In 1976, the Army officially adopted FN’s MAG machine gun, labeling it the M240 and employing it exclusively as a coaxial gun on M1 Abrams tanks. The platform subsequently was adopted in various forms by every branch of the U.S. military. All are considered some of the most reliable martial arms ever designed, but the legendary firm doesn’t have a habit of resting on its laurels. This year, it introduced a new variant, adding enhancements requested by those whose job requires time behind a trigger, often in hostile conditions.
The FN MAG Tactical with long rail remains chambered in 7.62 NATO and maintains all that assets that make the original and versions so reliable in Mother Nature’s worst environments. The new features enhance performance on the modern battlefield, which is not the same as it was when the original FN MAG was introduced in 1958.
The new variant’s list of upgrades begins with an 11-inch monolithic rail, which provides roughly 14 inches of space for day, night or thermal optic mounting. The rail does not prevent the use of, or block, the firearm’s iron sights. The FN Side-Click system ensures easy one-handed opening of the feed cover.
It also wears a tactical stock adjustable for length-of-pull and cheekpiece height. Three different positions are possible for the former, five for the latter.
The carrying handle remains, ensuring ease of barrel changes and hauling. It is articulated, however, allowing it to be moved when it might compromise a scope’s field-of-view or at any other time the operator prefers.
The are also upgrades to the feed cover, with a 62-degree opening stop to minimize chances of damage or untimely point-of-aim shift to optics during reloads. It also features FN’s Auto-Lock feature, which can hold the feed cover open.
FN has a rich history of producing some of the world’s highest-performance commercial and military firearms. That fact hasn’t escaped the notice of the U.S. military, although it did take 18 years before it adopted the FN MAG.
Once the Army adopted the M240 in 1976, however, the Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy quickly followed suit. It was exclusively vehicle mounted, at first, although in time its variants were later fielded by infantry units.
During the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the platform proved its reliability and performance in challenging conditions. Many of the combat troops who served there requested the upgrades found in the new FN MAG Tactical.
