>>63783863Actually did that sort of thing myself at a military family event a few years ago. I can say that I'm one of the few civilians in the world to have been inside a fully functioning Abrams AND an F-18, complete with working targeting pod.
The pintle mount on the Abrams was just a GPMG, mind, nothing as clunky as the M2, but charging the thing just felt Right nonetheless. They had a rip cord on it, gave it a dry fire a couple of times.
As for the interior? Simultaneously roomier and more cramped than you'd expect, I even got in the driver's position. Funnily enough, I actually fit in fairly comfortably, despite my height. Wouldn't have that comfort with a Russian design, that much I could tell you.