The M249 - The US Military's Squad Automatic Weapon

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  • Опубликовано: 1 янв 2023
  • Today we’re taking a look at the M249 SAW, a very well know LMG used by the US military and made popular by movies and video games. So let’s see what it’s all about!
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Комментарии • 6 тыс.

  • @BrandonHerrera
    @BrandonHerrera  Год назад +1878

    Thanks for watching guys! What are your thoughts about the M249? And what other guns would you like to see on the channel? Let me know in the comments!

  • @mbrady8946
    @mbrady8946 Год назад +1486

    Sometimes I miss having one of those. And then I remember carrying it and I suddenly become less nostalgic about it.

    • @PrankPerry
      @PrankPerry Год назад +92

      I feel that. Lugging this around all days a bitch.

    • @Misfitk85
      @Misfitk85 Год назад +64

      For real, shit sucks when you carried it around and you have a 20 some lbs smacking the shit out of you

    • @xochiltepetzalailhuicamina2322
      @xochiltepetzalailhuicamina2322 Год назад +48

      My back arthritis reminds me daily. 😆

    • @t436
      @t436 Год назад +16

      I remember having an ammo can with an armory metal seal on it.

    • @KH-rt3ef
      @KH-rt3ef Год назад +40

      I bet you miss cleaning it the most, lol

  • @toycoma98
    @toycoma98 Год назад +713

    During weapons qualifications, i found left over belts in the fox hole from previous soldier. I connected them to mine and had a blast with the extra ammo.

    • @sergiyrr5153
      @sergiyrr5153 Год назад +45

      20$ right there

    • @lowkey1969
      @lowkey1969 Год назад +146

      @@sergiyrr5153 As a tanker, we used to discretely toss any leftover coax ammo at the end of our run onto the turret of the next tank headed downrange so we didn't have to deal with turning in unused ammo.
      Often the last tank in the company had so much their gunner would saw targets in half (to the joy of the German rangemeister) and possibly burn out a barrel.
      The 80's were a blast ;)

    • @brandonsanders2767
      @brandonsanders2767 Год назад +28

      The best part of weapons qual is finding rounds on the ground and stuffing them in your magazine before the targets pop up

    • @kylev1996
      @kylev1996 Год назад +15

      Always leave unused rounds for the next guy, where you're proficient, they might need a little boost

    • @williamanderson967
      @williamanderson967 Год назад +8

      You're not trying if you're not cheating. 🤣🤣

  • @Alfs_Armory
    @Alfs_Armory Год назад +135

    249 is an amazing piece of equipment. Never shove a magazine in it if you can avoid it. The weapon fills with brass shavings in magazine mode. I had a SAW once with a gas system issue which turned it into an open-bolt bolt-action while in the middle of qualification. I had a perfect score and most of my ammo left at the end of it.

    • @coryiversen8986
      @coryiversen8986 Год назад +6

      I had a triple feed in mine (blanks). My CPT, 1SG and a grizzled warrant officer were screaming at me for ceasing fire until I opened it up. Do not ever put a goddamn mag in this.

  • @Raven_Enforcer
    @Raven_Enforcer Год назад +51

    As a former gunner, I respect the buttstock choice. M249 was my baby. Her name was Sheila. Named after the Prince song.

    • @venoim.
      @venoim. Месяц назад

      What cost this gun usually in the US?

    • @Raven_Enforcer
      @Raven_Enforcer Месяц назад

      @@venoim. We can't buy them here without a specific license that isn't cheap. Even then, there are rules that have to be followed. The average person can't just go buy one at a gun store. They're military only, and cost around $4100.

  • @airbomb34
    @airbomb34 Год назад +933

    Sucked carrying it, but when the squad opened up with 3 of them talking it was magical.

    • @Evelastic
      @Evelastic Год назад +23

      Holy shit you joined RUclips 16 years ago?

    • @iamwhoiam998
      @iamwhoiam998 Год назад +29

      ​@@EvelasticHoly shit you joined RUclips 2 months ago?

    • @Soldier1287
      @Soldier1287 Год назад +11

      Shiiiet. 1 year longer than me

    • @friendly.arsonist4851
      @friendly.arsonist4851 Год назад +8

      nothing like a squad mag dump to take the stress away

    • @MaynardCrow
      @MaynardCrow Год назад +19

      Yeah, jumping with them sucks almost as much as the 240b. It doesn't fit in the weapons case and your already overloaded Alice pack has a couple ammo cans worth of belts in it. You don't jump out the door as much as waddle like a penguin and fall out of the plane.

  • @Midwesternlifestyle
    @Midwesternlifestyle Год назад +800

    I had a dude who’s 249 suddenly stopped firing. The bolt was seized to the rear. Went down in the middle of a laser tag fire fight with blanks. It’s called MILES gear, kinda neat. So he was told to clear the ammo out of it and leave it alone. Being a high speed E4 this individual naturally tried to fuck with it. He opened the butt stock to find a blank had worked it’s way all the way as far back as it could get in the receiver, wrapped around and on top of the recoil spring and was pinned there by the bolt carrier.

    • @artemefimov8215
      @artemefimov8215 Год назад +5

      What the fuck

    • @Shiftinggers
      @Shiftinggers Год назад +131

      Ah yes, the E4 Mafia strikes again

    • @metroload2199
      @metroload2199 Год назад +87

      How in sam hell

    • @djtrac3r935
      @djtrac3r935 Год назад +16

      What happened next?

    • @5150warpig
      @5150warpig Год назад +92

      they dont always fail, but when they do. they are done for the day. or permanently

  • @lensmith189
    @lensmith189 Год назад +44

    I had the pleasure of carrying a SAW with drums in 1990/91. Never had a problem. The most badass weapon I ever fired. Behind the 50. I liked it better than the 60. Thank You for the video. Brought back a lot of memories. All good.

    • @XxH3ADcaseXx
      @XxH3ADcaseXx 7 месяцев назад +2

      Mine seemed to always malfunction. Armorer had to hate that SAW more than I did lol

    • @lensmith189
      @lensmith189 7 месяцев назад +2

      @@XxH3ADcaseXx That sucks. I never had a problem.

