I think the problem here is with the machine gun damage ratings and not with battle rifles.
Honestly, an MMMG should have the same damage code as battle rifles and HMG should have something like 8P AP-3.
Maybe, but at the end of the day, games should bow to a certain amount of balance "internal mechanics logic" as well.
Stripping aside classifications, it comes down to this: You have two guns that do 7P. I'll even choose the most expensive, hardest to get of Gun B, and the cheapest, easiest to get of Gun A.
Gun A costs 6500¥, has a 15F Availability code, 1200 meter max range, can only fire FA, has -3 AP, and recoil comp.
Gun B costs 3600¥, has a 12F Availability code, 1500 meter max range, can fire SA and BF, has -1 AP, and 4 recoil comp. Gun B also fire High Velocity rounds. This is kind of an error, as originally it could fire FA, but was trimmed down. So it does nothing in it's default state. However, this becomes an advantage when you mod the weapon.
It costs the same amount (a small fire selection modification) to change the FA gun to BF and/or SA and the BF/SA gun to FA.
Gun B has almost all the advantages. The only thing Gun A has going for it is FA out of the box and 2 Armor Pen, which is very nice. But not worth double the price, especially when I can't get that gun at Character creation, whereas I can still get Gun B.
Oh, plus, Gun A uses the Heavy Weapons skill, while Gun B uses the Automatics skill. Also important.
I only know a little bit about real world guns, and most of that comes from listening to my Airsoft MilSim playing roommate and playing video games.
I don't really care that much about "real world" gun stuff. I'm not playing in the real world. I'm playing in a game. And at the end of the day, as a game designer, a GM, and even as a player, what matters to me are the weapons stats. And when you introduce a new class of gun that completely and utterly nullifies an earlier class of gun by being cheaper, better, faster, stronger, etc... Something is wrong.
Bull