M240 machine gun
| Machine Gun, 7.62 mm, M240 | |
|---|---|
M240B
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| Type | General-purpose machine gun |
| Place of origin |
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| Service history | |
| In service | 1977–present |
| Used by | United States Armed Forces |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Ernest Vervier |
| Designed | 1950s |
| Manufacturer |
Fabrique Nationale (FN) U.S. Ordnance, Inc. |
| Produced | 1977–present |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | M240B: 27.6 pounds (12.5 kg) M240G: 25.6 pounds (11.6 kg) M240L: 22.3 pounds (10.1 kg) |
| Length | 49.7 in (1,263 mm) |
| Barrel length | 24.8 in (630 mm) |
| Width | 4.7 in (118.7 mm) |
| Height | 10.4 in (263 mm) |
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| Cartridge | 7.62×51mm NATO |
| Action | Gas-operated, open bolt |
| Rate of fire | 750–950 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,800 ft/s (853 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | |
| Maximum firing range | 4,074 yd (3,725 m) |
| Feed system | Non-disintegrating DM1 or disintegrating M13 linked belt |
| Sights | Folding leaf sight with aperture and notch, front blade |
The M240, officially Machine Gun, 7.62mm, M240, is the US military designation for the FN MAG (Mitrailleuse d'Appui Général, meaning general-purpose machine gun), a family of belt-fed, gas-operated medium machine guns firing the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge.
The M240 has been used by the United States Armed Forces since the late-1970s. It is used extensively by infantry, most often rifle companies as well as ground vehicles, watercraft and aircraft. Despite being heavier than comparable weapons, it is highly regarded for reliability and its standardization among NATO members is a major advantage.
All variants are fed from disintegrating belts, and are capable of firing most types of 7.62 mm (.308) NATO ammunition. M240 variants can use non-disintegrating belts (following replacement of a few easily swappable parts). There are significant differences in weight and some features among some versions which restrict interchangeability of parts. The M240s used by the US military are currently manufactured by FN Manufacturing, a US-based branch of FN Herstal.
The M240B and M240G (see Variants section) are usually fired from an integrated bipod, a vehicular mount, an M192 tripod that is mostly used by the U.S. Army; and the M122 tripod (a slightly updated M2 tripod) that is mostly used by the U.S. Marine Corps.
Manufactured by Fabrique Nationale, the FN MAG was chosen by the U.S. military for different roles after large world-wide searches and competitions. The MAG is a belt-fed, gas-operated, air-cooled, crew-served, fixed headspace weapon. Its versatility is demonstrated by its ability to be mounted on the M122A1 tripod, a bipod, on vehicles, or on aircraft.
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