  • @beardedxj
    @beardedxj Год назад +14

    Man this video hit me in the nostalgia feels. I loved being a SAW gunner. When we got to Iraq they upgraded us to the para-saw. It was bad ass

  • @marvindaugherty5989
    @marvindaugherty5989 Год назад +751

    I was an automatic rifleman in the Corps. I loved my SAW. We had longer barrels if my memory serves me. Each weapon came with two barrels and a heat shielded carrier for the extra barrel.

    • @sabiti5428
      @sabiti5428 Год назад +57

      The key was getting a good saw. I worked ITB and MCT ranges as an armorer and I wanted a 240 shoot, not a 249.

    • @xxxlonewolf49
      @xxxlonewolf49 Год назад +40

      Long barrel & short barrel with a collapsible stock in theory for 'airborne' but the Army was getting them issued to 'normal' grunts as well, at least when I was active & Cav.

    • @mactheaxe84
      @mactheaxe84 Год назад +32

      I begged each unit i was in to carry it. I could break it down. Rebuild, 5 point check it blindfolded in a minute and a half. Best time of my life.

    • @greggkemp5985
      @greggkemp5985 Год назад +12

      @@sabiti5428 Samey same here. I loved a good SAW when we had one. A crappy SAW made for a crappy day at the range. I absolutely loved slinging lead with the 240 tho'. 🤙

    • @NotOnDrugs
      @NotOnDrugs Год назад +18

      @@greggkemp5985 I identify as a 249, and a 240b.

  • @the-cheeze-ity6487
    @the-cheeze-ity6487 Год назад +2

    Love the vids Brandon, just wishing you a good 2023, you're one of the few youtubers that puts a genuine smile on my face. Keep spittin faxs and lead.

  • @TheMotionlessGrave
    @TheMotionlessGrave Год назад +8

    A friend of mine carried one in the Marines during two tours in Albania. Fun fact he used one when we did Milsim airsoft which helped prove that in fact a M203 grenade launcher does fit on the bottom rail of the M249 saw. 👍🏼🇺🇸

  • @ryanthorne5432
    @ryanthorne5432 Год назад +685

    There’s supposed to be two pins on the block at the end of the recoil spring assembly that keeps it in place when the buttstock is removed. It is common for those to get broken, but it should be an easy fix with the capabilities you have available.

    • @casa9923
      @casa9923 Год назад +26

      ngl i was gonna comment that until i saw this

    • @jacksonbilgry8395
      @jacksonbilgry8395 Год назад +83

      During my c9 test I shot the spring directly into my forehead. Had a giant red mark, Sgt had a blast yelling "sniper!"

    • @xxxlonewolf49
      @xxxlonewolf49 Год назад

      Yep

    • @rangerthememe1305
      @rangerthememe1305 Год назад +4

      Could i in theory shove a metal mechanical pencil in there to do the same thing as the pins or no

    • @ryanthorne5432
      @ryanthorne5432 Год назад +9

      @@rangerthememe1305 no, they are small roll pins.

  • @pablos6.060
    @pablos6.060 Год назад +150

    My SAW was the only one in my unit that didn’t jam during training and in combat. That being said I kept mine as clean as possible so I loved mine.

    • @Eirik_Bloodaxe
      @Eirik_Bloodaxe Год назад +12

      That’s amazing as it was the most notably jammed weapon we had lol. I prefer 249 Even tho it’s harder to shoulder fire.

    • @YTPrule
      @YTPrule Год назад +3

      You may have been one of the lucky ones. Many SAWs were refurbished guns possibly older than its user. If you got a brand new or less old one, you’d have a better time. I’ve heard anecdotes from Delta Force or some other Tier One operative who prefers he MK46/48 to his rifles and knowing where he’s from, he’d easily get a less used weapon.

  • @gurumagoo
    @gurumagoo 4 месяца назад +15

    I was a SAW gunner for about a year as a Marine Grunt. I loved that thing, despite its weight. I never bitched and moaned about having to pack it round because of the confidence I had in it. I just knew in my balls that anyone and everyone I drew down on with my SAW was going to have a bad day. I prided myself immensely in my proficiency with it, and considered myself to be amongst the best SAW gunners in 1/5. I was one of the lucky ones to have a brandnew weapon, and I can tell you, it is possible to lay down some deadly accurate automatic fire with that thing. A good rule of thumb with the SAW is that if you're engaging multiple targets in the open, you don't draw a bead right on them. You aim for their foreground. The muzzle will climb to hit the target and the richochets on the ground in front of them will often also score hits; especially at extended ranges. An ideal engagement range was about 500 meters spitting 10 round bursts. The weapon loses accuracy when the barrel gets too hot, so you want your A-Gunner to be Johnny-On-The-Spot with those barrel changes putting some water on the off barrel to get it ready to go. We carried a special tray out in the field and over in Afghanistan and Iraq we used specifically for that purpose. In a nasty firefight, we could lay down accurate and effective fire a lot faster and for longer than other SAWs could. My A-Gunner and I, were as mechanically familiar with the SAW as it was possible to be, and when I became FT Leader, he became my new SAW gunner. I was always convinced that people who complained about the SAW never learned to handle and manage it correctly. They didn't drill enough with its particulars and were not competent to wield it. Used properly and competently, it was the heart and soul of a Marine Corps Fire Team, and all the moving parts around it were best used in its support. A SAW gunner who doesn't know as much as his armorer about the weapon he carries isn't competent. When something was fucked up on my weapon, I knew what it was and could tell the guys in the armory to fucking fix it. Not coincidentally, this is also why you report damaged or unserviceable equippement up your chain of command. You don't whisper it to the fucking armorer as he's checking your weapon back into the armory.

  • @tylerw7256
    @tylerw7256 Год назад +655

    Brandon’s always blessing us with the finest content on Earth.

    • @ThereIsNoSpoon4
      @ThereIsNoSpoon4 Год назад +1

      Which Brandon?

    • @bwofficial1776
      @bwofficial1776 Год назад +2

      @@ThereIsNoSpoon4 The Brandon that doesn't shake hands with the air and get lost walking into the front door of his house. The good Brandon.

    • @ThereIsNoSpoon4
      @ThereIsNoSpoon4 Год назад +1

      @@bwofficial1776 Sorry sir, but what you're describing is top quality content.

