Tag Archives: GPMG

The Pig Endures! 

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25th Infantry Division PFC Milton L. Cook fires his M60 machine gun spraying a tree line, around the Filhol Plantation near Cu Chi, Republic of Vietnam, January 8, 1967.” (Photo: National Archives 111-CCV-345-CC37981)

The U.S. Army Contracting Command in Newark, New Jersey this week awarded an eight-figure contract to a Nevada firm for the venerable M60 machine gun.

The $14,960,325 firm-fixed-price contract awarded to U.S. Ordnance of Sparks, Nevada covers an unspecified quantity of M60E4 and M60E6 machine guns, along with spare parts, accessories, conversion kits, and training.

The “Echo Four” and “Echo Six” variants, better known as the MK43, shouldn’t be confused with the classic M60 and are much modified from the Vietnam-era 7.62 NATO general purpose machine gun made famous in the third act of “Rambo: First Blood.”

The M60E4/M60E6/MK43 is lighter, shorter, and decked out with accessory and optics rails. Further, the gas system is paired to the bottom of the barrel, meaning a quick barrel change can instantly fix most series of failures. (Photo: U.S. Ordnance)

The M60 – based on a redesign of the German MG42 – originally entered service in 1957 to replace the Great War-era M1917 water-cooled machine gun and the air-cooled M1919.

After becoming iconic in Vietnam and the Cold War, the platform was gradually phased out in favor of the FN-made M240, based on that company’s almost universally acclaimed FN MAG 58 platform. Besides small-scale use in special operations units, the M60 endures in a variety of training roles.

FN Keeps Raking in that Sweet, Sweet, Machine Gun Money

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FN had several advanced models on display at last month’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

Including an MK48, or Maximi, which blends the M249 SAW/Minimi program with a 7.62 NATO caliber.

Developed in conjunction with SOCOM, it only weighs 18 pounds. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

FN also had one of its new Evolys platforms on display, which offers either a 12-pound belt-fed machine gun in 5.56 NATO or a 14-pound model in 7.62 NATO.

I’ll take 10 for starters, please. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

It seems to be good money if you can get it. Speaking of which, the U.S. Army Contracting Command just awarded FN another $50 million contract for M240 Lima models.

Of note, the company set up its U.S. franchise in 1981 specifically to make M240s for Uncle Sam, and the line is still going strong 40 years later.

Army Publically Reaffirms Their Love of the M240

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The adage for the past couple of decades among Joes (skip this if you are sensitive as it may be NSFW) is that the 5056 NATO-caliber M249 SAW is like a high-maintenance first wife: you have to pamper and court her and maybe, just maybe, she will work out. The 7.62 NATO-chambered M240 on the other hand, is just a dirty whore: no matter what you do to her, she’ll keep on working through the night, rain or shine.

Thus endith the addage.

There may be some smoke to that, as, in my experience, I have never seen any but a factory fresh and over-lubed SAW run a full 200-round belt without a stoppage under field conditions whereas I have also seen some downright grungy and funky M240s chew through belt after belt. This may be why the Marines have largely dumped the SAW for the M27 IAR and the Army is looking to move on to the NGSW-AR to put the M249 in the rearview.

As further reinforcement to the M240 not going anywhere any time soon, Picatinny Arsenal just issued a five-year $92 million contract for more deliveries of that beautiful FN-made GPMG.

I got to see how the magic happens on FN’s 240 lines back in 2019, and these things are built like a tank.