| M249 Squad Automatic Weapon |
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Information AboutM249 Squad Automatic Weapon |
The M249 SAW ( Squad Automatic Weapon ) is the United States Military designation for a sub-family of the '''Minimi''' (''Mini-mitrailleuse'', "mini- Machine Gun "). Both are 5.56 Mm Light Machine Gun s manufactured by Fabrique Nationale (FN) and its subsidiaries. The Minimi is manufactured by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium , while the M249 is made by FNH USA, the American subsidiary of FN. The M249 was the winner of a competition carried out by the U.S. military in the late 1970s–early 1980s for a new squad automatic weapon. The Minimi has been adopted by many other countries since that time, especially among NATO members. The M249 was one of many firearms fielded in the late 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that was part of the NATO adoption of a new smaller round. The Belgium round (SS109), developed for use with the Minimi, was the winner of the competition for the new, standardized 5.56 mm round. In the United States, the M16A2 was adopted following the M249 as part of the move to this compatible, although different, round — firearms intended to fire the SS109 cartridge use a different Rifling Twist Rate (1:7 inches) from the earlier U.S., non-NATO 5.56 mm round. The Minimi and the M249 are not exactly the same weapon — they weigh different amounts and have slightly different configurations; M249 variants can differ significantly. Although officially adopted in the early 1980s, some early production problems delayed full deployment until the turn of the decade. One thousand Minimis were purchased directly from FN for the Gulf War in 1991, as there were not enough M249 yet in service at the time. The M249 has undergone a number of variant and improvement programs, though it is scheduled to be replaced by a new lightweight machine gun — possibly, the AAI LMGA (2004 contract). In early 2005, a contract for a new light machine gun was issued. The Mk 46 Mod 0 is a M249 derived variant used by the SOCOM. It differs from the M249 in that only accepts belt feed, while the latter work with belts or M16 type magazines. The advantage is it is lighter. OVERVIEW The M249 is an air-cooled, Gas-operated , Fully-automatic -only Firearm that fires from an Open Bolt position. It can accept Belts of linked 5.56 X 45 Mm NATO ( .223 In ) Ammunition through the top-mounted feed tray or M16 -type Magazines through the side-mounted port. Linked ammunition can be fed from either a loose belt or from a plastic box (or cloth pouch) for 200 rounds, clipped under the receiver. The M249 SAW features a built-in Bipod and a Tripod -mounting lug for supported fire, as well as a quick change Barrel that helps prevent overheating during sustained fire. The gun has good firepower for its size. The latest reports on failures of M249 SAW weapons in Iraq are sometimes attributed to the age of the weapons used, and sometimes to the dusty environment in Iraq and Afghanistan . Most of the current-issue M249s in U.S. Army are more than 10 years old, which is not excessively old for a service firearm, but can reduce reliability. There have been issues with its performance at other times, particularly earlier in its development. For training exercises, the M249 is used with the M15A2 BFA ( Blank Firing Attachment ), which is the same one used on the M16A2. For the M249 to function when firing blank rounds, the BFA must be used. The basic reason is that the pressure will not be high enough to cycle the gas system. U.S. M249s are sometimes fitted with the M145 MGO, a low-power optic that fits on via a top M1913 rail, when the rail is fitted. The regular M249 does not have a rail, however. The M249 mod kit increases the weight to 16.41 pounds. United States military doctrine describes 3,600 m as the maximum range. Effective ranges include 600 m for a point target, 800 m for an area target, and 1,000 m for suppression. Tracer Ammunition burnout is at 900 m, however. The advised rates of fire are 85 rounds per minute with no barrel changes. With a barrel change every two minutes, this increases to 200 rounds per minute. For a barrel change every minute, the rate of fire can go up to 850 rounds per minute, which is actually higher than the normal rate of fire with linked belts, at about 750 round/min. M249 variants Wildcat) scope on Picatinny Rail , and the PIP kit heat shield.]]
These are U.S. military type classifications (see '' FN Minimi Variants Designations '' for a complete list):
(Note: See Mk 48 Mod 0 for the 7.62 X 51 Mm NATO light machine gun based on the M249 design.) Many M249 SAWs have been modified to carry SPW-style Picatinny rails on the feed cover. This allows them to mount commercial day and night optical sights like the M68 Aimpoint or low-magnification scopes. Additionally, early SAWs have fixed steel tubular stocks; the polymer stock pictured above was introduced with the PIP kit. Many M249s have been refitted with shorter "Para"-length barrels in the field, but there is nothing official to suggest these were received from the factory in this configuration. All SAWs can mount the laser equipment needed to participate in a shows an M249 fitted with MILES gear. The weapon can also mount third-party Suppressor s. In particular, Gemtech manufactures suppressors designed to be mounted on NATO standard Flash Hider s, such as the one used by most variants of the M249. In reality, however, this practice should be limited to responsible burst firing (as dictated in the M249 technical manual) since 5.56 mm ammunition is prone to soften, shed jackets, and destabilize when the host firearm is subjected to abusive firing schedules. MINIMI AND M249 USAGE NATO
of the French Army ]]
Non-NATO
MINIMI SPECIFICATIONS fire the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during a marksmanship competition held at Al Asad , Iraq in early 2005.]] FN Minimi
FN Minimi Para
FN Minimi variants designations U.S. CIVILIAN PURCHASES The M249 was the first major machine gun which essentially no United States civilians are permitted to own in fully-automatic form. The reason is that importation of fully-automatic machine guns was banned in the 1960s, and in 1986 it was made illegal to buy those manufactured in the United States. The M249 plant in South Carolina did not start producing them in earnest until the late 1980s due to early production problems. Transferrable pre-1986 M249s do exist, but they are rare. POPULAR CULTURE The M249 is present in the computer game '' Counter-Strike '' as the only machine gun available. In-game, it is in "para" configuration with a 100-round belt and is the single most expensive firearm for players to purchase. The M249 and its variants have also made their way into a number of military-themed games, including the '''', '' Full Spectrum Warrior '', and '' America's Army ''. It is also the primary weapon for the "Support" class of the Marines in the computer game '' Battlefield 2 ''. The M249 SAW can also be seen in the 2001 movies '' Swordfish '' and '' Black Hawk Down '' on a number of occasions. It also features prominently in the 1996 movie '' Courage Under Fire ''. SEE ALSO
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