    • @bwofficial1776
      @bwofficial1776 Год назад

      @@ThereIsNoSpoon4 It's hilarious that we installed a man with dementia into the most powerful office in the world. Unfortunately he's intent on using his power to destroy his enemies, meaning anyone who disagrees with him and his handlers. But hey, no more mean but honest Tweets.

    • @ItIsYouAreNotYour
      @ItIsYouAreNotYour Год назад

      Mr. Potato still doesn't know he's just a vegetable. Let's go Brandon!

  • @sportsboyjon
    @sportsboyjon Год назад +80

    "anything is legal if you pay the government their extortion!" Hell yeah ak Jesus is always preaching

    • @redphantom6921
      @redphantom6921 3 месяца назад

      Al Capone learned that the hard way.

  • @Senor.semaj11
    @Senor.semaj11 29 дней назад +1

    0:27 looks like a shredder the way the bullets are going in the SAW

  • @austinhunt6566
    @austinhunt6566 17 дней назад

    I used to not be super into the gun breakdowns but over the past 6 months or so I’ve thoroughly enjoyed going through these gun breakdowns to really understand how these actually work(queue SDI ad)

  • @MadJackF1
    @MadJackF1 Год назад +199

    It's been 18 years, but we didn't do too much room clearing with them. We had the long barrels. Not exactly maneuverable in tight spaces.

    • @tropicaloasis8203
      @tropicaloasis8203 Год назад +48

      Clear the room from outside of the house. Modern problems require modern solutions

    • @jameson1239
      @jameson1239 Год назад +9

      @@tropicaloasis8203 big brain time

    • @Mr_Zimm
      @Mr_Zimm Год назад +5

      @tropicaloasis8203 that was what the 240 was for

    • @tuongtran4862
      @tuongtran4862 Год назад +1

      @@Mr_Zimm How bout we jdam the house instead of giving lead poisoning?😂

    • @rashidhatimparker2766
      @rashidhatimparker2766 Год назад +1

      @@tropicaloasis8203 Depends what the building is made of and who’s in it 😂.

  • @denniskaylor886
    @denniskaylor886 Год назад +300

    I loved this video. As a former Enlisted Marine during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The M249 was the go-to LMG for my squad. I was the radio operator and my fox hole partner was the SAW gunner. Best times during a "wartime" event was when we were told to open fire. I called in raptor strikes and he let the SAW sing.

    • @clintonwitt8337
      @clintonwitt8337 Год назад +8

      Thank you for your service

    • @derikappleton7209
      @derikappleton7209 8 месяцев назад +1

      Bro same i was srt 0128 they where the best just really heavy

    • @michaelcoulter1725
      @michaelcoulter1725 7 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you for your service dude did the Army have one of those

    • @cococock2418
      @cococock2418 5 месяцев назад

      how can a weapon be a "go to" light machine gun if its the only one that was even available you clown

    • @crypticreality8484
      @crypticreality8484 5 месяцев назад

      ​@@michaelcoulter1725yeah they do too

  • @richheustis5930
    @richheustis5930 Год назад +1

    Carried the SAW as an infantryman. Absolutely love that thing. Learned everything there was to know about it. When taking off the barrel, try this. You shouldn't have to fight with it. Keep the feed tray cover closed, use your thumb to push the barrel release and before trying to push the barrel forward, gently lift straight up on the barrel handle. It should come right out. I watched new SAW gunners fumble fuck this over and over and it just takes a tiny little lift upwards on the handle, then forward. Good video!

  • @26declanjones
    @26declanjones Год назад +12

    The recoil spring guide rod /rear plug assembly doesn't need to be physically held in place when closing the stock because it has small dowl pins on either side that lock into grooves cut into the rear trunnion. The idea is to push in and then down to lock the assembly into the back of the receiver. 😊

  • @RadiantMistborn42
    @RadiantMistborn42 Год назад +137

    Belt-feds are rad. Especially belt-feds that are full-auto as God and Hiram Maxim intended. #AKGNotificationSquad

    • @tobiasrodrigo7947
      @tobiasrodrigo7947 Год назад

      The only good feds are belt feds

    • @doug7948
      @doug7948 Год назад

      Yes, but feds are not

    • @InsertJack
      @InsertJack Год назад +4

      Hiram maxim, the man who made guns so ahead of his time that said guns are still being used over a century after they were created.

    • @hunter0161
      @hunter0161 Год назад

      Especially belt feds that take down Feds…

    • @bwofficial1776
      @bwofficial1776 Год назад +2

      @@InsertJack He and Saint John Browning are some of the greatest gun designers to ever live.

  • @michaelgmitter1533
    @michaelgmitter1533 Год назад +234

    20+ years ago I was a brand new military policeman, and this was one of my primary weapon systems. The M249, M2, and Mk19 will all hold a special place in my heart forever.

    • @dnvunderj
      @dnvunderj Год назад

      military policeman with an M249
      most american shit ever

    • @rubke2
      @rubke2 10 месяцев назад +2

      US MP's carry LMG's?

    • @xanshen9011
      @xanshen9011 3 месяца назад

      @@rubke2Yup. I sometimes pull the 249 if im posted as a certain unit.

  • @darrenanton2898
    @darrenanton2898 Год назад

    After watching you on CF Podcast I'm watching some of your Video's I Love them ! Keep up the good work man:)

  • @IonicSarge
    @IonicSarge Год назад +1

    6:35 I felt that. The first thing we were taught about taking this thing apart was to block the spring when you take off the buttstock or else you’re gonna sucking air through your new chest pocket

  • @salmatosjr5285
    @salmatosjr5285 Год назад +194

    I served during the transition era from the M-60 to the FN minimi and anything lighter than the "Pig" was welcome. Yet after we started using them we found the M-60 was more reliable and had more "ass".

    • @MrNutt_
      @MrNutt_ Год назад +24

      That's why the 240 was added for extra "ass".

    • @csxt143
      @csxt143 Год назад

      You just gotta keep them clean.

    • @miken.4693
      @miken.4693 Год назад +8

      I served in the same transition. I preferred the pig for shooting and the saw for carrying. We had the 240c in our bradley and always wanted that platform a squad weapon. Guess someone finally listened and the 240b was born.

    • @boydrobertson2362
      @boydrobertson2362 Год назад

      Same here. The less weight was still everything to me. Less "ass," but your actual ass is still functional after a patrol.

