CREW-SERVED MACHINE GUNS, 5.56-mm AND …

1 HEADQUARTERSFM OF THE ARMYCREW- served MACHINE guns , AND , MACHINE GUNM60, MACHINE GUNM240B, MACHINE GUNJANUARY 2003 DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.*FM MANUALHEADQUARTERSNo. OF THE ARMYW ashington, DC, 31 January 2003 CREW-SERVED MACHINE guns , AND viCHAPTER 1. M249 MACHINE guns ectionI. Description and .. Firing Attachment .. 1-8 SectionII. Disassembly .. , Lubrication, and Preventive 1-211-10. Function 1-241-11. Maintenance 1-251-12. Maintenance During Nuclear, Biological, 1-25 SectionIII. Operation and Function .. 1-251-13. Operation .. 1-251-14. Loading .. 1-261-15. Unloading .. 1-271-16. Cycle of Functioning .. 1-271-17. Sights .. 1-291-18. M122 1-311-19. Dismounting from the M122 Tripod .. 1-331-20. Bipod Operations .. 1-331-21. Vehicular 1-341-22. Tripod Positioning .. 1-34 DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution isunlimited.

2 *This publication supersedes FM 23-67, 29 February 1984 and FM 23-14,26 January Performance Problems and Destruction .. 1-341-23. Malfunctions.. 1-341-24. 1-351-25. Immediate Action .. 1-371-26. Remedial Action .. 1-381-27. Destruction 1-38 CHAPTER 2. M60 MACHINE guns ectionI. Description and .. Firing Attachments, M13 and M13A .. 2-7 SectionII. Disassembly .. , Lubrication, and Preventive 2-192-10. Function 2-212-11. Maintenance 2-222-12. Maintenance During Nuclear, Biological, 2-22 Section and Function .. 2-222-13. Operation .. 2-222-14. Loading .. 2-222-15.. 2-232-16. Cycle of Functioning .. 2-232-17. Sights .. 2-252-18. M122 2-262-19. Bipod Operations .. 2-282-20. Vehicular 2-292-21. Tripod Position .. 2-30 SectionIV. Performance Problems and Destruction .. 2-302-22. Malfunctions.. 2-302-23. 2-312-24. Immediate Action.

3 2-322-25. Remedial Action .. 2-332-26. Destruction 2-34 CHAPTER 3. M240B MACHINE guns ectionI. Description and .. Adapter .. 3-6FM Firing Attachment .. 3-7 SectionII. Disassembly .. , Lubrication, and Preventive 3-203-10. General 3-243-11. Function 3-273-12. Maintenance 3-273-13. Maintenance During Nuclear, Biological, 3-27 SectionIII. Operation and Function .. 3-273-14. Operation .. 3-283-15. Loading .. 3-283-16. Unloading .. 3-283-17. Cycle of Functioning .. 3-293-18. Sights .. 3-303-19. M122A1 Tripod .. 3-333-20. Bipod Operations .. 3-353-21. Tripod 3-36 SectionIV. Performance Problems and Destruction .. 3-363-22. Malfunctions .. 3-363-23. 3-373-24. Immediate Action .. 3-403-25. Remedial Action .. 3-403-26. Stuck Barrel .. 3-413-27. Destruction 3-41 CHAPTER 4. MACHINE GUN MARKSMANSHIP TRAININGS ectionI.. Strategy .. for Combat Conditions.

4 4-4 SectionII. Preliminary Fundamentals .. , Biological, Chemical Fire .. of Moving Targets .. 4-114-10. Traverse and 4-134-11. Direct Lay .. 4-144-12. Application of 4-144-13. Fire Adjustment .. 4-144-14. Effects of 4-154-15. Fire 4-17FM Dry-Fire Exercise .. 4-174-17. Multipurpose MACHINE Gun Range Layout .. 4-204-18. Basic MACHINE Gun Target .. 4-214-19. Target 4-24 SectionIII. crew Drill .. 4-244-20. 4-244-21. crew Equipment .. 4-254-22. Formation (Bipod or Tripod Mounted) .. 4-254-23. Cross-Training Procedures .. 4-26 4-24. Inspection for Bipod 4-264-25. Placement into Action (Bipod) .. 4-284-26 Procedures for Changing the Barrel (Bipod) .. 4-294-27. Removal from Action (Bipod).. 4-304-28. Inspection for Tripod 4-304-29. Placement into Action (Tripod) .. 4-30 4-30. Procedures for Changing the Barrel (Tripod).. 4-324-31. Removal from Action (Tripod).. 4-324-32.

5 Prone 4-33 SectionIV. Basic Gunnery for the M249, M60, and M240B MACHINE guns .. 4-344-33. 4-344-34. Field Zero .. 4-354-35. 10-Meter 4-354-36. 10-Meter Conduct of Fire .. 4-364-37. 10-Meter Firing, Qualification .. 4-444-38. Transition Fire .. 4-444-39. Transition Conduct of Fire, 4-454-40. Transition Fire, Limited 4-494-41. AN/PVS-4 Zero .. 4-504-42. Qualification Standards .. 4-51 CHAPTER 5. COMBAT TECHNIQUES OF FIRES ectionI. Characteristics of Fire .. Ordinate .. of Fire .. Zone .. Space .. 5-2 SectionII. Classes of to the Ground .. to the Target .. to the MACHINE 5-4 SectionIII. Application of of Targets .. 5-55-10. Distribution, Concentration, and Rate of Fire .. 5-65-11. Target 5-75-12. Target Engagement during Limited 5-12FM Overhead Fire .. 5-125-14. Defilade 5-14 SectionIV. Predetermined Fires .. 5-165-15. Terminology .. 5-165-16. Range Card.

