First introduced in 1884, the Maxim gun revolutionized warfare by becoming the first fully automatic machine gun. In the decades that followed, rapid innovation led to a wide range of machine gun designs—some optimized for portability, others adapted for mounting on vehicles or defensive positions to deliver sustained firepower. Among today’s most reliable and widely used models is the M240, a modern machine gun that reflects more than a century of technological advancement. It remains a staple in the arsenals of the U.S. military and numerous NATO forces.
Design and development of the M240
Chambered for the 7.62 x 51 mm NATO cartridge, the M240 is a belt-fed, gas-operated medium machine gun with three adjustable cyclic rates: 650–750, 750–850, and 850–950 rounds per minute. This flexibility allows it to suit a wide range of combat scenarios.
Rigorous testing compared the M240 against its predecessors, the M73 and M219, focusing on reliability metrics like rounds fired before malfunction. The M240’s superior performance led to its adoption as the military’s standard-issue medium machine gun, a role it continues to excel in today.
Adopted by branches of the US military
Although both the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps use the M240, they employ it in different ways. The Army pairs the weapon with the M192 Lightweight Ground Mount tripod, introduced in 2005. This tripod is designed for quick adjustments and has a lightweight build, making it easier to transport in the field.
In contrast, the Marine Corps uses an upgraded version of the classic M2 tripod. This modernized model, the M122A1, allows for one-handed operation and can support various machine guns without the need for an adapter.
Use of the M240 in battle
The M240 has been used by American soldiers in a number of different conflicts. The first was during the Gulf War. The weapon was also carried by infantrymen during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iraqi forces used the machine gun to fight against ISIL and ISIS.
The M240 has been carried by members of the Free Syrian Army throughout the Syrian Civil War. Units have been fitted onto technicals, which are improvised military vehicles created by fitting standard pick-up trucks or similar automobiles with military weapons, such as machine guns, anti-aircraft guns or a recoilless rifle.
Many other nations have equipped the M240
Several other nations also utilize the M240. The Indonesian Army has mounted the machine gun on its Leopard 2 tanks, while Poland equips its M1A2 Abrams fleet with the weapon. Spain’s Army Airmobile Force attaches the M240 to its Chinook helicopters. In 2017, Georgia switched from Russian-made guns to the M240, and in 2021, the Joint United States Military Assistance Group supplied models to the Philippines.
The Americans and NATO have also supplied M240s to armies seeking to defend themselves. Iraq received them to support their fight against groups like the Taliban, and Ukraine has been provided an undisclosed number to support their efforts against the ongoing Russian invasion.
There are a number of variants
Since its debut, there have been many versions of the M240 developed. The M240E1 is used by the Marines to mount on the likes of the LAV-25, and the service also uses the M240B as its standard medium-sized infantry machine gun. The “B” variant is also used by the US Coast Guard.
The M240L can be more easily carried. Rather than being built from steel, it’s produced from titanium, making it 18 percent lighter than the standard model. The only drawback is that it takes longer to produce and has to have extra protections added to defend against the weather.
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There’s also the Barrett 240LW machine gun, made using the M240’s specifications, but aimed toward making it significantly lighter. Arms maker Barrett was able to reduce the weight through the use of different materials and through more efficiently manufacturing the gun. A shortened version, the Barrett 240LWS, was also developed.