M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW)

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Mission

Deter, and if necessary, repel adversaries by enabling individuals and small units to engage targets with accurate, lethal, direct automatic fire.

Entered Army Service

1987

Description and Specifications

A lightweight, gas-operated, one-man-portable automatic weapon capable of delivering a large volume of effective fire at ranges up to 800 meters. Two M249s are issued per infantry squad. It is scheduled to replace the M60 7.62 medium machine gun in certain units.

Caliber: 5.56 mm
Weight: 16.5 lbs
Rate of Fire: 750 rounds per minute

Manufacturer

FN Manufacturing (Columbia, SC)

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