Fly USMC Posted January 27, 2009 Share #1 Posted January 27, 2009 Is this a cloth Magazine for an M-249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon)? I have seen the plastic 200 round drum, but not these (until rescently). I picked up two of them the last few months from two different sources. The zipper has a snap to keep it closed while firing. Who uses them (USMC, SOF, Rangers, Seals, regular infantry)? Thanks and Semper Fi John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTS Posted January 27, 2009 Share #2 Posted January 27, 2009 Yep, that's the 100 round 'nutsack'. IIRC they're pretty standard to all US users of the weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly USMC Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted January 27, 2009 OK, partially answered my own question. found a pic on the internet after googling M-249. I will post as referance. still not sure who they were issued to. Everyone or just a select few. In thsi photo it is being used by a Soldier attached to the 2nd Mar Div (oohrah and Hooah!). S/f John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly USMC Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted January 27, 2009 RTS replied, while I was updating the post , the answer is everyone is using it. thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkdriver Posted January 27, 2009 Share #5 Posted January 27, 2009 I know that they are all over surplus stores surrounding Ft. Riley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeL Posted January 27, 2009 Share #6 Posted January 27, 2009 They are regular issue as part of the weapon's "components of end item" to anyone, Infantry, SF, Marine, AF Security Police, Admin Clerk, or anyone else assigned the weapon system. The TM authorizing them is the same TM co-used by the Army, USMC, and USAF. The "components of end item" usually meant that anything so designated was part of the weapon system. So, if you were issued the weapon, you should have been issued the pouches too. The trick was to track down the old gunner and get them back. They had a tendancy to get lost as small stuff does or not turned in with the weapon when it was reassigned. IIRC, there were two pouches authorized per weapon. The original ones were khaki colored when they first came out. Then the woodland ones came out in a lighter weight material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffy Posted January 27, 2009 Share #7 Posted January 27, 2009 Just a note.... You will also see AUSCAM ones being used. I'm not certain who made the bag version first.....but you do see a lot of the AUSCAM ones being used throughout various countries. I'm sure though, that it didn't take the U.S long to manufacture their own, such as the khaki and woodland verions. One thing I have noticed about these, is that they are more so used with the collapsible Para M249's, such as in the earlier photo provided. Not to say they aren't used with any configuration, but from what I have seen....it's more so on the version I have mentioned above. For other patterns that they are manufactured in....not sure, perhaps there is an ACUPAT version? I haven't collected modern / current militaria for quite some time now, so I am a bit out of the loop with all the new updates on kit! Just my three and a half cents.... Duffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted January 28, 2009 Share #8 Posted January 28, 2009 OK, partially answered my own question. found a pic on the internet after googling M-249. I will post as referance. still not sure who they were issued to. Everyone or just a select few. In thsi photo it is being used by a Soldier attached to the 2nd Mar Div (oohrah and Hooah!). S/f John i know its off topic... but that looks like army combat uniform camo... idk about his patch i dont really follow units and such... just wondering? army or marines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B. Posted January 28, 2009 Share #9 Posted January 28, 2009 The uniform is ACU - Army Combat Uniform. The patch on his right shoulder - the "combat patch," denotes former wartime service with a marine unit. I don't recall exactly which units, but some Army units served under marine command and were specifically authorized to wear the marine patch on their Army uniforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filupe Posted January 30, 2009 Share #10 Posted January 30, 2009 You will also see AUSCAM ones being used. I'm not certain who made the bag version first.....but you do see a lot of the AUSCAM ones being used throughout various countries. I'm sure though, that it didn't take the U.S long to manufacture their own, such as the khaki and woodland verions. The Auscam ones were being used by the Australian Defence Force as early as 1990 in 100 rd and 200 rd capacity (known as collapsible magazines). I can't ever recall seeing a hard box magazine on an ADF Minimi (type classified F-89) save for trial pictures. I too have subsequently observed the Auscam magazines appearing on different countries' Minimis and can only suppose that the ADF were the first to field these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffy Posted January 30, 2009 Share #11 Posted January 30, 2009 Filupe, Yes, the dates you have mentioned seem very correct. For foreign use, Canada was using them as soon as they were deployed in Afghanistan, it wouldn't suprise me if they still had them....they were also using them prior. I have also seen them with the woodland versions. As for the Auscam ones, I believe they were one of the first designs of such a pouch, if not the very first. Most of the time I see them, they are mainly on the para version M249's. The regular box type is mainly used on the regular, un-modified set-up.....ex: original set-up, without modifications. Everybody must have used them in the start. Duffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffy Posted January 30, 2009 Share #12 Posted January 30, 2009 Fly USMC, Here is a photo of the woodland version in use, Duffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffy Posted January 30, 2009 Share #13 Posted January 30, 2009 More: This one is of the box type being used.... Duffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly USMC Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted January 31, 2009 Thank you all for the great info. Since I have two, I will probably post one in the for sale section within a week or so. PM if interested S/F john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fly USMC Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share #15 Posted January 31, 2009 Thank you all for the great info. Since I have two, I will probably post one in the for sale section within a week or so. PM if interested S/F john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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