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MARINE CORPS WEAPONS & VEHICLES
SMALL ARMS AND MACHINE GUNS
M203A2 40MM GRENADE LAUNCHER
BRIEFING: The M203A2 is a lightweight, compact, breechloading, pump-action, single-shot 40mm grenade launcher
that attaches to the M16A4, M4 and M4A1 rifles. The M203A2
has a maximum effective range of 150 yards at point targets
and 350 yards at area targets. The M203A2 can fire several
different types of grenades, including high-explosive, smoke,
illumination, tactical CS (tear gas), multi-projectile and practice ordnance.
M249 5.56MM LIGHTWEIGHT MACHINE GUN
BRIEFING: The M249 is a belt- or magazine-fed, gas-operated,
air-cooled light machine gun with a maximum effective range
of more than 1,000 yards. This weapon enhances a squad’s
ability to engage targets with a high volume of fire. The M249
recently was replaced by the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle in
the squad automatic weapon (SAW) role.
M27 INFANTRY AUTOMATIC RIFLE (IAR)
BRIEFING: The M27 IAR is a lightweight, Marine-portable,
closed-bolt, 5.56mm weapon capable of 36 rounds per minute.
The IAR improves the squad automatic rifleman’s maneuverability and displacement speed, while providing the ability
to suppress or destroy targets of most immediate concern to
the fire team. The IAR is lighter, more durable, accurate and
reliable than the M249 SAW. The M27 IAR is a variant of the
Heckler & Koch HK416.
M240 7.62MM MACHINE GUN
BRIEFING: The M240 is a belt-fed, air-cooled, gas-operated,
general-purpose machine gun. It has multiple fielded variants to support infantry and support operations from fighting
vehicles, tanks, vessels and aircraft. The M240 has a maximum effective range of 1,800 meters.
M2 .50-CALIBER HEAVY-BARRELED
MACHINE GUN
BRIEFING: The M2 is a belt-fed, crew-served, heavy machine
gun that has been in service since World War II. System
improvements have increased performance and accuracy.
The M2 has a maximum effective range of about 2,000 yards.
The M2 is assigned to infantry and support units, providing
defense against aircraft and ground vehicle threats, and can be
employed from vehicle or ground mount.
M2A1 .50-CALIBER FIXED-HEADSPACE
HEAVY-BARRELED MACHINE GUN
BRIEFING: The Marine Corps adopted the U.S. Army Enhanced
.50-caliber Machine Gun (M2A1) Capability Production
Document (CPD) on Oct. 9, 2012. The CPD establishes improved
capabilities for the current M2 that include a Quick Change
Barrel (QCB) and better barrel life, a manual safety and greater
reliability. The current M2 will be modified to M2A1 QCB with
kits at the depot that will set fixed headspace and timing,
which eliminates the need for the operator to set them after
each barrel change. This will eliminate the potential for barrel
damage due to the operator improperly gauging headspace and
timing, reduce the probability of weapon failure or malfunction,
and decrease the time to perform a barrel change. The addition
of a manual safety will decrease the likelihood of unintended or
collateral damage. Fielding of the M2A1 began in fiscal 2016.
MK19 MOD 3 40MM MACHINE GUN
BRIEFING: The Mk19 is a belt-fed, crew-served, 40mm
grenade-launching machine gun. It has a maximum effective
range of 1,500 yards (point target) and 2,212 yards (area target).
The Mk19 has a cyclic rate of fire of 325-375 rounds per minute
and can be fired manually from a vehicle or ground mount.
M32A1 MULTISHOT GRENADE
LAUNCHER (MSGL)
BRIEFING: The M32A1 MSGL is a lightweight, 40mm, shoulder-fired, semi-automatic, revolving-action multishot grenade
launcher. The M32A1 can be loaded with six 40mm rounds and
is capable of firing all Department of Defense Identification
Code 40 x 46mm low-velocity ammunition. The maximum
effective range of the M32A1 is 375 meters.
EXPLOSIVES
HAND GRENADES
BRIEFING: Marines have available for combat use a wide
range of grenades for assault and other missions:
n The M67 fragmentation grenade has an effective range of
approximately 50 feet.
n Riot-control grenades produce a thick cloud of irritant
vapor/smoke that causes eye, throat and lung irritation.
n Signaling grenades, such as the M18 colored-smoke
grenade, produce clouds of green, yellow, red and violet
smoke. Also useful for screening is the AN-M8 HC gre-
nade, which produces a thick cloud of white smoke.
n The incendiary grenade, M14/thermite, is used to melt
large battlefield items, rendering them useless. This
grenade contains a filler of aluminum and iron oxide that
burns for approximately 40 seconds at close to 4,000
degrees Fahrenheit.
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M27 INFANTRY AUTOMATIC RIFLE