    • @jdawg93
      @jdawg93 Год назад +1

      @csxt143 yeah gotta keep that "ass" clean

  • @Mr.T711
    @Mr.T711 Год назад +183

    My friend was a saw operator in the Marines. This weapon was essential for laying down the cover fire and moving troops around during a firefight.

    • @Periclies
      @Periclies Год назад

      he got most of his kills with his KP/-31doing ambushes and such

  • @paulgianni
    @paulgianni Год назад +1

    Thank you for this video. As expected, I see a LOT of posts from other veterans who carried the SAW. In the 1980s it was introduced to our Marine Corps unit and I carried it for a little while - I was quite satisfied with it before all the rails and extras were added. Yes, it was a little heavy, but the belt-fed cyclic rate of fire made it all worthwhile. On my weapon, the buttstock was metal and the base of the recoil spring pressed into the frame and slid down a channel so the back could open without the RS flying out. p.s. avoid using it with magazines, it cycles too fast for the mags to keep up.

    • @darkice7669
      @darkice7669 4 месяца назад

      Exactly...was a nice thought if in bind situation with no belts but too much jamming

  • @MrSirland
    @MrSirland Год назад

    Watching Brandon struggle a little bit taking the barrel off reminded me of myself in basic.. can take the 49 apart, put it back together and preform a function check in just over a minute now

  • @Kingonads
    @Kingonads Год назад +425

    I miss my SAW..... I called it Daikyu.... it was my longbow.
    Brandon.. you know you could have swapped that barrel a hell of a lot easier. Dont open the cover hit the lever pull forward with the handle. Then to put back... just slam the barrel straight back and it will lock.
    Lastly... you can use the barrel to tap the pin to get it out of the stock. It helps if you dont have man hands.

    • @SchmidleMcDingle
      @SchmidleMcDingle Год назад +14

      @txtme-4728YOU ARE NOT BRANDON

    • @tokeypokey
      @tokeypokey Год назад

      Shutup weeb

    • @msihcs8171
      @msihcs8171 Год назад +18

      @@SchmidleMcDingle So sayeth the lord?

    • @noone-uh2rs
      @noone-uh2rs Год назад +1

      why does it habe to be man hands

    • @jremi7362
      @jremi7362 Год назад +3

      @@noone-uh2rs Only hands that I know of.

  • @DriveCarToBar
    @DriveCarToBar Год назад +180

    I've heard the biggest issue with the mag feed is that the belt feed mechanism slows the rate of fire down, but when you has no belts the gun goes full tweaker speed and the AR mags can't really keep up.
    No idea if that's true, but that's kind of a cool problem to have...unless you REALLY need it to go bang and you get a limp wristed click in Belgian.

    • @ziike8184
      @ziike8184 Год назад +13

      Can confirm - 30 round M4 mags barely last a couple seconds.

    • @stanlesspider
      @stanlesspider Год назад +17

      the problem isn't the feed almost always its the mags. It fucking hates anything that's not a stanag and every stanag you have is clapped almost guarantee. IF YOU ARE A COMBAT MOS AND ARE DOING MORE THEN YOUR THREE AND LEAVE GO BUY A SET OF POLIMER MAGS OF YOUR CHOICE.

    • @Lappmogel
      @Lappmogel Год назад +4

      That''s true, but that's not the issue. The issue is that it just hates some types of mags and some countries use those kinds of mags.

    • @Phage26
      @Phage26 Год назад +14

      that's exactly the issue: that's why the Israeli Negev has a gas regulator specifically made with a position for magazine feeding, where it reduces the amount of gas tapped from the barrel to slow down the action enough to reliably feed from a magazine. In the end, the rate of fire is the same with both the belt and the magazine. The M249, instead, taps the same amount of gas from the barrel and since there is no drag in the action with a magazine (it doesn't have to pull the belt through the receiver, which seems easy but actually takes quite a bit of energy in a gun) the bolt moves too fast for the magazine spring to extend and position the next round at the right height: the first few rounds feed ok since the spring is fully compressed and can realease lots of energy, but as it decompress the speed at which it lifts the rounds up decrease and the bolt of the SAW override the round and te gun goes click... not the sound you want to hear from a gun when you are in a firefight

    • @CountSpartula
      @CountSpartula Год назад +1

      @@ziike8184 If the gun doesn't jam first! Goes so fast that the mags can't keep up most times.

  • @bryankerbow7871
    @bryankerbow7871 Год назад

    I'm a new subscriber because of this video alone. Well not just the video. I agree with everything you said about the NFA and about the government. Not to mention you're hilarious and I totally get your sense of humor. Can't wait to see more content from you

  • @CalebDor
    @CalebDor Год назад +49

    I carried that abomination at my first duty station: Camp Liberty Bell, Korea (back when 2nd Infantry Division still patrolled a section of the DMZ circa 1989).
    The one I was issued had the knob on the gas block so that you could set it for slow or fast cyclic rate. That thing jammed so many times when using
    magazines that I was relieved when they made me M60 gunner. I'm sure they have made improvements but the M249 really left a foul memory in my skullcase.
    Be well each of you!

    • @KH-rt3ef
      @KH-rt3ef Год назад +7

      Nope, the M249 is every bit as bad as you remember. We all wish it wasn’t bad, but it is.

    • @brockbowen2428
      @brockbowen2428 Год назад +1

      Yea it was the bastard of the squad no doubt. Def not as reliable. Seen many jam or what not. Using mag u def were fd’ ha jam city.

    • @Zach-ku6eu
      @Zach-ku6eu Год назад +2

      They took my M60 and gave me The M249 which triple jammed and the gunpowder cooked off in my face. 👎👎

    • @kennykash6089
      @kennykash6089 Месяц назад +1

      It still sucked ass from 2004 to 2009.

  • @BenferJT
    @BenferJT Год назад +258

    U.S. army, THE M249 is my favorite weapon to use. Solo or crew cert. loved the room clearing with this because it’s just accuracy by volume

    • @Masaki-1334
      @Masaki-1334 Год назад +20

      "At S&S munitions, you don't need to be a better shot! You just need, MORE BULLETS!!"

