84
WORLD OF FIREPOWER
«
Historical Search for Squad Automatic Firepower
On our example, a Leupold LCO red dot was affixed to the M249S feed tray cover’s Picatinney rail.
The M249 system can be considered the heir to the venerable Browning BAR in its effort to supplement the infantry’s firepower and avoid using a medium or heavy machine gun such as the M2 .50 cal, M1919 .30 cal., M60 or M240. The M249 benefitted from the lessons learned with the M60 GPMG. A couple of advantages found in the M249 system over its predecessors is the quick-change barrel and being belt-fed, which the BAR did not have, and being chambered in smaller caliber than either the BAR or M60, allowing for more rounds to be carried per soldier. The quick-change barrel allows the M249 to fulfill the light machine gun role even though it is chambered in the lighter 5.56mm round versus the 7.62x51 found in the M60 or the M240 series of medium/general purpose machine guns. For comparison’s sake, 200 linked rounds of 5.56 NATO weigh 6 pounds and 200 linked rounds of 7.62x51 NATO weigh in at 12 pounds. The M249 can be adapted for tripod or vehicle-mounted use; however, this is not what is was designed for and frankly this role is better served by the FN 240 series of medium machine guns chambered in 7.62x51 NATO. The FN M249S has all these positive characteristics.
02
man-sized target at 200 yards when firing from a stable position. Man-size targets were engaged at the range’s furthest distance—350 yards—with the same ease as an AR-type rifle. The FN M249S uses M27 linked belts of 5.56 NATO ammunition generally 200 rounds in length. The amount of damage rendered upon an automobile body in relatively short time frame reinforces the no-nonsense impression the belt-fed FN M249S proj-
FP-1807-FN249.indd 84
4/25/18 4:47 AM