon. In terms of operating mechanics, however, there's nothing preventing the operator from replacing the magazine into a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ gun without ever touching the charging handle, it's just unsafe and prone to accidental fire. Some weapons may need to work the charging handle multiple times in order to pull a round into position.

I'll pass this info along at first available opportunity. I have a few friends who'd enjoy mechanically-minded discussions - it's how this whole thing started :)

Originally posted by JIMTOMAV:

+both the RPK and MG42 are in the game, also the MG34 which the buzzsaw becomes with the barrel mod (or close enough).
do the search by country or just search the name.

In which game? World of Guns? I searched for an RPK, and it doesn't exist - searc returns nothing. I searched for an MG 42, and the search returns the MG 3, which is a modern recreation. There IS an MG 34, but I don't actually know what that is. It didn't seem to be an exact match for the MG 42, but I didn't actually look that up.

[TSense]

I haven't seen this high quality in the forums since 2015. Please, go on.

[JIMTOMAV]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1246562461
Fig 1: WoG - RPK 74M

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1246562549
Fig 2: Wog - MG42 (AKA MG3)

[Malidictus]

The RPK 74M definitely doesn't look like the RPK we have in the game, though, and not just because of the banana magazine. The front grip looks very different, and ours doesn't have scope mount. I'm not saying it isn't, just that for someone like me who doesn't know a lot about firearms, it don't want to make that assumption.

The MG3, near as I can tell, is a modern machinegun based on the MG42, but chambered for 7.62mm NATO ammunition, whereas the WW2 machinegun (which I assume is what we have) is chambered for 7.82 Mauser ammunition. At the very least, the one on display comes with a large box magazine, whereas ours uses the smaller 50-round drum magazine. As above, I wasn't sure it's the same gun, or if it's sufficiently similar for comparison purposes.

I try to be aware of my own ignorance :)

[JIMTOMAV]

Originally posted by Malidictus:

The RPK 74M definitely doesn't look like the RPK we have in the game, though, and not just because of the banana magazine. The front grip looks very different, and ours doesn't have scope mount. I'm not saying it isn't, just that for someone like me who doesn't know a lot about firearms, it don't want to make that assumption.

The MG3, near as I can tell, is a modern machinegun based on the MG42, but chambered for 7.62mm NATO ammunition, whereas the WW2 machinegun (which I assume is what we have) is chambered for 7.82 Mauser ammunition. At the very least, the one on display comes with a large box magazine, whereas ours uses the smaller 50-round drum magazine. As above, I wasn't sure it's the same gun, or if it's sufficiently similar for comparison purposes.

I try to be aware of my own ignorance :)

most of the differences are pretty much astetic.
for the most part, the AK family all function the same internaly.
that is to say almost identical colsed bolt operating systems and very simalar trigger mechanisms.

the MG 3 might fire 7.62 (havent looked into it).
but it works exacly the same with the open bolt.


each gun has specific shapes and outlines that it will always have no matter how modded it is or what varients of it there are (short of putting it inside a box/suitcase).
its just a matter of spending a lot of time looking at them so you can pick them out even if its just the front end for a few frames in a film :)

[m61a1]

MG3 fires the 7.62 NATO. The MG42 fires 7.92x57mm rounds. Edit: The MG34 has parts that were machined and it fires around 900 rpm. The barrel flips out in a rotating fashion for changing. The MG42 was made from stamped parts which made it cheaper and easier to build. It fired 1200-1500 rpm and the barrel was faster to pull out the side. I've heard it could be changed in 3 to 5 seconds. On a side note, the M60 is also based on the internals of the MG42, but they cut the rate of fire signifigantly.

[Malidictus]

Completely off-topic, but I've never seen a mage where barrel swaps for machineguns have ever been a gameplay mechanic. In fact, I've only ever seen it referenced once, in Call of Duty 2 during the "Enemy at the Gate" beach storming scene, where an old Rissan soldier talks about waiting for the German machinegunners to swap their barrels. My reaction at the time (as this was years ago) was "Huh? Why?" Funny enough, it's referenced in the Division as LMG barrels will heat up and glow, but this doesn't necessitate a barrel swap and doesn't affect performance. Because my LMGs are painted magenta, it glows a nice hot pink :)

I do wonder, though, why games with LMGs in them don't have that as a mechanic. Is it too complicated to handle in terms of UI, mechanics or animations, maybe? I've seen games feature either overheating mechanics OR ammo, but never both.