What replaced the M60?

In the 1980s the Army began replacing the M60 with the 5.56 mm M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and, soon afterward, the M240 7.62 mm machine gun.

Why did the M240 replace the M60?

Basically, it was old, worn, had a barrel changing disadvantage, and it and it's ammunition was heavy. Production of the M60 stopped long before the weapon was retired.

When did M240 replace M60?

The M240 proved popular enough that it was adapted by the infantry later on, as the M240G and M240B. The USMC adopted the M240G for this role in 1991, where it not only replaced the original M60s used by the Marine Corps infantry, but also the upgraded M60E3 that the Marines had started using in the 1980s.

Does the military still use M60?

The M60 machine gun is an air-cooled, gas-operated light machine gun that fires 7.62mm rounds from a disintegrating belt of M13 links. Introduced in 1957, the M60 is still used by all branches of the U.S. military, and continues to be manufactured.

What is replacing the M240?

The MG 338 is also the same machine gun competing with the Lightweight Medium Machine Gun from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems for the US Special Operations Command replacement for the M240. The MG 338 weighs 20 pounds and was designed to meet SOCOM requirements of firing belt-fed .

M240 Bravo: America Replaces the M60

What is the M16 being replaced with?

The US military has largely replaced the M16 in frontline combat units with a shorter and lighter version, the M4 carbine. In April 2022, the U.S. Army selected the SIG MCX SPEAR as the winner of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to replace the M16/M4. The rifle is designated XM7.

What is the Army replacing the M4 with?

The Army recently announced that the Next Generation Squad Weapon, the XM5 rifle and XM250 light machine gun will replace the M4/M16 rifle and the 249 light machine gun, with some Soldiers expected to receive the weapons by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Why is the M60 called a pig?

In Vietnam, the M60 dangled from helicopter doorways, stood guard on bunkers, and accompanied squads into combat. It became the “Hog” or the “Pig” to American soldiers because its report sounded like the grunt of a barnyard hog. The Army was enthusiastic when the M60 was being developed in the Cold War 1950s.

What machine gun does Navy Seals use?

The M4A1 carbine is the primary weapon used by SEAL operators. A shorter, more compact version of the M16A2 rifle, it was specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces.

Why did the US stop using the M60?

In the 1980s, the M60 was partially replaced by the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon within Army infantry squads. Their new doctrine with the weapon reduced the general-purpose machine gun role in favor of portability and a greater volume of fire.

What is the lightest 7.62 machine gun?

ULTRALIGHT MACHINE GUN

The FN EVOLYS^® has been developed in two calibres, 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x51mm NATO. The FN EVOLYS^® 7.62, with a weight of approx. 6.2 kilos, is much lighter than current reference machine guns.

What was the life expectancy of a M60 machine gunner in Vietnam?

""Guns up!" was the battle cry that sent machine gunners racing forward with their M60s to mow down the enemy, hoping that this wasn't the day they would meet their deaths. Marine Johnnie Clark heard that the life expectancy of a machine gunner in Vietnam was seven to ten seconds after a firefight began.

What machine gun did they use in Vietnam?

DP 7.62mm Light Machine Gun

The North Vietnamese used the DP light machine gun as their squad-level, automatic support weapon. This counterpart to the American M-60 fed cartridges using a pan magazine or belt, and had a range of about 875 yards.

What gun did Rambo use in First Blood?

The M60 General-Purpose Machine Gun (also called "The Pig") is a 7.62x51mm NATO machine gun capable of firing 600 Rounds Per Minute that John Rambo uses prominently at the climax of First Blood.

What gun did Chris Kyle use?

a Remington 700/300, Later type classified as a MK13 Mod 1, .300 Winchester Magnum sniper rifle with McMillan stock and customized barrel, which was later replaced with a .300 Winchester Magnum Accuracy International, Various rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum used for long-range shooting.

What machine guns do Green Berets use?

The Core Green Beret Rifle

Green Berets have access to any number of rifles, including Sniper rifles, DMRs, Anti-material rifles, submachine guns, and much more, so it's a solid vote in the platform's favor that the M4A1 is the main rifle of these Special Operations commandos.

What gun does Delta Force use?

Delta Force traditionally relies on the M4 assault rifle along with the HK416 Carbine and M3A1 Grease Gun. Sniper rifles, shotguns, pistols, and explosives provide additional means for defense along with protective gear like camo and armor.

How much ammo did a soldier carry in Vietnam?

During the Vietnam War, Soldiers were issued a semiautomatic rifle with automatic capability and up to 20 magazines of 20 rounds each along with fragmentation and colored smoke grenades.

Are m60s still used?

It was widely used by the US and its Cold War allies, especially those in NATO, and remains in service throughout the world, despite having been superseded by the M1 Abrams in the US military.

Did they use the m60 tank in Vietnam?

It was the main battle tank of U.S. forces, up to 1980. The M-60 saw some combat action in Vietnam. The terrain and its heavyweight hampered its effectiveness.

What will be the next U.S. military rifle?

On 19 April 2022, the Army awarded a 10-year contract to SIG Sauer to produce the XM7 rifle, along with the XM250 light machine gun, to replace the M4 and M249, respectively.

What is the U.S. Army new M5 rifle?

“The Army originally chose the designation XM5 as the name of the new rifle in March. Since then, the service learned that the M5 name is used by Colt Industries for one of its 5.56mm carbines. As a result, the [Next Generation Squad Weapon] Rifle will now be called the XM/M7,” according to the statement.

Why did the M16 fail in Vietnam?

The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions. The result was the M16 often jammed, making the rifle “about as effective as a muzzleloader,” in the words of one officer.