The M240 is a US-built version of the Belgian FN MAG, that is one of the most widespread and effective General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) in the world. Since its introduction in 1957 the FN MAG has dominated the market for Western Block machine guns. It was proposed for the US military. However it was originally rejected in favor of the US-made M60. Ironically 2 decades after the M60 was adopted, it was replaced by a US-built version of the MAG, designated as the M240. It was adopted by the US Army in 1977 and replaced the M73 and M219 machine guns. The M240 has also been adopted by the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. It is also used by the Spanish Army. This weapon is manufactured in the USA by a local division of the Fabrique Nationale. Production of the M240 still continues and improved and updated variants continue to emerge. This weapon was used during various military conflicts, including the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The M240 is used by the infantry, and may be mounted as a fixed weapon on tripods, vehicle mounts, helicopters and watercraft.
The M240 has several design attributes of the World War II-era German MG-42, including its trigger mechanisms, quick-change barrel, and spring-loaded dust cover. But much of the weapon was derived from the basic design formula of the venerable Browning Model 1918 BAR. In fact most of the Belgian FN MAG was created by simply inverting the BAR's receiver, so it could be belt-fed from above rather than magazine-fed from below.
The M240 is gas-operated weapon. Barrel is above and the gas regulator. This machine gun fires from an open bolt.
It is a selective fire weapon, but does not have a single shot capability. The fire selector switches between a rate of fire of 750 rpm, 850 rpm, or 950 rpm. However the firing rate is adjusted only when fouling causes sluggish operation of the weapon and there is no time to clean the weapon properly.
A safety is integral to the design, which disables the sear when set to "safe", but it can only be safed when the weapon is cocked.
Ammunition is fed into the upper left side of the weapon by a belt. The M240 accepts linked belts with disintegrating or non-disintegrating links. These belts are typically 50 to 250 rounds in length, typically in boxes or pouches. Sometimes these are attached to the weapon itself. The 50-round belts are the most widely-used, and can be linked end-to-end.
The M240 is bulkier and heavier than contemporary machine guns. However it proved to be a very reliable weapon. Several sources report that the MAG is the most reliable machine gun in the world. For example, during testing in the 1990s, it was able to fire an astonishing 26 000 rounds between failures. This reliability was further confirmed in a 2013 torture test of the M240B, after which there was no loss of accuracy, despite the weapon firing a total of 15 000 rounds at its cyclical rate of fire. By the end of that 2013 test, it had fired more than 32 000 rounds without ill effect. The barrel is rated for 800 rounds fired before replacement, but the M240 has frequently exceeded this requirement. According to some sources this weapon have been able to fire 8 000 rounds out of individual barrels before requiring a replacement, even when the barrels were heated until they glowed red hot. Barrels with advanced lining materials have even longer life ratings, with Stellite-lined barrels claimed to last for 15 000 rounds.
Most of the components of the M240 are interchangeable with the Belgian FN MAG and its derivatives, such as the British L7A1.
This weapon has quick-change barrels. A carrying handle is attached directly to the top of the barrel. It allows the crew to quickly remove an expended barrel while it is still hot, with no need for insulated gloves to handle it.
The M240 has composite buttstock, foregrip and pistol grip. Early versions of the original FN MAG had wooden furniture, while newer models also employ composite materials.
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20 июл 2024
