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The MG 08, like the Maxim gun, operated on the basis of short barrel recoil and a toggle lock. Once cocked and fired the MG 08 would continue firing rounds until the trigger was released or until all available ammunition was expended.
The standard iron sightline consisted of a blade front sight ndand a tangent rear sight with a V-notch, adjustable from {{convert|400|to|2000|m|yd|0}} in {{convert|100|m|yd|0}} increments. The ''Zielfernrohr 12'' (ZF12) was an optional 2.5× power optical sight that featured a range setting wheel graduated {{convert|400|to|2000|m|yd|0}} or {{convert|400|to|2600|m|yd|0}} in {{convert|100|m|yd|0}} increments. With the addition of [[clinometer]]s fixed machine gun squads could set renges of {{convert|800|to|3475|m|yd|0}} and deliver [[plunging fire]] or [[indirect fire]] at more than {{convert|3000|m|yd|abbr=on|-1}}. This indirect firing method exploits the maximal [[effective range]], that is defined by the maximum range of a small-arms projectile while still maintaining the minimum kinetic energy required to put unprotected personnel out of action, which is generally believed to be 15 kilogram-meters (147 J / 108 ft⋅lbf).<ref name="krtraining1">{{cite magazine |author1=Kjellgren, G. L. M. |url=http://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/PracticalRangeSmallArms.pdf|title=The Practical Range of Small Arms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305142959/http://www.krtraining.com/KRTraining/Archive/PracticalRangeSmallArms.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2015 |magazine=The American Rifleman |pages= 40–44|url-status=live}}</ref> Its practical range was estimated at some {{convert|2000|m|yd|0}} up to an extreme range of {{convert|3500|m|yd|0}} when firing the long-range [[7.92%C3%9757mm_Mauser#German_cartridge_variants_during_World_War_II|''s.S. Patrone'']].
The MG 08 was mounted on a sled mount (''{{lang-de|Schlittenlafette}}'') that was ferried between locations either on carts or else carried above men's shoulders in the manner of a stretcher.
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