I already posted this once but can't findit so I'll ask again, what is the best colour for a 50 cal. machinegun? And the handles wood?

I remember the post you are talking about. If I remember right the metal was a dark metal color with a greenish tint. Personally I just paint it flat black then hit all the high points with soft pencil lead. To me it gives a good gunmetal color (maybe not 100% accurate but it works). As to the wood handles, any dark brown color would work.
Eric

for the main metal bit i use humbrol 53 it works pretty good

I do the same thing as M4nut, but I use testors gunmetal, it is a little lighter than plain black.

I use Testor's Model Master Gunmetal for the base. for highlights I use Testors MM Metalizer lacquer Aluminum Non-buffing Metalizer. Flat black for the deep recesses. Testors MM Wood for the handles. Sometimes, I'll add add Testors Flat Grey Primer to the Gunmetal to create the dull aluminum such as on the cover for the M60 machinegun.

The handles can be natural wood color, but can also be black. Certainly black is appropriate on the modern M2's.

Steve

I don't use gun metal because I don't find too real the shiny bits it always leaves behind. I use dark gray or black (depending on the subject to reproduce) and then a very light drybrush with aluminium (silver is a bit too shiny in my view). Usually I paint the woodden handles with oils because i can mix them more easily to get the right woodden color.