    • @Lankygit01
      @Lankygit01 Год назад +13

      Ahhh the Old "throw enough shit at the wall and some of it will stick" method lol

    • @sabo55
      @sabo55 Год назад +7

      @@Lankygit01 well anyone that gets hit will be sticking to the walls so ye :D

    • @zachshaw9564
      @zachshaw9564 Год назад

      Tell me you watch fat electrician without telling me u watch him

    • @Lankygit01
      @Lankygit01 Год назад

      @@zachshaw9564 ummm who?

  • @NODnuke45
    @NODnuke45 Год назад

    My favorite handheld since I first ever saw it. You have officially earned my subscription Brandon, not that all the other shit you've done before wasn't also cool as fuck.

  • @Doubledownbeats
    @Doubledownbeats 2 месяца назад

    Footnote: The older model of the M249 SAW, Belgin manufactured saw, was interchangeable between m16a1 or a2 clips and or barrel load and was capable of firing the NATO round 7.62mm. This is the most effective weapon for a company-size unit between 800 to 1700 min. Rounds down range per minute. However, it is only recommended if you have the extra barrel. This weapon is red hot! Gas controlled. If I am in error, please correct me. Love the video CannonBALL! I used to love to create portraits of my first sergeant with it. When I qualified! LITERALLY. Also, it is one of other best weapons used to suppress fire on the enemy. It's not just a squad automatic weapon. It actually is a saw.

  • @westphalianstallion4293
    @westphalianstallion4293 Год назад +164

    A M249 after you shot a MG3? You know what they are saying: "Once you go BRRRRRRRT, you never go back!"

    • @paulgianni
      @paulgianni Год назад +8

      True happiness comes from a belt-fed weapon.

  • @Skillz357
    @Skillz357 Год назад +184

    As a M60 gunner, I was not a fan of the M249 when it came out. Jammed with mags and the plastic case for the ammo was loud moving through the woods. I prefer the brute force of the M60, but you had to keep her wet with oil and be man enough to carry and wield her.

    • @marvindaugherty5989
      @marvindaugherty5989 Год назад +14

      I mostly carried a SAW but would sometimes hump the EchoM60. You would notice it at the end of the day...lol.

    • @jackjones9460
      @jackjones9460 Год назад +12

      I loved the M60, liked the M240B more but really wish I could have a MK19! Don’t know if I could afford to feed it but hey, I wish for that too!

    • @jackdanielsization
      @jackdanielsization Год назад +11

      "man enough to carry and wield her" tell me your back is screwed without telling me

    • @jackjones9460
      @jackjones9460 Год назад +5

      @@jackdanielsization Neither M60 nor 240 is heavy enough to hurt your back. With the firepower both out down I was always happy to tote it. Not just “suppression” but tear through wood, brick and some concrete to Devastate the enemy!

    • @Jamoni1
      @Jamoni1 Год назад +2

      You got to take an mre box and cut it to fit in front of the rounds. Slip that in your ammo box and it's quiet as a mouse.

  • @beyondpain101
    @beyondpain101 Год назад

    Sir. The first five seconds of this video have just made my entire day. I thank you for your humor. Now, Go be Awesome!

  • @jpettit27
    @jpettit27 Год назад +89

    In USMC infantry school, my platoon got a bunch of brand new 249’s. After the first range trip, almost half of them were not functional and had to be fixed at the armory level.

    • @johnnyparatrooper1326
      @johnnyparatrooper1326 Год назад +7

      That’s normal.

    • @rubke2
      @rubke2 10 месяцев назад +3

      These are Belgian FN patented MiniMi LMG's, the US calls them SAW, i am an instructor on it. If used correctly, this shit is amazing and doesnt just break. The 7.62 versions do have some issues sometimes, but in general, the 5,56 dont. Unless the US makes them slightly different, but they look the same to me.

    • @nobodyimportant9127
      @nobodyimportant9127 6 месяцев назад

      The loudest sound a saw makes is "click"

  • @DeadReckon
    @DeadReckon Год назад +119

    I've only ever had the chance to fire two automatics in my life, a transferable Norinco AK, it was pretty fun, and an MP5, I bet a belt fed is a blast!

    • @Token_Black_Guy
      @Token_Black_Guy Год назад

      Ide say join the infantry but it's pretty gay

    • @niceMange
      @niceMange Год назад +3

      I recommend the pkm

    • @ionutandanuta7607
      @ionutandanuta7607 Год назад

      @@niceMange or an MG42

    • @garvielloken9297
      @garvielloken9297 Год назад

      @@ionutandanuta7607 going from mp5 level recoil to mg42 levels of recoil might be a bit much

    • @ionutandanuta7607
      @ionutandanuta7607 Год назад

      @Garviel Loken its a joke, don't take it seriously

  • @RookiePlaysWZ
    @RookiePlaysWZ Год назад

    I actually laughed out loud at the intro. Great vid Brandon

  • @MartinezRacing-
    @MartinezRacing- Месяц назад

    Great footage bro 😎💯

  • @giorgospapi5979
    @giorgospapi5979 Год назад +201

    hey brandon i love your content, keep up the good work(:

  • @deganreinwand1419
    @deganreinwand1419 Год назад +65

    Love the M249 SAW. Keep having fun with guns

  • @joey98765432100
    @joey98765432100 2 месяца назад

    I know this video is over a year old but I just found it so it's new to me. I work on a military base as a civilian. And I was at the scrap yard looking for some building materials, and I came across 2 crates of demilled saws and I mean 30+ saws, cut into many, many pieces. I have never as a grown man cried over a box of scrap. But that day it definitely had some rain. Every piece was cut, from firing pins, springs, butt stocks, grips, to barrels. The guys that cut them apart were professionals. I found enough unmarred parts to make 1 bipod and long enough barrel section to make a 3d printed pistol.

  • @firstchevalier
    @firstchevalier Год назад

    Old SAW gunner here (87-91) it was fantastic. LOVED it.

  • @ferebeefamily
    @ferebeefamily Год назад

    Thank you for the video. Great weapon.

  • @davidwoodard4113
    @davidwoodard4113 Год назад +25

    1985 At Fort Benning the Rangers let us young recruits play with their new SAWs. Oh my god that was so much fun. We were still using the original M16s and M60s. The SAW was the first of the new block of weapons we got to see. It was two years before my infantry battalion got to change over to all the new stuff so I got to experience, thank god only in training, the feeling of attacking a position only to hear the M60 jam while you were in the open and exposed.

