Company Level Army Board Weapons Practice Test

Describe the M249.

The M249 machine gun is a recoil-operated, water-cooled, belt-fed, semi-automatic weapon. The M249 machine gun is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt or magazine-fed, automatic weapon that fires from the open-bolt position. The M249 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, closed-bolt weapon. The M249 is an electrically-fired, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic weapon.

Correct Answer:

The M249 machine gun is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt or magazine-fed, automatic weapon that fires from the open-bolt position.

Explanation:

The M249 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed automatic weapon that fires from the open-bolt position and can be fed by belts or magazines. This combination—gas operation using a piston to cycle the action, air cooling for sustained fire, and open-bolt firing—gives it reliable cycling under continuous use and makes it suitable for squad-level suppressive fire. Open-bolt operation helps prevent cook-off and keeps the chamber cooler during long bursts, which is why many light machine guns use this configuration. It is not recoil-operated, not SAMPLEwater-cooled, not closed-bolt, and not electrically fired, which distinguishes it from the other descriptions.

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