6 5-17 SectionV. Fire 5-235-17. Methods of Fire Control .. 5-235-18. Fire 5-24 SectionVI. Range Determination .. 5-305-19. Range 5-305-20. Lateral Distance Measurement .. 5-33 SectionVII. Advanced Gunnery .. 5-345-21. Objectives .. 5-345-22. Organization .. 5-345-23. 5-345-24. Firing Sequence .. 5-345-25. Alternate Firing 5-355-26. Movement, Speed, and Alignment .. 5-385-27. 5-38 CHAPTER 6. TRAIN-THE-TRAINER Task Trainers and Cadre Coaches .. Tasks .. Certification Program .. 6-11 APPENDIX A. UNIT TRAINING PROGRAM .. A-1 APPENDIX B. PROFICIENCY (PERFORMANCE) EXAMINATION ..B-1 APPENDIX C. AERIAL D. RANGE SAFETY .. D-1 APPENDIX E. EMPLOYMENT ..E-1 APPENDIX F. TRAINING AIDS AND F-1 APPENDIX G. ADVANCED OPTICS AND LASERS .. G-1 APPENDIX H. 10-METER BORE LIGHT/25-METER TARGET Index-1FM manual provides technical information, training techniques, and guidance on thecrew- served MACHINE guns , and (M249/M60/M240B).

7 The purpose ofthis manual is, to provide a one-source document for all three weapons. This prohibitshaving several sources to rely on. Unit leaders, trainers, and the designated gunners willfind this information invaluable in their efforts to successfully integrate these automaticweapons into their combat must ensure that safety procedures are observed at all times. Leaders,trainers, and soldiers must remember that safety is everyone s responsibility. All trainingshould be conducted as though the weapon is fully loaded. At no time while using thismanual does speed or accuracy override the safety this publication states otherwise, masculine nouns and pronouns do not referexclusively to proponent of this publication is the United States Army Infantry School. Sendcomments and recommendations on DA Form 2028 directly to Commandant, ArmyInfantry School, ATTN: ATSH-IN-S3, Fort Benning, GA 31905-5596, or send email 1M249 MACHINE GUNThe M249 MACHINE gun supports the soldier in both theoffense and defense.

8 The M249 provides a medium volume of close andcontinuous fire the soldier needs to accomplish the mission. With it, unitscan engage the enemy along with the capability of individual weaponswith controlled and accurate fire. The medium-range, close defensive, andfinal protective fires delivered by the M249 MG form an integral part of aunit s defensive fires. Although the M249 MG is described here as amachine gun, it also plays the role of the automatic rifleman. This FM orchapter supersedes FM 23-14, which describes the M249 MG in theautomatic rifle role. This chapter also describes the weapon and the typesof ammunition in detail and provides a table of general I. DESCRIPTION AND COMPONENTSThis section describes the M249 MACHINE gun and its components and purposes. It alsodiscusses the different types of ammunition that is fired from the M249 MACHINE section describes how to install the blank firing adapter for the M249 MACHINE gunand how to take care of the MACHINE gun while using the blank firing M249 MACHINE gun is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt or magazine-fed, automaticweapon that fires from the open-bolt position (Figure 1-1).

9 It has a maximum rate of fireof 850 rounds per minute. Primarily, ammunition is fed into the weapon from a200-round ammunition box containing a disintegrating metallic split-link belt. As anemergency means of feeding, the M249 MACHINE gun can use a 20- or 30-round M16 riflemagazine but increases the chance of stoppages. This gun can be fired from the shoulder,hip, or underarm position; from the bipod-steadied position; or from the tripod-mountedposition. See Table 1-1, on page 1-2, for general 1-1. M249 MACHINE gun, bipod and tripod .. ball and tracer (4:1 mix) ammunition ispackaged in 200-round drums, each pounds; other types of ammunition available areball, tracer, blank, and meters (+)Length of M249 .. inchesWeight of M249 .. poundsWeight of tripod mount M122with traversing and elevatingmechanism and poundsMaximum range ..3,600 metersMaximum effective range ..1,000 meters with the tripod and T&EArea:Tripod.

10 1,000 metersBipod ..800 metersPoint:Tripod ..800 metersBipod ..600 metersSuppression ..1,000 metersMaximum extent of grazingfire obtainable over uniformlysloping metersHeight of M249 on tripodmount 16 inchesRates of Fire:Sustained ..100 rounds per minuteFired in 6- to 9-round bursts with 4 to 5 secondsbetween bursts (change barrel every 10 minutes)Rapid ..200 rounds per minuteFired in 6- to 9-round bursts2 to 3 seconds between bursts (change barrel every2 minutes)Cyclic ..650 to 850 rounds per minuteContinuous burst (change barrel every minute)Basic load, ammunition ..1,000 rounds (in 200-round drums)Elevation, tripod controlled ..+200 milsElevation, tripod free ..+445 milsDepression, tripod milsDepression, tripod milsTraverse, controlled by traversingand elevating mechanism ..100 milsNormal sector of fire (withtripod)..875 milsTable 1-1. General components of the M249 MACHINE gun and their purposes are described in Table 1-2and shown Figure 1-2.