    • @TheRandomAdventurerVeteran
      @TheRandomAdventurerVeteran Год назад

      I think my old First Sergeant Jeff York was there at that time. That's who I learned the SAW from. Learned it inside and out and rocked mine for damn near ten years during my time in.

  • @littlejen33
    @littlejen33 Год назад +45

    Brandon: "I'm watching to much Fat electrician."
    Me (drunk with the boys): "So yeah, a submarine sunk a train and hers's how..."

    • @charliehcrew1957
      @charliehcrew1957 Год назад +3

      They did in WW2 Japan. Look it up.

    • @landnnut
      @landnnut Год назад

      I read the book by the captain of the submarine.

    • @arnoldsherrill2585
      @arnoldsherrill2585 Год назад +1

      The idea that actually made possible naval long range warfare what it is today., Missile systems that you yeet when you want to delete with style

  • @TheJoeml85
    @TheJoeml85 2 месяца назад

    One thing a love about the saw over other light machine guns is the belt doesn’t dangle out the other side as you shoot like pkm

  • @rx7spd217
    @rx7spd217 Год назад

    Absolutely love the 249! Carried one for 10 yrs and would love to have one now.....for nostalgic reason of course.

  • @jay_mw
    @jay_mw Год назад +30

    I was put on range detail the first time I qualified with this. It was summer and dry so they had us take all the tracers off the belts. At the end of the day, they didn't want to bring back extra ammo so they told us to connect all of the leftover tracers into belts to fire off. It's pretty cool firing only tracers, but we kept having to stop to put out fires.

    • @JohnTheRecoilJunkie
      @JohnTheRecoilJunkie Год назад +2

      My brother fondly talked about putting out his fires with the next couple non tracers, but that doesn't quite work with only tracers.

    • @n1njachikin
      @n1njachikin Год назад

      What was your duty station? Up in New York my company started a small forest fire shooting 40mm 😂

    • @jay_mw
      @jay_mw Год назад

      @@n1njachikin Ft. Wainwright

  • @1Luisb93
    @1Luisb93 Год назад +19

    OIF2 OEF vet here. I can say from experience that your love or hate of the SAW is directly dependent on how well you clean the gas tube. It tends to become partially blocked by that purple wax stuff on blanks. If not properly cleaned it acts like a partially clogged shower drain, the water only goes down when it wants to. As for me, I love the SAW. Once the NFA gets abolished I'm going to make it my first purchase.

  • @michaelmitchell2243
    @michaelmitchell2243 4 месяца назад

    My 3 favorite tuber;s ,, MR Brandon,, donut operator and heavey duty country,, best 2 a tubers ive watched so far ,, thanks guys ,.,,,

  • @Ronaldo-ep1np
    @Ronaldo-ep1np 3 месяца назад

    Good stuff Sarn

  • @Russianmafia10
    @Russianmafia10 Год назад +94

    I've always wanted to see these run reliably with Magpul D60s

    • @ghostpunkkilla
      @ghostpunkkilla Год назад +7

      Now I want to see this.

    • @theshadowrunner28
      @theshadowrunner28 Год назад +23

      Can confirm. They can run D60s very well. First round is sometimes finnicky due to the extreme amount of tension on it from the cylindrical mag assembly, but after that first round, the SAW fed the other 59 rounds flawlessly.

    • @Bacteriophagebs
      @Bacteriophagebs Год назад +10

      I'm extremely disappointed we didn't get to see him try to run it off ANY box mags, but now I want to see a video of him feeding it different kinds to see what happens.

  • @schlirf
    @schlirf Год назад +40

    Know a lot of you young Dudes have complaints about the SAW, but back in my Air CAV days, around 1981, I would have loved to have carried one. Not that the Sixty was bad, in fact I loved it! Its simply a matter of having some extra firepower for my Blues squad.

    • @VisionSoundPDX
      @VisionSoundPDX Год назад +1

      You need to look at the current generation of 60’s. Barrel doesn’t melt as quickly and doesn’t need to be swapped out as frequently.
      Just look for the M60 torture test on RUclips. 900+ rounds cycled in one trigger pull with no barrel failure. Rock on

    • @VisionSoundPDX
      @VisionSoundPDX Год назад +1

      You need to look at the current generation of 60’s. Barrel doesn’t melt as quickly and doesn’t need to be swapped out as frequently.
      Just look for the M60 torture test on RUclips. 900+ rounds cycled in one trigger pull with no barrel failure. Rock on

  • @Battleborn357
    @Battleborn357 Год назад

    You earned yourself a subscriber today

  • @LotusFlowerrr
    @LotusFlowerrr 4 дня назад

    I like his sense of humour. Refreshing actually

  • @prepareandprotect
    @prepareandprotect Год назад +65

    Those pistol grips will fit an AK as well. Way more surface area to hold than the original tiny AK grips.

    • @giarcsavage
      @giarcsavage Год назад +3

      Thanks, good info! My norinco has chinese-hand sized grips, looks i'll be surfing Numrich shortly.

    • @prepareandprotect
      @prepareandprotect Год назад +2

      @@giarcsavage The FAL rifle pistol grip is the same as the SAW grip.

  • @patrilea8216
    @patrilea8216 Год назад +82

    4 seconds to become demonetized; I think that is a personal record. I absolutely LOVE the nod to Nic and no metric on the moon. not to mention you're wearing his shirt. Should have been the accuracy by volume shirt, you know; for funsies

  • @thunderthighs645
    @thunderthighs645 11 месяцев назад

    Watching Brandon struggle to take apart the saw is a trip.

  • @XxNBGX
    @XxNBGX Год назад

    I’m in the marines, had the opportunity to shoot the saw in training, the damn thing jams often, and jams even more so if you don’t treat it right. And don’t even try and use blanks, you’ll get like ten rounds and it’ll start jamming bad

  • @DoingitWrong
    @DoingitWrong Год назад +23

    Did my time as a SAW gunner right after they were first issued. Loved it! Never had problems with it, but they were new then. Could dump a lot of lead and much easier to jump than a 60. Easier to maintain than a 60 as well. We were warned not to waste time firing from magazines as they’d just jam.

