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The M240 machine gun, officially the Machine Gun, 7.62 mm, M240, is the U.S. military designation for the FN MAG, [6] a family of belt-fed, gas-operated medium machine guns that chamber the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. [1] The M240 has been used by the United States Armed Forces since the late 1970s.
For example, the US Army and Marines now use the FN MAG (as the M240 machine gun), which is generally called the "M240 medium machine gun". It was originally adopted for vehicle mounting in the late 1970s, but its higher reliability resulted in the infantry adopting it for use over the M60 machine gun , despite it being several pounds heavier.
The indirect firing method exploits the 7.62×51mm NATO useful maximum range, that is defined by the maximum range of a small-arms projectile while still maintaining the minimum kinetic energy required to put unprotected personnel out of action, which is generally believed to be 15 kilogram-meters (147 J / 108 ft⋅lbf). [25]
The M-240 has a minimum range of 800 m (2,600 ft) and a maximum range of 9.7 km (6.0 mi). Traverse is limited to 18°, while elevation ranges from +45 to +65°. [2] [3] The sights, elevation and traverse gears are on the left side of the barrel. The mortar is normally towed, at a maximum speed of 40 km/h (25 mph), muzzle first by an AT-P, AT-L ...
In January 1994, the U.S. Army began the Medium Machine Gun Upgrade Kit program. The only two competitors were M60 and M240 versions. Saco offered an "enhanced" M60E3 with improved parts, and FN offered the M240 variant of its MAG; both weapons were upgrade kits of weapons already in service. Eighteen guns of each were tested until December 1995.
Maximum firing range: 6,800 m (4.2 mi) Armor: Protection against 14.5×114mm: Main armament. 120 mm or 81 mm mortar: Secondary armament. M240 7.62 mm MG, 81 mm or 60 ...
The M240B, however, weighs in at a considerable 27.5 lb (12.5 kg) and is about 49 in (120 cm) long with the standard barrel. NAVSPECWAR was reluctant to give up the increased portability of the M60 (which weighed 22.5 lb (10.2 kg) with an overall length of 37.7 in (96 cm) in its shortest configuration) in spite of the M240B's increased reliability.
M240B – 7.62×51mm medium machine gun used by infantry, and light vehicles and helicopters. Mk48 Mod 1 – 7.62×51mm light machine gun, used by US MARSOC. M249E4 – 5.56×45mm light machine gun, infantry support weapon. Not replaced, but being supplanted by the M27 IAR.