Saturday, April 16, 2005

Another PIG Pic..

A reader has asked for a picture of the NEW SAW that the Marines are using, and who am I to refuse! TrekMedic.. If you happen to be writing your nephew, tell him I said THANKS for serving his country, we owe him, BIG TIME!



So this is the M240G. This little honey is being brought into service by the US Marine Corp to replace the aging M60. Some quick specs:

  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing, Inc.
  • Length: 47.5 inches (120.65 centimeters)
  • Weight: 24.2 pounds (10.99 kilograms)
  • Bore diameter: 7.62mm (.308 inches)
  • Maximum effective range: 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) on tripod mount
  • Rates of fire: Cyclic: 650-950 rounds per minute Rapid: 200 rounds per minute Sustained: 100 rounds per minute
  • Unit Replacement Cost: $6,600
Not cheap! But, this is a little different from the M240 the Army uses. The Army's SAW fires the same 5.56 (.223) round that the M16/M4 does. It can use a M16 magazine, or be belt fed.
Here is some relevant data on the 240G:

A similar version of the M240, the M240G, is the standard US Marine Corps medium machine gun. The Marine Corps is replacing the M60E3 with the M240G. The ground version of the M240 allows for a common medium machine gun throughout the Marine Corps. The M240G Machine Gun is the ground version of the original M240/M240E1, 7.62mm medium class weapon designed as a coaxial/pintle mounted machine gun for tanks and light armored vehicles. The rate of fire may be controlled by three different regulator settings. The M240G is modified for ground use by the installation of an "infantry modification kit," comprised of a flash suppressor, front sight, carrying handle for the barrel, a buttstock, infantry length pistol grip, bipod, and rear sight assembly.

Enjoy! Hope I pissed off some whining, cry baby, gun fearing wussies with this!
I am resonable sure this is the correct 240.. Here is a picture (usmc.mil website) of some Marines playing with their new toy at the range at 29 Palms qualifing on their new M240G.
And HERE is a link to MORE pictures of Marines having a good time playing with their BIG toys!

4 comments:

FbL said...

The Squad Automatic Weapon is the M249... It is, as you say, 5.56mm, and fires both belt and magazine. It is carried by the squad automatic rifleman.
The M240G, again, as you said, replaces the 7.62mm M60 series machine gun, and is carried by a machine gun team, in the Weapons Platoon of an Infantry Company.
(And, for the golden kewpi doll, can you guess what I did in the Corps?)
Love the PIG and Pin-ups!

TheBitterAmerican said...

Sgt B - yes, my nephew, LCpl "X" is part of a weapons platoon. He's currently on 22-days leave from Fallujah.

Rescue Mike, thanks for the kind words,..I'll pass them on when I see him next weekend at the VFW (Throwing a "Welcome Home" party)

Semper Fi from Gunny TM.

FbL said...

Big SEMPER FI, to you and the good Lance Corporal from the Pacific Northwest. Tell him to be careful and wear his body armor when he gets back into it - we worry about our brothers and sisters over there...
And ask him when he's gonna stop messing around with them BB guns and wrap his hands around some REAL firepower... (M2 HB .50 cal)

*grin, wink*

Best to both of you, and you too Mike!

Anonymous said...

My son and I were just talking about the 240G and the fact that he has used on often. He is currently station at 29 Palms after two deployments to Iraq.