    • @bendgeddes
      @bendgeddes Год назад +3

      I only ever fired blanks from the mag. It was a miserable failure and the directive staff also informed me of the error of my ways in their own special way.😬. Surely, no one has mags as part of the official doctrine.

    • @DoingitWrong
      @DoingitWrong Год назад +1

      @@bendgeddes those who did have the use of mags as part of their doctrine didn’t survive the idea! 😂

    • @viralvidsrepository4632
      @viralvidsrepository4632 Год назад +1

      I can tell you, once they get worn out, it gets to the point where the armorers are shaking their heads at how to stop them from jamming. I guess that could be true of any weapon though.

    • @paulgianni
      @paulgianni Год назад +1

      The weapon cycled too fast for the magazines. After two or three rounds, the open bolt just moved too quickly to always have a round in place to be stripped and properly fed.

  • @kylekelly7850
    @kylekelly7850 Год назад +58

    249 is awesome when it works. Mine had the ejector blow up

    • @Zach-ku6eu
      @Zach-ku6eu Год назад +1

      The M249 I had triple jammed and the gunpowder cooked of in my face. 👎👎

    • @bwillems1000
      @bwillems1000 Год назад +2

      I'm a unit armorer and I've seen more than a few ejector failures on SAWs.

    • @Andrew85or
      @Andrew85or Год назад

      Yeah, if the armorers actually did their jobs and kept weapon tolerances up to spec, then the SAW is an awesome weapon, otherwise experiences may differ.

  • @glennpotter8983
    @glennpotter8983 Год назад

    Love the casual “that’s what she said” a lot of those moments in this one 😂

  • @The_Blood_Wraith
    @The_Blood_Wraith Год назад

    I love the SAW, was my primary on my first deployment and saved my butt a few times!! Solid and reliable if it is maintained properly. Also goes daka, daka, A LOT which.... simply put is AWESOME!!

  • @BrainB161
    @BrainB161 Год назад +15

    I loved my SAW. It was accurate, very little kick, could be shoulder-fired easily, fairly lightweight, and relatively compact. If you had enough of a feather touch, you could even fire single shots. Blanks did sometimes get stuck, if using the magazine feed.

    • @Bacteriophagebs
      @Bacteriophagebs Год назад +3

      When I was a kid, I had a book about military armaments from the '80s and based on the stats in that I was like "why do we even use the M16?" On paper, the M249 weighed only a half-pound more unloaded, could use the same mags, but could also use belts and boxes. It seemed like a super-gun!
      That was before I learned how accuracy works, let alone about manufacturing costs, maintenance...and stupid people mixing up pounds and kilograms when writing books about military hardware.

  • @scottpeltier3977
    @scottpeltier3977 Год назад +75

    Moral of the story…but a cannon. Good thing too, my grapeshot was collecting dust

  • @steur5693
    @steur5693 8 месяцев назад +1

    I'm a minimi gunner in the French Marines. we have the Para model with the folding stock, and that shit is amazing, I've cleared room with it. It's very good at il

  • @gredarthd5292
    @gredarthd5292 Год назад

    Great Video once again Brandon, here's an idea for a video for you how about doing the rarest guns in the world video :)

  • @danielmorgan3812
    @danielmorgan3812 Год назад +77

    The SAW! Always giving the enemies of the US our warmest regards. Keep up the great work Brandon.

    • @barrybb5409
      @barrybb5409 Год назад +9

      Our enemies have nore m249s than we do now.

  • @yo_mama6414
    @yo_mama6414 Год назад +2

    1:20 I like how your cannon has the rear wheels of a push mower
    Red neck ingenuity

  • @roguewipplash1
    @roguewipplash1 Год назад +120

    I always love hearing the technical breakdowns!

  • @CrossOfBayonne
    @CrossOfBayonne 9 месяцев назад

    Awsome vid, I actually wielded the M249 and M240 at fleet week

  • @bluv6430
    @bluv6430 Год назад

    I showed up for qual day and had been carrying the M16/203 variant. I got handed a brand new SAW, still wrapped in plastic and cosmoline. Love the hell out of it!

  • @charlesm.2756
    @charlesm.2756 Год назад +22

    Brings back very fond memories. Loved shooting/qualifying with this sweet Thang. Watching it get issued to someone else to lug around down range....loved that even more!

  • @notlad1282
    @notlad1282 Год назад +38

    I could have sworn you said something a while back about getting another cannon.

  • @Z0R0zeenee
    @Z0R0zeenee Год назад

    I was in army saw was my assigned weapon, did not mind carrying around extra weight whatsoever, the gun is a beast and love firing it

  • @rich_nd
    @rich_nd Год назад

    Liked and subscribed ... so I'm probably on another watch list now 🕶

  • @CAUSEDEATH
    @CAUSEDEATH Год назад +146

    Loved shooting this while I was in the Army, such a smooth easy shooting platform. Wish I could own one.

    • @smokingcrab2290
      @smokingcrab2290 Год назад +6

      Get a fightlite upper

    • @Sunshine-by3sr
      @Sunshine-by3sr Год назад +1

      You can a semi auto one is only like 9k

    • @jakewojcio
      @jakewojcio Год назад +6

      @@Sunshine-by3sr "only 9k"
      Not being a smartass...just dont think your average American these days has 9k to blow on a firearm

    • @drakispain2213
      @drakispain2213 Год назад +1

      @@Sunshine-by3sr ah yes, only 9k, but to be fair i would drop the 16k on an m240b if i could.

    • @Spudstered
      @Spudstered Год назад +1

      @@drakispain2213 You mean the M240 b i n g u s, at least according to therussianbadger.

  • @reddevilparatrooper
    @reddevilparatrooper Год назад +9

    This was my favorite weapon back in the Army. It was 1987 and I got a brand new M249 SAW out of the box from FN. It was the first model. I rocked with the SAW everytime at the range. I even shot down a drone plane during the live fire exercise at NTC. Lightweight and portable 5.56mm firepower. 😁😁❤❤

  • @kristroseth37
    @kristroseth37 Год назад

    Great video Brandon, I love it! Does the saw fire from an open or closed Bolt?

