I’ve run a few M4 ranges in the past several months that have all gone pretty well. It was due to several factors but I know that the experience I have behind an AR definitely helped. That being said, I was recently tapped to run an upcoming 249/240 range and I have very minimal time behind either. I’m not completely foreign to the platforms but have had nowhere near the level of professional coaching as with an AR. I’d assume many of the basic principles are the same but are there any tips and tricks that you guys have learned through experience with either shooting or running an MG range? Unfortunately I don’t know what I don’t know so I can’t really ask any specific questions.
I prefer to reverse-load the bipods, which reduces the burst jump. It does, however, loosen up the cone after shots 4/5.
Forward load for denial/suppression of a tight space (like a window or door) since the first two rounds really won’t matter anyway and 3-8 will be more effective.
Zero both barrels’ front sights, even if you are using optics.
Don’t zero with single shots. I like belts of 5.
If using optics, they almost always sit too high. Build cheek height/eye position with cut iso-mat covered with duct tape. Commanders won’t like this until they try it out and see how much better their gunners do.
Shoot the 240 from both tripod and bipod. Make sure gunners understand the difference in their effectiveness.
Shoot the 249s from the kneeling and standing. Work heavily on forward weight for control.
Target transitions ans tracking bursts through a moving target is highly relevant training. For tracking, I like to grip the bipod with the support hand to anchor the gun. Understood that most mil ranges do not support realistic movers.
If the range supports, track how many hits per burst the shooters are getting at specific distances. Goes a long way in determining who is a good gunner versus who is just getting lucky.
Do you guys use AG’s for the M240? What is the AG responsibility in your organization?
Our AG directs the gunner’s fire within the teams sector, calls out targets, assesses the effectiveness of the fire, and provides cover when the gunner has to reload, swap barrels or swap bolts. He also has a responsibility to make sure that the bipod is stable.
If similar, train target location, engagements and target transitions by having the AG call out ADDRAC/3D’s.
Also focus on getting the machine gun and team into and out of position smoothly. It is an unwieldly weapon to get into position, so it needs to be trained on.
*EDIT: Not being a smartass. You have a wealth of knowledge right there in your CP. Let your NCOs mentor you and pick their brains while you’re at it. We grew up doing this shit…most PLs are just the summer help to check the block on their OERs before heading off to work in S-3.
I can tell you care about training your men. I’m sure you talk with your SLs and your PSG daily, but never underestimate the value of your NCOs. We’ll work for you if you work with us, and many SLs love teaching this exact thing.
Not sure on the range yet - it’ll either be paper or pop up qualification. F2S, those are exactly the types of things I was looking for, thanks.
Euro - technically, yes haha. But I like to have some of my own background knowledge when I have to run something.
GTF - WSLs as in weapons squad leaders? I’m in a field maintenance company so we have armament repairers, but not too many NCOs that have a lot of experience using them.
Over the last 13 years our skills in machine gunnery have seriously deteriorated we have got good at using them as bullet hoses but have forgot the full spectrum of their uses
Will do, thanks. We actually have a 25th ID course that I’m in right now that is branded as an overall leader’s program, but marksmanship is a key component. They’ve modeled it after AWG and AMU programs so its pretty solid and they said a lot of times they’ll flex to other units and help them run ranges. I was hoping that included machine gun ranges but the primary instructor said he’s trying to get some of his guys into a Marine MG course, but it hasn’t happened yet so unfortunately they can’t help me too much.
And that’s part of the reason I asked. I have plenty of NCOs that have experience on both in a combat zone and are fully capable of running a regular qual range, but as with everything they bring the bad unit SOPs/TTPs along with the good. I definitely do need to dig into the FMs though, the course I mentioned above has really highlighted how well our doctrine for rifle marksmanship has evolved - it’s just the middle management that has been very slow to implement.
I’ve only had a decent amount of trigger time behind the SAW, the 240 much less so. F2S is spot on the money.
Most joes who lug around a SAW are extremely unfamiliar with it, the biggest obstacle towards their comfort being that it’s open bolt. There’s almost a re-conceptualization that has to occur in their heads about how the weapon works. In my experience with the SAW, my biggest hassle was with the first round, there’s obviously a reason why open bolt weapons aren’t the initiators for ambushes, and it often left me feeling very naked that I frequently had to clear stoppages, that in my honest opinion, probably would not be occurring if my company had an actual parts maintenance/replacement plan in place. But, I worked with what I had, and you adapt.
As for the firing of the weapon itself, way too much emphasis is put on bipod supported positions with the SAW, when in reality, there will be less than half the time you’re going to encounter a good place to set up and shoot from a bipod with a good sector of fire, at least as part of an assault element. Pulling security or support by fire is another animal, but there is a huge gap of training that leaves a lot to be desired from using the SAW as part of a rapidly bounding/advancing fireteam that finds itself shooting from a variety of less than ideal positions. I tried to minimize the load on my weapon as much as I could, opting for a shorter barrel, removing the heat guards, etc but the gun itself is still a bitch to work with when what you really want is something more along the lines of an actual automatic rifle.
Being comfortable with utilizing the SAW as part of an aggressive, assaulting element, is in my mind, what separates decent gunners from great ones. A decent SAW gunner can qual off a bipod on a square range all day long. And a good SAW gunner will find his own way to optimize his sectors of fire to make sure he can lay down local support by fire. Ah, but a great SAW gunner will be firing it on the move as he’s forced to take a #2 slot in the stack during MOUT or be muscling it on target during a 9 round burst off a knee in the woods because hunkering down with the bipod isn’t giving him the view he needs to suppress the enemy. Most PFCs who get put on it never get to that level, usually getting phased out to some other position or making TL without any SAW time, and its a shame because its a great way to build character, confidence, and learn firsthand the meat and potatoes of a fireteams business as an infantryman in a line squad.
In my experience with the SAW, my biggest hassle was with the first round, there’s obviously a reason why open bolt weapons aren’t the initiators for ambushes,
Open bolt belt fed mg’s are notorious for going “chunk” when you want to hear bang. It’s a very common SOP that’s taught even in the Ranger handbook that ambushes are not initiated with your mg’s for that reason. Leadership kicks it off with their M4’s and the gunners instantly follow suit. As for why, either the links get fubar’ed during movement, the feeder paws are ****ed up to begin with, or the rounds just aren’t set properly (loading at night during mass tac jumps will do this, especially with inexperienced gunners wearing winter gloves and/or cold numbed hands so they don’t get the proper tactile feedback to do this task in blindness) but it’s been my experience, more commonly with blanks than live ammo, that nearly 50% of the time, your first round will either not fire, or be a single shot. Either way, remedial action is not the way you want to start the fight.