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AR based Machine Gun clones: M60, m60e3, m249, & M240.

buffalowinter

Freer of the Oppressed
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Full Member
Minuteman
  • Mar 17, 2014
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    Llano, TX
    I built these semi-auto AR-15 Machine Gun clones/replicas, call them what you will. Why? Why not. It's fun...for me. They are all based on your standard semi-auto AR (except the M249 in .22lr). The first picture shows, from top to bottom, An M249 SAW based on a Marlin model 60 in .22 LR. This was my first replica build. They all utilize metal Airsoft parts for cosmetics. I must say I am impressed with the quality of the Airsoft replicas. They are pretty much made as exact mil-spec copies, just using cheaper aluminum parts. In other words, you can use or replace all parts with mil-spec steel parts.
    .22lr M249 SAW 043.JPG


    I also built an M60 and M60E3. I used Bear Creek barrels and get about 1 MOA accuracy out of these. I put a binary trigger in the M60E3.



    M60E3 shooting at 200yds





    DSCN2090.JPG


    Finally, I just completed an M240L. Here are the parts during fabrication. Having to attach a long lever to the trigger dropped the standard Mil-spec trigger down to a nice 3 lb pull.
    DSCN2085.JPG


    Parts before cerakote

    DSCN2086.JPG


    Parts after cerakote
    DSCN2088.JPG


    Final M240L
    DSCN2092.JPG



    DSCN2093.JPG
     

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    I like it... good work.

    I have a soft spot for the M60. I have a set of RIA rails, a channel, and an old RIA trunnion. Have a overlapping torch cut receiver that I'm gonna use to build a jig, along with a stretch gauge. I have a big, long E1 barrel, gas system and bipod. Got some bolts, feed trays and a stock. Still gotta get a handguard and design a semi trigger. One of these years I'll get it all welded and riveted together.

    Pretty cool projects.
     
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    I built these semi-auto AR-15 Machine Gun clones/replicas, call them what you will. Why? Why not. It's fun...for me. They are all based on your standard semi-auto AR (except the M249 in .22lr). The first picture shows, from top to bottom, An M249 SAW based on a Marlin model 60 in .22 LR. This was my first replica build. They all utilize metal Airsoft parts for cosmetics. I must say I am impressed with the quality of the Airsoft replicas. They are pretty much made as exact mil-spec copies, just using cheaper aluminum parts. In other words, you can use or replace all parts with mil-spec steel parts.View attachment 7046979

    I also built an M60 and M60E3. I used Bear Creek barrels and get about 1 MOA accuracy out of these. I put a binary trigger in the M60E3.



    M60E3 shooting at 200yds





    View attachment 7046980

    Finally, I just completed an M240L. Here are the parts during fabrication. Having to attach a long lever to the trigger dropped the standard Mil-spec trigger down to a nice 3 lb pull.
    View attachment 7046984

    Parts before cerakote

    View attachment 7046985

    Parts after cerakote
    View attachment 7046987

    Final M240L
    View attachment 7046991


    View attachment 7046992

    So, I gotta ask. Of the three guns you have on the wall, the middle one looks configured the way the M60's we had were configured. Except for the 'new' red dot/whatever kind of electronic sight. Those didn't exist back in my day. We had a vernier type sight mounted right in front of the feed tray cover.

    And, since you went in about the time I got out (1986~ish?) I thought you might know what variant we had. Some version of the M60 which was pretty much Army-wide for Rangers, para's and SF. Probably all other light infantry too.

    Pretty much what we had:
    M60GPMG.jpeg
     
    Last edited:

    Variant summary​

    • T161: The M60's developmental designation before it was type-classified in the 1950s.
    • M60: The basic model, type-classified in 1957.
    • M60E1: An improved variant that did not enter production. The primary difference was the handle fixed to the barrel and the removal of the gas cylinder and bipod from the barrel assembly.
    • M60E2: Used in vehicles as a coaxial machine gun; electrically fired.
    • M60B: Used in helicopters in the 1960s and 1970s; unmounted.
    • M60C: Used in fixed mounts in aircraft in the 1960s and 1970s; electrically fired and hydraulically charged.
    • M60D: Replaced the M60B; a pintle-mounted variant used especially in armament subsystem for helicopters, but also some other roles.
    • M60E3: An updated, lightweight variant adopted in the 1980s.
    • M60E4 (Mk 43 Mod 0/1): An improved variant of the 1990s that looks similar to the M60E3, but has many improvements. It has subvariants of its own, and is also used by the U.S. Navy (as the Mk 43 Mod 0/1). The Mk 43 Mod 1 is a specialized variant with additions such as extra rails for mounting accessories.
    • M60E6: A lightened and improved variant of the M60E4.
    And in Vietnam, there were a lot of unofficial mods made in SF. One of the Team Sergeants in my Company used an M60 with a Flex feed from a backpack. I would not want to hump that backpack full of ammo, probably makes the M60 feel light.
    FGAchU8XIAIID9w.jpg