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Earlier this year, FN announced the M249S Para, a semi-automatic-only, closed-bolt version of the gun used by elite operators within the U.S. military. But the military's M249 SAW—Squad Automatic Weapon—introduced in 1984, is the Light Machine Gun of U.S. forces and many U.S. allies. It has seen action in every major conflict involving the United States since 1989. Firing the standard 5.56 mm NATO round, the M249 has stood the test of time due to its versatility and adaptability to circumstances. Learn more about the history and evolution of the FN M249 SAW in this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
Among the machine guns used by all the powers involved in World War I, the Austrian Schwarzlose is often forgotten. But this simple, reliable arm saw service for more than 20 years across two world wars.
For the Union Army during the American Civil War, its officers and cavalry troopers relied on one of Colt's most notable firearms: the 1860 Army revolver.