FN Minimi machine gun

FN Minimi machine gun

FN Minimi machine gun

FN Minimi 

FN Minimi machine gun

FN Minimi 

	Standard model	Para model	Mk.46 mod.0 / SPW model
Caliber	5.56x45mm NATO
Weight	7.1 kg	7.1 kg	5.75 kg
Length	1040 mm	914 / 776 mm	908 / 762 mm
Barrel length	465 mm	349 mm	406 mm
Feeding	belt or magazines		belt only
Rate of fire, cyclic	750 - 1000 rounds per minute	750 - 1000 rounds per minute	750 rounds per minute

The Minimi light machine gun was developed by the famous Belgian company FN Herstal, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Mass production began in 1982 in Belgium,and at about the same time it has been adopted by the US Armed forces as theM249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Since its introduction Minimi has seen widespread service, and numerous variations have been developed. First, the Para(Paratroop) version came out, with shorter barrel and tubular telescoped butt.This gun traded off some of the range and firepower for compactness and maneuverability. Quite recently, an SPW version was developed, which featured a Para-type buttstock, a barrel of intermediate length (between standard and Paramodels), and a Picatinny-type rail mount, which allows a wide variety of sights and scopes to be mounted. To save weight, the magazine feed option of the standard and para models has been discarded. This version, in a slightly modified form, was adopted by the US Special Forces Command (US SOCOM) as the Mk.46 model 0 light machine gun. 

The FN Minimi has an excellent reputation on reliability and firepower, and the latest reports on failures ofM249 SAW weapons in Iraq are attributed to the age of the weapons used - most ofthe current issue M249 in US Army are more than 10 years old and quite worn out.