  • @gagetipton6601
    @gagetipton6601 Год назад

    I personally love the saw I carried it for a bit in the 101st and just seeing how he changed that barrel hurts my soul

  • @LSparrow66
    @LSparrow66 Год назад +41

    Always make sure your SAW is de cocked before disassembling. That thing can kill you if the spring has a lot of tension when you open the stock. Spring go boing hard
    Edit: this is for SAW newbies… not our lord and savior AK Jesus

    • @ianvisser7899
      @ianvisser7899 Год назад +1

      People see a floppy spring and think 'oh this couldnt possibly hurt me'... Famous last words

    • @tylerholloway7100
      @tylerholloway7100 Год назад +2

      idk about kill but it definitely hurts like a SOB (I carried one in the Army and have done that by accident)

    • @Gameprojordan
      @Gameprojordan Год назад +8

      @@tylerholloway7100 the spring literally murdered my wife and son with a meat cleaver..

    • @ada-1709
      @ada-1709 Год назад +3

      Had someone detail strip it during training and didn't let the action go forward.. aand once he took the pin out it nailed him in the jaw and broke a tooth. c9's aren't a joke

    • @Grabbagar670
      @Grabbagar670 Год назад +1

      The spring in the SAW will not kill you. The one in the M240 will injure you pretty bad.
      The one in the .50 cal will kill you. In fact it will imbed itself into dry wall. Dont ask how i know.

  • @Lt.Longshot
    @Lt.Longshot Год назад +10

    I never “saw” this coming, great content Brandon

  • @SilverFan21k
    @SilverFan21k Год назад +1

    M249 super good in call of duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), one of the best fps games of all time.

  • @JetEyeMonkey
    @JetEyeMonkey Год назад

    Man, those Hornady 5.56 rounds go for like $50 a box CAD here. When I can I still go full send

  • @jojothermidor
    @jojothermidor Год назад +21

    Brandon, I would actually really appreciate a video explaining the licensing needed for weapons like these and the application process/cost. It wouldn't be a fun gun video but who else could do it?

    • @CrazyMonchy
      @CrazyMonchy Год назад +1

      Me too

    • @mechwar31
      @mechwar31 Год назад +1

      gununiversity has an article that covers that. It's called "how to get a class 3 firearms license" it's a freaking text wall.

    • @DavGre
      @DavGre Год назад +1

      It’s like $50k for this gun, after all the licensing loopholes you have to go through to get it.

    • @ScottKenny1978
      @ScottKenny1978 Год назад +2

      It's $200 in taxes for a full auto made before 1986. Any full auto made after 1986 is a dealer or manufacturer only item.
      And because there's a limited number of pre-86 full autos, they're _also_ stupid expensive. New car expensive.
      Once you find one that you want, you have to apply for the tax stamp(s). This requires getting fingerprinted by the police and getting a letter from your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer saying you're a good person. You pay the new car money and _then_ have to wait for however long it takes ATF to process your application. 18 months seems to be the current wait time.
      Only once you have the tax stamp in hand can you take delivery of your full auto.
      Once you get the tax stamp back via USPS certified mail, you're supposed to keep it or a copy with the weapon. Get a photocopy of it reduced to about business card size and laminate it, then stuff into the cleaning kit compartment. Keep a second photocopy in your wallet, and keep the original in a safety deposit box in the bank with the rest of your critical paperwork.
      ATF agents _will_ attempt to destroy your tax stamp, invalidating it, so they can arrest you. Don't give them the chance.

  • @Calgrissom
    @Calgrissom Год назад +52

    If you need to cut something in half, use a saw.
    Specifically the one that uses a stream of metal instead of the one that uses a circle of metal.

    • @giarcsavage
      @giarcsavage Год назад +1

      I am sooo making that into a meme, I'll credit you with a watermark, if you like.

    • @ivan5604
      @ivan5604 Год назад +1

      Horizontal Saw

    • @josvercaemer264
      @josvercaemer264 Год назад +1

      As a belgian i am so proud of the engineering from F.N. Herstal.

    • @Calgrissom
      @Calgrissom Год назад

      @@giarcsavage No need my man, just go ahead and make it. Where will you be posting it?

  • @grambo4436
    @grambo4436 Год назад

    That is one of the most badass LMG ive seen. Especially if its held by a chad.

  • @TTULangGenius
    @TTULangGenius Год назад +118

    Half-Life: Opposing Force was my first video game exposure to the M249!

    • @Demonsith12345
      @Demonsith12345 Год назад +14

      I remember watching speedruns of that game a few years ago. The M249 was integral to the run, because its recoil could be used to boost to absurd speeds.

    • @G_Flash84625
      @G_Flash84625 Год назад +6

      For me it was Counter Strike 1.6

    • @savagebanana3711
      @savagebanana3711 Год назад +5

      Hello, a fellow half life fan here, I too loved this weapon in opposing force. Too bad it had low capacity and ammo but still very powerful and enjoyable.

    • @collinblack9605
      @collinblack9605 Год назад

      @@G_Flash84625 ah yes

    • @maverick12916
      @maverick12916 Год назад +2

      Best gun in Op force for sure!

  • @user-oy9zy4ds9m
    @user-oy9zy4ds9m Год назад +14

    James Madison as president literally told an owner of a privateer that he could privately own cannons and warships to protect from pirates at the time, when the owner sent him a letter basically asking if the second amendment allowed for cannons

  • @nelsonfountain4297
    @nelsonfountain4297 11 месяцев назад

    I was an 0331 in the Corps and we considered the SAW to be a perfect little mg she worked with zero problems. We let the saw guys go at it with our 60's and we were shooting their saw's which was really fun. The only time I had a feed problem ( I probably shot the saw 10-11 times in total) was when we tried to use it with a magazine it wouldn't feed properly.

  • @scraverX
    @scraverX Год назад

    Down here in Australia, the army use a local licence manufactured Minimi that we call the F89. There's also some limited use of a 7.62 mm version called the Maximi

  • @snooze3227
    @snooze3227 Год назад

    I remember the spring assembly was retained by tracts in the receiver walls. So when the stock assembly was unpinned it wouldn't rocket out. Of course that back in 2006-2013.

  • @Chucklenuttur
    @Chucklenuttur Год назад +72

    can we take a moment to appreciate Brandon's BUILT arms?