1 definition by PFC Mick
The M249 SAW is the primary killing weapon of U.S. Infantry squads. The SAW is an air-cooled, belt-fed or magazine fed, gas-operated automatic weapon that fires 5.56mm ammunition. It has a regulator for selecting either cyclic fire (725 rpm) or sustained fire (1000 rpm). Unloaded it weighs roughly 15.2 pounds. Loaded with a 200 linked rounds it weights approximately 22 pounds. While it fires smaller rounds than the main platoon automatic weapon, the M240B, it weighs less and is more efficient for squad based operations.
by PFC Mick January 23, 2006