![The M249 light machine gun, formerly designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, The M249 light machine gun, formerly designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi,](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/R4HY13/the-m249-light-machine-gun-formerly-designated-the-m249-squad-automatic-weapon-saw-and-formally-written-as-light-machine-gun-556-mm-m249-is-the-american-adaptation-of-the-belgian-fn-minimi-a-light-machine-gun-manufactured-by-the-belgian-company-fn-herstal-fn-the-weapon-was-introduced-in-1984-after-being-judged-the-most-effective-of-a-number-of-candidate-weapons-to-address-the-lack-of-automatic-firepower-in-small-units-the-m249-provides-infantry-squads-with-the-high-rate-of-fire-of-a-machine-gun-combined-with-accuracy-and-portability-approaching-that-of-a-rifle-the-m249-is-gas-o-R4HY13.jpg)
The M249 light machine gun, formerly designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi,
![Why were early machine guns such as the FN MINIMI magazine fed and why aren't they magazine fed anymore? - Quora Why were early machine guns such as the FN MINIMI magazine fed and why aren't they magazine fed anymore? - Quora](https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-61ee22594b3ff90b14c6f504f0bc2c4e.webp)
Why were early machine guns such as the FN MINIMI magazine fed and why aren't they magazine fed anymore? - Quora
![The M249 light machine gun, formerly designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, The M249 light machine gun, formerly designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi,](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/R4HY0T/the-m249-light-machine-gun-formerly-designated-the-m249-squad-automatic-weapon-saw-and-formally-written-as-light-machine-gun-556-mm-m249-is-the-american-adaptation-of-the-belgian-fn-minimi-a-light-machine-gun-manufactured-by-the-belgian-company-fn-herstal-fn-the-weapon-was-introduced-in-1984-after-being-judged-the-most-effective-of-a-number-of-candidate-weapons-to-address-the-lack-of-automatic-firepower-in-small-units-the-m249-provides-infantry-squads-with-the-high-rate-of-fire-of-a-machine-gun-combined-with-accuracy-and-portability-approaching-that-of-a-rifle-the-m249-is-gas-o-R4HY0T.jpg)