Originally Posted by Jericho
I may be wrong, but I believe our own M60 machingun was based
on the German MG42 machinegun.


Yes, the M-60 was based on both the MG-42 and the FG-42 machine guns. The cartridge feed mechanism was from the MG-42 and bolt system was form the FG-42. When the Army asked General Motors (Inland guide Division) to design a copy of the MG-42 in 30-06 for test purposes, the neglected to accommodate the longer 30-06 case dimensions in their design; hence a lot of jams (W. H. B. Smith reference).

One interesting feature of the late war German designs is that they utilized a number of stampings (replacing expensive machined parts) and this innovation is with us today.