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Fabrique Nationale M240 GPMG
The M240 has proven reliable enough to replace the Vietnam-era M60 General Purpose Machine Gun with the US Army and US Marine Corps.
By Staff Writer
The M240 series of general purpose machine guns (classified by the US as a medium machine gun) has proven to be of a highly-reliable nature since being fitted to several classes of American vehicles. The weapon has also proven to be an infantryman's "best friend" during its recent and continuing operational use in Iraq and Afghanistan. From there, the system was trialed and accepted for frontline service with the United States Marine Corps and, later, the United States Army. Operating from a disintegrating belt feed system, the M240 can fire off varying amounts of 7.62x51mm NATO-standard ammunition at a cyclic rate of around 750 rounds-per-minute, give or take. In actuality, the rate-of-fire is closer to 100 rounds-per-minute due to the weapon's air-cooled method of dissipating heat.
Developed from the Belgium Fabrique Nationale FN MAG system, the weapon was produced in the United States under license as the M240. Early models were mounted as co-axial weapons in the M1 Abrams and M60 Patton Main Battle Tanks and were found to be highly reliable especially when confronted with the rigors of battle. With the heavier and more costly M60 General Purpose Machine Gun in frontline American military service - a veteran itself of the Vietnam War - the US Marine Corps was the first United States branch to take a serious look at the M240 as a viable replacement to be utilized as a bipod- or tripod-mounted system.
The M240 fires the standard NATO 7.62x51mm ammunition cartridge from a disintegrating metal link feed of various lengths. It is designated as the M240G when in the USMC inventory. Like the M60 it replaced, the M240 is gas-operated. Along with its durable sustained rate-of-fire, the machine gun has an impressive effective range equal to 1 mile.
By 1997, the United States Army was already accepting a few series models into service to replace their own M60 machine guns. Fabrique Nationale was awarded a prolonged production contract for M240 production units. To that end, the M60 - in all its versions and improved variants - had effectively seen its end with the arrival of the M240.
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Last Updated: 5/6/2009
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| Specifications for the Fabrique Nationale M240 GPMG |
 Operation: |
Action: Gas-Operated; Open Bolt
Cartridge: 7.62x51mm NATO
Feed System: Disintegrating metal link feed of various counts
Muzzle Velocity: 2,970ft/sec (905m/sec)
Cyclic Rate-of-Fire: 750 rds/min
Effective Range: 5,905ft (1,800m; 1,968yds)
Sights: Fixed Iron
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| Dimensions: |
Overall Length: 1,245mm (49.02in)
Barrel Length: 627mm (24.69in)
Empty Weight: 12.5kg (27.56lbs)
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| Variants |
FN MAG - Original Fabrique Manufacturing, Incorporated design of the base M240.
M240 - Official Series Designation differing in only production methods for the United States factories when compared to the FN design; initial models mounted on M60 Patton and M1 Abrams series tanks as coaxial weapons.
M240B - Standard US Army Designation beginning in 1995.
M240B Weight Reduction Program - Program seeking to lighten the weight of M240B models through manufacturing technique and selective materials.
M240C - Feeding system switched from left to right side for use in M2/M3 Bradley infantry vehicle co-axial machine gun mounts.
M240D - Based on the M240E1; can be utilized in air- or ground-based roles.
M240G - US Marine Corps converted M240 systems mounted on M122E1 tripod or bipod; offered in 1994; "universal" M240 system for USMC vehicle, tank, infantry and aircraft roles.
M240H - Improved M240D models; rail-equipped feed cover; revised flash suppressor.
M240E1 - Becoming the M240D production model.
M240E4 - US Army trials designation for M240B.
M240E5 - Becoming the M240B Weight Reduction Program model.
MAG 58 - NATO Designation
L7 GPMG - British Designation
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