M-249 AUTOMATIC RIFLE

1. M-249 AUTOMATIC RIFLE y

2. OVERVIEW PERIOD I 1. Weapon/Classroom Safety 2. Description and Characteristics 3. Nomenclature 4. Clearing 5. Disassembly/Assembly and Function Check 6. Inspection, Care, Cleaning and Lubrication y

3. OVERVIEW PERIOD I (Continued) 7. Ammunition 8. Loading and Clearing 9. Stoppages, Malfunctions, Immediate Action 10. Installing and Removing Blank Firing Adapter 11. Methods of Destruction y

4. STUDENT EVALUATIONS • Clearing the automatic rifle • Full loading the automatic rifle using belted ammunition • Clearing belted ammunition from the full-load position • Disassembly of the automatic rifle • Assembly of the automatic rifle • Function check of the automatic rifle • Applying immediate action procedures • y

5. WEAPONS SAFETY Violations of Weapon Safety Rules may result in immediate removal from the training area.

6. DESCRIPTION • Air cooled • Automatic weapon • Disintegrating metallic split link belt or magazine fed • Fires from the open bolt • Fixed headspace • Gas operated • 5.56mm NATO standard ammunition

7. CHARACTERISTICS PERFORMANCE LENGTH 41 Inches WEIGHT 16.5 lbs.

8. CHARACTERISTICS RANGES Maximum Range 3,600m Maximum adjustable 1000m MAX. EFFECTIVE RANGE Point targets 600m Area targets 800m Suppression 1000m

9. CHARACTERISTICS RATES OF FIRE Sustained – 50 rpm Rapid – 50 rpm Cyclic – 850 rpm

10. EXTERNAL NOMENCLATURE

11. CLEARING PROCEDURES • Place on fire, lock bolt to rear • Safety on • Return cocking handle forward • Raise cover and feed mechanism and visually inspect chamber, receiver and magazine well • Close cover, select fire, and ride the bolt gently forward using the cocking handle while pressing the trigger to rear • Weapon remains on fire (bolt forward, weapon on fire)

12. 5 INSPECTION POINTS

13. DISASSEMBLY The weapon must always be CLEARED before disassembling. The Instructor will Demonstrate.

14. DISASSEMBLY • Remove Operating Group • Remove Barrel Group • Remove Gas Regulator and Collar • Remove Hand-guard assembly • Remove Butt stock/shoulder assembly and Trigger assembly • Remove Gas Cylinder and Bipod group

15. DISASSEMBLY • FIELD STRIP

16. DISASSEMBLY EIGHT MAJOR GROUPS

17. DISASSEMBLY INSPECTION CLEANING LUBRICATION REASSEMBLY

18. FUNCTION CHECK • Clear Weapon • Safety off, lock bolt to rear • Safety on • Pull trigger ( should not fire ) • Check fire • (a) Safety off • (b) Pull trigger, ride bolt forward • (c) Bolt forward, remains on fire

19. AMMUNITION TYPES AND USES

20. WEAPON LOADING Full load (open cover) Weapon to fire Lock bolt to the rear Safety on Inspect 5 safety points Ammo on tray Close cover

21. WEAPON LOADING

22. UNLOADING Unloading from a full load: Ensure safety is on Raise cover, remove ammo Inspect 5 safety points Close cover Safety off Ride bolt forward

23. WEAPON LOADING Magazine fed- 1. Weapon to fire 2. Lock bolt to the rear 3. Safety on 4. Inspect 5 safety points 5. Close cover 6. Insert magazine

24. UNLOADING Unloading from a full load: Ensure safety is on Remove magazine Raise cover Inspect 5 safety points Close cover Safety off Ride bolt forward

25. STOPPAGES AND MALFUNCTIONS STOPPAGE- MALFUNCTION- IMMEDIATE ACTION-

26. STOPPAGES AND MALFUNCTIONS IMMEDIATE ACTION Within 10 seconds Bolt to rear Round ejects -- continue

27. STOPPAGES AND MALFUNCTIONS Remedial – Cold Barrel Round not ejected Hold handle to rear Open cover Remove ammo Inspect/clear weapon Round in chamber Close cover Attempt to fire

28. 0 STOPPAGES AND MALFUNCTIONS Remedial – Hot Barrel During combat, wait 5 seconds because of the possibility of a “hangfire” before applying remedial action. During training, wait 15 minutes before clearing a hot weapon and applying remedial action.

29. BLANK FIRING ADAPTER

30. DESTRUCTION OF WEAPON FIVE METHODS 1. Mechanical 2. Burning 3. Gunfire 4. Demolition 5. Disposal

31. SUMMARY If you do not understand anything covered during Period I, ask now!

32. OVERVIEW PERIOD II • Roles of the automatic rifle • Characteristics of fire • Range determination/Lateral distance measurement • Principles of fire • Engagement of visible targets • Limited visibility • Predetermined fires

33. ROLES OF THE AUTOMATIC RIFLE • Support rifleman • Engage intermediate distance targets • Heavy volume of fire • Assault weapon in close quarters or entry procedures

34. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Trajectory • Maximum ordinate • Cone of fire • Beaten zone • Danger space • Dead space

35. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Trajectory--path of projectile • Almost flat at 300 meters or less • Beyond 300 meters, trajectory is curved and becomes greater as range increases

36. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Maximum ordinate • Highest point trajectory reaches from muzzle to target • Occurs at 2/3 of distance between gun and target

37. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE

38. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Cone of fire • Pattern formed by several rounds in a burst, each round taking a slightly different trajectory • Caused by vibration of the gun or variations in ammunition and atmospheric conditions

39. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Beaten zone-area where cone of fire strikes the ground • Changes when range to target changes • Uniformly sloping or level terrain, beaten zone is long and narrow • Beaten zone becomes shorter and wider as range to target increases • Terrain sloping down and away, beaten zone becomes longer • Terrain rising, beaten zone becomes shorter • Terrain has no great effect on the width of the beaten zone

40. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE

41. CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRE • Danger space-space between gun and target where trajectory does not rise above 1.8 meters • Fired over level terrain – Danger space to 700 meters

42. CHARACTERISTICSOF FIRE • Dead space-area that can’t be seen or covered by gun position • Caused by depressions, rises, obstructions, etc. • Must be covered by a different weapon position or other type of weapon ie. M203

43. RANGEDETERMINATION • Position disclosure • Required for reporting adjustment of fire

44. RANGEDETERMINATION METHODS – 100 meter unit of measure Pacing Appearance of Objects Method

45. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE • Types of targets • Point • Area • Linear • Deep • Linear with depth

46. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE

47. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE

48. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE

49. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE

50. PRINCIPLES OF FIRE