Geissele Buys Barrett 240LW Machine Gun Technical Package

by
posted on January 16, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
old-m249-at-work.jpg

Above: DOD photo by Master Sgt. Michel Sauret.


Geissele Automatics has acquired the 240LW and 240LWS machine gun technical data package and intellectual property from Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. Barrett also announced it has entered into a technical support agreement for the 240LW and 240LWS with Geissele.

The 240LW and 240LWS are lighter, more robust versions of the medium machine guns fielded by U.S. and allied forces. The design uses a patented two-piece construction process that simplifies and solidifies the forged receiver without resorting to exotic materials or having to rely on rivets that can loosen.

“The Barrett team has taken the good performing, but dated, M240 weapon system and made it into a machine gun for the 21st century,” said Bill Geissele, president and founder of Geissele Automatics. “The 240LW/LWS is improved in every performance aspect: it’s lighter, more reliable, easier to load, easier to maintain, more ergonomic and more controllable. With the addition of Geissele’s forged long life barrels and NanoWeapon (Picatinny DSL) coating we look forward to providing the U.S. warfighter and our allies with 240LW/LWS machine guns.”

Since 2007 Geissele has been serving the U.S. Special Operations community and SOF units world-wide with high performance weapon systems and components. Geissele is also proud to provide these same products to our law enforcement officers and civilian shooters.

“Barrett is the leader in large-caliber, long-range precision rifles for the most demanding shooters on Earth,” said Sam Shallenberger, president of Barrett. “Barrett .50-caliber systems have been adopted by the U.S. Military as the US Rifle M107, and the Barrett MRAD has recently been adopted by USSOCOM as the Mark 22. After working with Geissele on other projects for several years, we are confident they are the right organization to maximize the potential of this latest Barrett firearms design.

Barrett is a family-owned and operated company and the world leader in large-caliber, long-distance, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military and more than 73 State Department approved countries around the world.

Latest

Savage Stance XR
Savage Stance XR

Review: Savage Stance XR

Savage Arms reworked its Stance pistol in 2025 to incorporate desirable features not available in the first iteration, resulting in the new Stance XR.

Preview: Die Free Kung Fu Grip

A replacement pistol grip for AR-10/15-pattern rifles, the Kung Fu Grip from Die Free Co. utilizes a reduced (12 degree) grip angle that makes shooting a gun with a short length of pull much more comfortable on the wrist—making it an ideal choice for practitioners of modern, squared-up shooting stances.

The Elusive Finnish Mausers

In the 1920s, the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation sought to replace the military’s venerable Mosin-Nagant. Its attempts to introduce Mauser target rifles as service rifles were eventually thwarted in the 1930s by design limitations and budgets.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 22, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Rifleman Q&A: Point Of Hold

Q: I have always been a rifle and handgun shooter, with little shotgun experience, and I am a little confused about the “point of hold” shown in the pattern illustrations of our magazine.

Preview: MTM Case-Gard Suppressor Protector Case

Secure, rugged and inexpensive, the Suppressor Protector Case by MTM Case-Gard is a convenient way to transport or store as many as three (cooled) silencers up to 10" in length.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.