Machine Gun (Rapture)

BioShock
The Machine Gun is the second ranged weapon obtained in BioShock. It is located in the in the Medical Pavilion. It fires a rapid spray of auto rounds, each doing a moderate amount of damage. Its main weaknesses are heavy recoil and low accuracy at long range. However, the damage can be increased and the recoil reduced with upgrades at a Power to the People station, increasing the Machine Gun's effectiveness. There is no hit location damage bonus when using this weapon; bullets do the same amount of damage no matter where the target is hit.

Power to the People Upgrades

 * Recoil Reduction
 * 25% Damage Increase

Ammunition Types - Machine Gun

 * Standard Auto Rounds
 * Antipersonnel Auto Rounds
 * Armor-Piercing Auto Rounds

Strategy
This weapon is particularly effective for targeting multiple enemies or if the player is not very accurate, since it deals continous punishment at close to mid-range. However, aiming for targets beyond that range becomes ineffective, as the bullet spray will make the weapon very inaccurate.

It is recommended to take the recoil reduction upgrade before the damage upgrade, unless the player has advanced significantly in the game. This is because the Machine Gun is capable of mowing down any low-level enemy in seconds, even with standard ammo, and its recoil can become quite problematic after firing non-stop.

When the player has acquired enough antipersonnel rounds, it is recommended to keep it as the main ammunition for the Machine Gun, except if the player wishes to use it against machinery or Big Daddies (not advised, it takes several clips to kill a Big Daddy, while electrical weaponry can kill them far more quickly).

The exception to the above rule is when fighting Security Bots during an alarm. They tend to move very quickly and can deal a lot of punishment given the chance, so having a weapon capable of quickly dealing against multiple weak enemies will greatly help.

Recommended Tonics

 * Natural Camouflage will help the player stage an ambush against enemies.


 * The Damage Research line of tonics will significantly increase damage against researched enemies.


 * The Machine Buster line of tonics will increase damage versus machinery.

BioShock 2 Multiplayer
The Machine Gun returns as a usable weapon in multiplayer.

Trivia

 * Leadhead Splicers frequently drop a much cruder type of machine gun that has a shorter barrel, lacks the shoulder stock, and has no foregrip.
 * The Machine Gun strongly resembles the M1928 Thompson Sub-Machine Gun (which was used extensively by American forces in the then recent conflict, World War II) with a drum magazine and pistol grip in real life, although there is no real design of Thompson with a forty-round drum magazine. There was, however a thirty-round box magazine and a fifty-round drum magazine. The developers appear to have split the difference, and lowered the fire rate from 800 rs/m to around 500 rs/m.
 * Judging by the Machine Gun's design, there is a possibility that it is a slimmed-down version of the Russian PPSh-41 submachine gun, due to the rounded clip and the absence of the wooden armrest, but this is not likely.
 * The sound of the Machine Gun firing sounds similar to that of a Browning Automatic Rifle.