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A request was put in for a new machine gun in 2001, and FN responded with a scaled-up version of the M249 weighing in at ~18.5 lb with an OAL of ~39.5". This new design achieved much better reliability than the M60-based weapons while bettering its light weight and maintaining the same manual of arms as the already in-use M249.
The M249's original gas regulator featured two different gas port sizes; normal and adverse. The normal gas setting has a cyclic rate of fire of around 850 rounds per minute, while the adverse gas setting increases the cyclic rate of fire to around 950–1,150 rounds per minute and is only used in extreme environmental conditions or when heavy ...
It is an air-cooled, gas operated long-stroke piston weapon that is capable of fully automatic fire only. It can be belt fed or fired from a magazine . The Minimi is configured in several variants: the Standard model as a platoon or squad support weapon, the shortened Para version for paratroopers and the Vehicle model as secondary armament for ...
There is a considerable degree of commonality between the M249 and the Mk46, since the Mk46 is merely a lightweight variant of the M249. The Mk48 was developed with M249/Mk46 parts commonality in mind. All three utilize rotating bolts, the M240 is a completely different design using a tilting-block bolt.
The main differences between the M240B and M240G is the Picatinny rail system, hydraulic buffer inside of the butt stock to reduce the amount of recoil felt by the gunner, and the number of gas settings on the gas regulator plug. The M240G has three gas settings, allowing the machine gun to have a fire rate between 650 and 750 rounds per minute ...
In September 2011, 19 soldiers participated in a two-week assessment of the LSAT light machine gun at Fort Benning, Georgia to demonstrate its capabilities against the M249 SAW. In one test the soldiers, half armed with SAWs and half with LSATs, marched six miles in full combat gear then fired at targets to measure stress and muscle fatigue.
Belgian/American Mk 48/Minimi 7.62, is a GPMG based on the FN Minimi light machine gun and M249 SAW. American M60, which is based on the German FG 42 and uses the MG 42's feed system and stamp-steel construction. [11] [12] American M240, itself an FN MAG variant. It replaced the M60 in U.S. service.
M249 in the SAW role. These weapons typically fired the 7.62×39mm cartridge fired by the AK-47 series or the 5.56×45mm NATO standard cartridge first used in the AR-15/M-16 rifles. These very lightweight machine guns were designed for more sustained fire than normal infantry rifles, several hundred rounds worth of extended firing.