[Brad from Tennessee]

With a belt feed an assistant gunner can continue to link belts together as the gun is fired. The gunner and A-gunner carry ammo while additional belts of ammo are distributed among the squad.

[Future Snake Eater]

When you set a M240 in position, it’s more or less staying there until a real deliberate move is made. A SAW is to stay with the rifle squad as they maneuver, and there is no AG, so that means no linking of rounds. It’s there for overwhelming suppressive fire by a standard light squad and being able to move quickly. The SAW does have the ability to take M4 30-rd magazines, but it doesn’t work. The weapon malfunctions almost every single time before it can get through a single mag. The SAW’s also a maintenance nightmare. It needs to go, but I don’t see the advantage of dropping the belt-fed capability. The SAW was right to go for both, but it needs to work.

[Thunder 6]

That works as long as you have enough guys to be A-gunners. The M-240B is a pretty good gun. Interesting the Marines decided to go a different way...but, that's why they are Marines ;)

Regards,

[Eagles6]

Right. They can keep up a sustained rate of fire. How is this rifle any different from another M16?