M240 Machine Gun

The M240 Machine Gun, 7.62 mm, M240, is the US military designation for the FN MAG (French: Mitrailleuse d'Appui Général, English: general-purpose machine gun), a family of belt-fed, gas-operated medium machine guns that chamber the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge.

The M240 is a belt-fed, gas-operated, air-cooled, crew-served, fixed headspace general-purpose machine gun. Its versatility is demonstrated by its ability to be fired effectively from its integral bipod, mounted on a tripod, on ground vehicles, watercraft and aircraft.

The M240C (Coaxially mounted) machine gun is mounted in M2/M3 Bradleys adjacent the M-242 25 MM Busmaster Chain Gun on the Bradley Commander side of the turret. The M240C is controlled by the Gunner and BC handstations using the same reticle. The M3A3 Bradleys have significant upgrades including advanced thermal imaging, laser range finder and independent BC thermal sight for tracking and identifying targets.

M240B ground combat configuration

M240C coaxially mounted machine gun

Type

General-purpose machine gun

Place of origin

Belgium (designed) United States (manufactured)

Service history

In service

1977–present

Used by

Georgia, Kenya, Lebanon, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Iraq and Philippines

Wars

Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan Syrian Civil War Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)

Production history

Designer

Ernest Vervier

Designed

1950's

Manufacturer

FN America, U.S. Ordnance, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing

Produced

1977–present

Variants

M240, M240E1, M240C, M240D, M240G, M240B, M240L, M240H, Barrett 240LW and 240 LWS

Specifications

Weight

27.6 lb (12.5 kg) (M240B) 25.6 lb (11.6 kg) (M240G) 22.3 lb (10.1 kg) (M240L)

Length

49.7 in (1,260 mm)

Barrel length

24.8 in (630 mm)

Width

4.7 in (120 mm)

Height

10.4 in (260 mm)

-Wikipedia