Talyn
SAINT
The ongoing Lightweight Machine Gun-Medium (LMG-M) competition by USSOCOM continues the movement of U.S. forces to a new family of small arms weapons chambered in 338 Norma Magnum.
The purpose of the LMG-M is to bridge the gap between the M2 and M240 machine guns. The program’s objectives are to deliver a man-portable system that has overmatch capability over opposing enemy 7.62x54R machine guns.
In the U.S. war in Afghanistan, the troops on the ground had a major problem. These teams would come up against the enemy with the non-standard PKM machine gun firing the 7.62x54mm R caliber (R= rimmed) that has an effective range of 1500 meters. Troops equipped with this weapon had overmatch capability on U.S. and NATO forces. This has been a known issue for decades, however, the U.S. has been involved in few conflicts where it was a major issue, as it is in the open deserts of Afghanistan.
The purpose of the LMG-M is to bridge the gap between the M2 and M240 machine guns. The program’s objectives are to deliver a man-portable system that has overmatch capability over opposing enemy 7.62x54R machine guns.
In the U.S. war in Afghanistan, the troops on the ground had a major problem. These teams would come up against the enemy with the non-standard PKM machine gun firing the 7.62x54mm R caliber (R= rimmed) that has an effective range of 1500 meters. Troops equipped with this weapon had overmatch capability on U.S. and NATO forces. This has been a known issue for decades, however, the U.S. has been involved in few conflicts where it was a major issue, as it is in the open deserts of Afghanistan.
THE OBJECTIVE OF SOCOM’s LMG-M PROGRAM
The objectives of the LMG-M program are as follows; to supply a lightweight medium machine gun with the following capabilities and features:- Weight less than 31.1 pounds (threshold) and (objective) 23 pounds with fully equipped with rail, handle, bipod, buttstock, and suppressor.
- Length less than 61 inches (threshold) and (objective) 56 pounds with fully equipped with rail, handle, bipod, buttstock, and suppressor.
- Barrel changes without tools in less than 10 seconds (threshold).
- Minimum velocity of 2400 fps.
- Trigger pull between 8 and 16 pounds.
- Average mean radius (accuracy): single shot not to exceed 6 MOA (threshold) and 3 MOA (objective)at 100 meters.
- Cyclic rate of 450-750 rounds per minute (threshold) and 550 +/- 25 rpm (objective).
- Capable of 125 rounds at a maximum rate of fire without catastrophic failure both unsuppressed and suppressed.
- Recommended 1:8-inch twist.
- 8,000 round barrel life (threshold) and 15,000 (objective).