ALFA M44

Originally chambered in 7.92×57mm Mauser, in 1955 an updated version chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO was introduced, and was subsequently issued to Spanish troops, sometimes referred to as the M55. Along with Spain, the M44 was also prominently used by Egypt, whose army had standardised on the 7.92×57mm Mauser round. Also in the early 1960s, the Congo government bought a batch of weapons from Spain, including Alfa machine guns, to combat the Simba.

• Name — ALFA M44 machine gun • Origin — Spain • Type — Medium machine gun • Is Ranged — yes • Used By — Spain Egypt Democratic Republic of Congo • Wars — Ifni War Suez Crisis Six-Day War Simba rebellion • Manufacturer — Fabrica de Armas de Oviedo • Production Date — 1944–1962 • Weight — 13 kg • Length — 1450 mm • Part Length — 750 mm • Cartridge — 7.62×51mm NATO 7.92×57mm Mauser • Action — Gas-Operated; Automatic Fire Only • Rate — 780 rounds/min • Velocity — 760 m/s • Feed — belt • Sights — rear aperture, front notch

• Illustration — A 1942 prototype in a Spanish museum in Viator, Almeria • Illustration — A photo of a tripod-mounted ALFA M44 on display at the Batey ha-Osef Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel • Illustration — Another photo of a tripod-mounted ALFA, captioned as M55, given that it is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge.