| COMPONENTS |
PURPOSES |
| 1. Barrel
assembly |
Houses cartridges
for firing, directs projectile, and supports the gas regulator. |
| 2. Heat shield
assembly |
Provides
protection for the gunner’s hand from a hot barrel. |
| 3. Rear sight
assembly |
Adjusts for both
windage and elevation. |
| 4. Cover and feed
mechanism assembly |
Feeds linked belt
ammunition, and positions and holds cartridges in position for stripping,
feeding, and chambering. |
| 5. Feed tray
assembly |
Positions belted
ammunition for firing. |
| 6. Cocking handle
assembly |
Pulls the moving
parts rearward. Moves in a guide rail fixed to the right side of the
receiver. |
| 7. Buttstock and
buffer assembly |
Contains a
folding buttplate. Serves as a shoulder support for aiming and firing M249.
Contains a folding shoulder rest and a hydraulic buffer to absorb the
recoil. |
| 8. Bolt assembly |
Provides feeding,
stripping, chambering, firing, and extraction, using the projectile gases
for power. |
| 9. Slide assembly |
Houses firing pin
and roller assembly. |
| 10. Return rod
and transfer mechanism assembly |
Absorbs recoil
for bolt and operating rod assembly at the end of recoil movement. |
| 11. Receiver
assembly |
Serves as a
support for all major components and houses action of weapon. Through a
series of cam ways, controls functioning of weapon. |
| 12. Trigger
mechanism |
Controls the
firing of the weapon. Provides storage area for lubricant in grip portion. |
| 13. Handguard
assembly |
Provides thermal
insulation to protect the gunner’s hand from heat or extreme cold and houses
the cleaning equipment. |
| 14. Sling and
snap hook assembly |
Provides a means
of carrying the weapon. |
| 15. Bipod |
Supports the M249
machine gun in the prone position. The telescopic legs can be individually
adjusted to three different lengths. |
| 16. Gas cylinder assembly |
Locks bipod in
place and provides passageway for gases. |
| 17. Piston assembly |
Holds the bolt
and slide assemblies and houses the return spring. |
| 18. Return spring |
Returns bolt,
slide, and piston assemblies to locked position during counterrecoil cycle. |
| 19. Tripod (M122) (Not shown) |
The tripod and T&E mechanism, with pintle, provides a stable
mount and permits a higher degree of accuracy and control. |
| 20. M145 straight telescope
(Not shown) |
Machine gun optic (MGO)
provides target acquisition and identification at greater ranges. |
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Misc. Information
For
55 years, this has been the basic guidebook for enlisted leaders
of the Army.
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