Support Equipment

DM6 linked ammunition belt

Also known as
  • DM6
  • DM-6
  • M13 linked ammunition belt
  • M13 link belt
  • German DM6 disintegrating links
  • 7.62x51 DM6 belt
  • HK21 DM6 belt
  • HK21E DM6 belt
  • M13-compatible DM6 links

The DM6 linked ammunition belt is a German 7.62x51 mm NATO disintegrating metallic link belt treated in HK21/HK21E references as the German counterpart to the U.S. M13 link. Small Arms Review documents HK21E operation with American M13 or German DM6 disintegrating links, while a 1998 Heckler & Koch parts list and current HK21E starter-tab listings place the belt in the HK21E feed-system accessory set rather than as an independently documented conflict item.

DM6 linked ammunition belt, German disintegrating metallic link ammunition belt, Support Equipment
Image source: File: Ammo.jpg
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
West Germany / Germany
Type
German disintegrating metallic link ammunition belt
Service note
Cold War-era German disintegrating-link pattern still listed for HK21E accessory use
Unit cost
$24.95 listed retail price for a 50-link DM6/M13 HK21E starter-tab set when accessed
Produced
Cold War-era German/NATO link pattern; current HK21E retail listings remain available

Specifications

Cartridge
7.62x51 mm NATO / .308
Link family
German DM6 counterpart to U.S. M13 disintegrating metallic links
Belt behavior
Disintegrating links separate during firing, unlike continuous DM1 belts
Documented belt form
HK21E starter tab with 50 DM6/M13 steel links
Material
Steel
M13 technical baseline
MIL-L-45403D covers metallic M13 links for flexible 7.62 mm machine-gun belts
M13 example data
Global Ordnance lists a 4.35 g M13 metal link with manganese-phosphate coating and oil treatment
Compatibility
Documented for HK21E belt feed; one HK Parts listing says its HK21E DM6/M13 starter-tab set is not for older HK21 and FMP HK21 mechanisms that require DM1 links
Compatible Machine Guns

HK21E sources identify DM6 as the German counterpart to M13 links, and retail compatibility notes distinguish the HK21E starter-tab set from older HK21/FMP HK21 feed mechanisms.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
HK21 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsHK21 general-purpose machine gunGeneral-purpose machine gun

Small Arms Review states that HK21E guns fire standard 7.62x51 mm NATO ammunition assembled with American M13 or German DM6 disintegrating links; HK Parts lists its 50-link DM6/M13 starter-tab set as HK21E-compatible and warns that older HK21/FMP HK21 mechanisms require DM1 links.

Sources: The HK21E Machine Gun, HK21E Starter Tab with 50 DM6 / M13 Links - .308 / 7.62x51 | HK Parts

Linked Cartridge

The useful catalog relationship is the cartridge and feed system that the links organize, not independent battlefield use by the belt itself.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions7.62x51mm NATO cartridgeNATO rifle cartridge

HK21E and HK Parts sources identify the DM6/M13 set with 7.62x51 mm NATO / .308 ammunition, while MIL-L-45403D defines the M13 link class for flexible belts of 7.62 mm machine-gun ammunition.

Sources: The HK21E Machine Gun, HK21E Starter Tab with 50 DM6 / M13 Links - .308 / 7.62x51 | HK Parts, MIL-L-45403D M13 Link Specification PDF

Feed-Belt Context

DM6 is best read as a feed-system component for 7.62x51 mm belt-fed weapons. The distinction that matters on this page is disintegrating DM6/M13 links versus the adjacent continuous DM1 belt used in some HK21-family feed mechanisms.

Feed itemDocumented connectionReader note
DM6 / M13 disintegrating linksHK21E sources describe 7.62x51 mm NATO ammunition assembled with American M13 or German DM6 links.Individual links separate after firing; current retail starter-tab listings show 50-link HK21E sets.
DM1 ammunition belt, German non-disintegrating metallic link ammunition belt, Support EquipmentDM1 ammunition beltHK21E and HK21-family sources distinguish the continuous German DM1 belt from M13/DM6 disintegrating links.Adjacent catalog record for the non-disintegrating German belt pattern.
HK21 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsHK21 general-purpose machine gunCataloged firing weapon whose HK21E feed references name DM6/M13 link compatibility.The link is a compatibility relationship; the DM6 record has no direct conflict-use row.
7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, NATO-standard rifle and machine-gun cartridge, Munitions7.62x51mm NATO cartridgeThe DM6/M13 feed context is tied to 7.62x51 mm NATO / .308 ammunition.Cartridge relationship is separate from the belt hardware.
Media

DM6 linked ammunition belt Videos

Related Weapon Systems
Heckler & Koch G3, 7.62 mm select-fire battle rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsHeckler & Koch G37.62 mm select-fire battle rifleThe Heckler & Koch G3 is a roller-delayed 7.62 x 51 mm NATO battle rifle developed in West Germany from the CETME rifle family. Its long service life and licensed production have left G3-pattern rifles in multiple conflict arsenals, including documented Boko Haram small-arms holdings in the Lake Chad basin, RSF-linked evidence in Sudan, Saudi-linked G3 rifles reported in Yemen, and G3/BA64 rifles still circulating in Myanmar's post-2021 war.
FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, 7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsFN MAG general-purpose machine gun7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gunThe FN MAG is FN Herstal's Belgian 7.62x51mm NATO belt-fed general-purpose machine gun family, fielded from infantry bipods, tripods, vehicles, aircraft, ships, and boats. The catalog record connects the MAG and its M240/L7A2/MAG 58 designations to directly sourced conflict evidence: surrendered Boko Haram-held stocks in Nigeria, coalition base-defense training during Operation Inherent Resolve, and Afghan special-operations weapons training during the War in Afghanistan.

Sources

HK21E Parts ListPublisher: Heckler & Koch | Note: Heckler & Koch armorer parts list showing the HK21E parts context, belt-feed unit, accessory section, and 7.62x51 mm NATO HK21E configuration. | Accessed: 2026-07-01The HK21E Machine GunPublisher: Small Arms Review | Note: Supports HK21E feed with American M13 or German DM6 disintegrating links, the contrast with continuous DM1 belts, 7.62x51 mm NATO ammunition context, and starter-tab loading practice. | Accessed: 2026-07-01HK21E Starter Tab with 50 DM6 / M13 Links - .308 / 7.62x51 | HK PartsPublisher: HK Parts | Note: Supports the 50-link DM6/M13 HK21E starter-tab retail configuration, listed steel material, 7.62x51 / .308 chambering context, price at access, and compatibility caution for older HK21/FMP HK21 mechanisms. | Accessed: 2026-07-01MIL-L-45403D M13 Link Specification PDFPublisher: Defense Logistics Agency ASSIST Quick Search | Note: Supports the M13 technical baseline: metallic 7.62 mm cartridge links intended to hold ammunition in flexible belts for 7.62 mm machine guns. | Accessed: 2026-07-01M13 Metal Link Technical DataPublisher: Global Ordnance | Note: Supports example M13-link technical data for the M13-compatible link class, including 7.62x51 mm link type, manganese-phosphate/oil surface treatment, 4.35 g weight, and MIL-L-45403 specification reference. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File: Ammo.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a representative 7.62 mm linked-ammunition belt; Commons lists the file under CC BY-SA 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Heckler & Koch's Modular Machine Gun: the HK21EPublisher: Forgotten Weapons | Note: Supports the selected HK21E video context and HK21E family background, including the G3-derived HK21E modular-machine-gun setting for the DM6/M13 feed-system relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-01