Originally Posted by JTrapper73


The M-60 was a GPMG(General Purpose Machine Gun) in 7.62 that came into service in the very early 60’s to replace the 1919A6 and A4 Brownings in service at that time. There were also some BARS still in service as my uncle carried a BAR in Ranger school in 1961.
There was a automatic version of the M-14 that was supposed to function as a squad automatic weapon in that timeframe but it wasn’t very successful as it was hard to control.
The M249 SAW came into service in the early to mid 80’s and was chambered in 5.56. The 82nd Airborne was one of the first units to get the M249.
Until the M249 was introduced, the M-60 filled the gap wherever it was needed for close to twenty-five years. So yes, I guess you could say it was the SAW back in the day.


Story was similar in our army. We had Brens, which were converted to 7.62 at about the time we went over to that calibre in the L1A1. There was also the L2A1, which was like an L1A1 but with a heavy barrel, bipod and full-auto capability, but the M60 became the front line gun and stayed in service until about the 1990s. Brens were a good LMG. L2A1 not so much - a bit hard to hold down, and no quick-change barrel (and nothing to hold them with if the crappy bipod was down. I've shot both.

I have carried the M60 a good number of miles, and there are worse things to carry - the 84 mm Carl Gustaf MAW being one of them. I shot them a fair bit too, including in SF mode off a tripod, and indirect fire using a C2 sight unit and posts. They were getting a bit long in the tooth in the 1980s, when I was in, and every now and again one would "run away", for which the IA was to break the belt. Good fun though!