Crew Served Machine Guns 5.56 7.62
This manual provides technical information, training techniques, and guidance on the crew–served machine guns, 5.56–mm and 7.62–mm (M249/M60/M240B). The purpose of this manual is, to provide a one–source document for all three weapons.
Unit leaders, trainers, and the designated gunners will find this information invaluable in their efforts to successfully integrate these automatic weapons into their combat operations.
M249 MACHINE GUN The 5.56–mm M249 machine gun supports the soldier in both the offense and defense. The M249 provides a medium volume of close and continuous fire the soldier needs to accomplish the mission. With it, units can engage the enemy along with the capability of individual weapons with controlled and accurate fire. The medium–range, close defensive, and final protective fires delivered by the M249 MG form an integral part of a unit’s defensive fires. Although the M249 MG is described here as a machine gun, it also plays the role of the automatic rifleman. This FM or chapter supersedes FM 23–14, which describes the M249 MG in the automatic rifle role. This chapter also describes the weapon and the types of ammunition in detail and provides a table of general data.
M60 MACHINE GUN The 7.62–mm M60 machine gun supports the rifleman in offense and defense. It provides the heavy volume of close and continuous fire the rifleman needs to accomplish his mission. The M60 is used to engage targets beyond the range of individual weapons, with controlled and accurate fire. The long–range, close defensive, and final protective fires delivered by the M60 form an integral part of a unit’s defensive fires. This chapter describes the weapon and the types of ammunition it uses in detail and provides a table of general data.
M240B MACHINE GUN The M240B machine gun supports the rifleman in both offensive and defensive operations. The M240B provides the heavy volume of close and continuous fire needed to accomplish the mission. The M240B is used to engage targets beyond the range of individual weapons, with controlled and accurate fire. The long–range, close defensive, and final protective fires delivered by the M240B form an integral part of a unit’s defensive fires. This chapter describes the weapon and the types of ammunition in detail and provides a table of general data.