Little Armory LA032 M249

The M249 is a Belgian-made squad support weapon (SAW = Squad Automatic Weapon) adopted by the US Army in 1982. It is a firearm that can fire the same 5.56mm bullets as the main rifle M16 and M4 rifle, and can share magazines if necessary. It is more than 3kg lighter than the conventional general-purpose machine gun M60, and has a shorter overall length, so it can be operated by a single soldier without the need for an ammunition assistant. The firepower of the M249 is said to be equivalent to that of 12 riflemen equipped with M16s, making it a very reliable presence for infantry squads. This kit reproduces the most standard setup of the M249, with a long barrel, heat shield, plastic handguard and stock. The feed cover and bipod can be opened or closed. A plastic box magazine that holds 200 rounds of 5.56mm belt link bullets is included.