Credit
Photo Courtesy of PEO Soldier · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified
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At a glance
M240 machine gunlarger figure on 3 of 3
M60 machine gunlarger figure on 0 of 3
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
Measured figures
Gas setting 3
Single sourceGas setting · source measurement 2
Single sourceGas setting · source measurement 3
Single sourceSingle port
Single source550–650 rounds/min: Single port 650–750 rounds/min: Gas setting 1 750–850 rounds/min: Gas setting 2 850–950 rounds/min: Gas setting 3[source]
Rate of fire
Single source550–650 rounds/min[source]
Caliber
Single source7.62 mm (0.308 in)[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
Configuration
| Specification | M240 machine gun | M60 machine gun |
|---|---|---|
| Type | General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun[source] | General-purpose machine gun Medium machine gun[source] |
| Place of origin | Belgium (designed) United States (manufactured)[source] | United States[source] |
| In service | 1977–present[source] | 1960–present[source] |
| Used by | See Users[source] | See Users[source] |
| Wars | Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause First Liberian Civil War Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Syrian Civil War War in Iraq (2013–2017) Russo-Ukrainian War[source] | Vietnam War Laotian Civil War Dominican Civil War Cambodian Civil War Moro conflict The Troubles Lebanese Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War Salvadoran Civil War Operation Urgent Fury Operation Just Cause Persian Gulf War Operation Gothic Serpent War in Afghanistan Iraq War Cambodian–Thai border stand-off Colombian armed conflict Insurgency in the Philippines Bougainville conflict Myanmar conflict various others[source] |
| Designer | Ernest Vervier[source] | — |
| Designed | 1950s[source] | 1952–1957[source] |
| Manufacturer | FN America U.S. Ordnance Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Daycraft Systems[source] | Saco Defense U.S. Ordnance[source] |
| Unit cost | US$6,600[source] | US$6,000 (M60E3)[source] |
| Produced | 1977–present[source] | 1957–present[source] |
| Variants | See Variants[source] | See Variants[source] |
| Cartridge | 7.62×51mm NATO[source] | 7.62×51mm NATO[source] |
| Action | Gas-operated long-stroke piston , open bolt[source] | Gas-operated , short-stroke gas piston, opened rotating bolt[source] |
| Feed system | Belt-fed using M13 disintegrating links , 50-round ammo pouch, or non-disintegrating DM1 belt[source] | Disintegrating belt with M13 Links[source] |
| Sights | Iron sights : front blade and folding rear leaf with aperture and notch[source] | Iron sights[source] |
| Reported operators |
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