Weapon Name- Mk. 240B
Round Type- 7.62mm x 63mm Caseless
Over-all length- 49.7 in (1,263 mm)
Barrel length- 24.8 in (630 mm)
Weight- 25.99 lb (11.79 kg)
Rate of Fire- 650–1,000 rounds/min
Feed Mechanism- Belt Fed
Round Capacity- 100+
Effective Range- 1200 Yards
Range- 5280 Yards (4800 meters)
Accuracy- 1 MOA
Accessories- Picanty Rail
Quick switch firing mechanism- N/A
Scope/Sights- Picanty Rail
Muzzle Velocity- 850 m/s
Firing System- M240 mixed with LSAT
Miscellaneous/electronic information- Essentially a modified M240B designed to be used with the more powerful, lighter weight 7.62mm x 63mm Caseless rounds
Basic Information
The weapon uses a polygonal cobalt chrome "flow formed" 4 groove 1:10 (254 millimeters) right hand twist barrel; the barrel is made of an alloy that contains more than 50 percent cobalt. The barrel is roughly 13% heavier than standard steel barrels, but is more erosion and corrosion-resistant and is designed to retain high strength during long-term exposure to high temperatures. Cobalt alloys are frequently used in the aerospace industry, such as the hot-gas section of turbine engines. A proof of concept M240 7.62mm x 51mm NATO barrel, in practice, had 24,000 rounds test-fired through it, causig it to reach temperatures of 1,100 degrees, without failure. A steel barrel would have failed under such treatment.
The barrel itself, combined with polygonal barrel, in use with the Mk. 240B rifle is extremely durable, and has a minimum 30,000 round barrel life, although it is possible to extend this or get use out of the rifle after the minimum is reached. The barrel is 24 inches long.
The M240 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, fully automatic belt-fed machine gun. The design is based off of the FN MAG, although it is caseless and fires tremendously more powerful rounds. The weapon has shown tremendous reliability, with approximately means 2,962 rounds before stopping and and 6,442 means rounds before failures, or jamming. In comparison the M16, in dust tests, showed approximately 68 rounds between failures, with stoppages relatively unknown, with the highest only having 1 in 472 rounds between failures. The weapon is known to have a life well beyond 200,000 rounds and generally can withstand lots of abuse; with the cobalt chrome barrel, the weapon can ensure reliability and performance well beyond that of ordinary weapons.
The rounds are essentially .30-06 rounds, although with modern day powder, and are relatively heavy 13 gram rounds traveling at approximately 850 m/s, or have approximately 4690 joules. The typical rounds used are generally high explosive armor piercing incendiary rounds, although standard and even hollow point rounds exist. As a result the weapon delivers substantial firepower, and can engage targets even out to several miles.
The weapon fires 7.62mm x 63mm caseless rounds, usually from a solid metal or polycarbonate box, with 100 rounds being 4 pounds, or 4.4 pounds with the belt, and 200 rounds being 8.8 lb, or 10 lb including the box. The rounds are capable of being carried as belt links, in soft pouches, or in a backpack that links up directly with the gun.
