Turret to Trenches: The M240 Machine Gun

[Mike H.]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Turret to Trenches: The M240 Machine Gun” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m240-machine-gun/.

 

[Old Blackcat]

In 1969 I went through some 6 cans of ammo with a M60d south of Li Ka Viet Nam out of a CH47 in a tight right turn with my left door gunner wounded an in the floor. my pilot was cut up pretty bad with broken window fragments. when I used up my first can my crew chief began bringing out ammo I had stowed in the heater closet. when he attached some of the ammo cans they had water, mud and oil in them. as I opened the breach for a new belt I would wipe up to half a handful of mud and grease and slam it home to continue suppressive fire. The weapon did not fail even once. We helped break up a ground attack on a fire base. That weapon saved lives that day. I would have been blessed to have a M240 that day though a 50 would have been better. The CH47's frame was not strong enough for 50s we were told.
All this to say don't sell the PIG short.
George French
213 ASH Black Cats 68-69

 

[Captain O]

In 1969 I went through some 6 cans of ammo with a M60d south of Li Ka Viet Nam out of a CH47 in a tight right turn with my left door gunner wounded an in the floor. my pilot was cut up pretty bad with broken window fragments. when I used up my first can my crew chief began bringing out ammo I had stowed in the heater closet. when he attached some of the ammo cans they had water, mud and oil in them. as I opened the breach for a new belt I would wipe up to half a handful of mud and grease and slam it home to continue suppressive fire. The weapon did not fail even once. We helped break up a ground attack on a fire base. That weapon saved lives that day. I would have been blessed to have a M240 that day though a 50 would have been better. The CH47's frame was not strong enough for 50s we were told.
All this to say don't sell the PIG short.
George French
213 ASH Black Cats 68-69

Amen, brother!

 

[Talyn]

I preferred the M240 over the M249.

The M249 was too much of a jumpy buzz-gun to me.

 

[Cedric]

M240 all the way. One of our units was first to field it in 1978 still under the designation of MAG 58. The M73 and 219 belong in the trash heap.

 

[Captain O]

Remember:

Nguyen Ngoc Loan had the right idea when he shot the Communist courier Lê Công Nà in the street. A .38 S&W Special from a Nickled S&W Model 49 to the temple cured the problem.