FN M249S PARA Semi-Auto
- Thread starter Rebel Rouser
- Start date
Meh. 20+ lbs of loaded awkwardness that is a real PITA to clean. I'd much rather own the FightLite MCR. Less than half the weight with seamless mag/belt feed in an AR envelope. Oh yeah, the FightLite solution costs less than half of the over-priced M249S. I've had a deposit on one with Wolverine Supplies since June. Patience is waning....
https://youtu.be/d_QRcZnr4n4
https://youtu.be/d_QRcZnr4n4
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Someone will no doubt correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that anyone has ponied up the money to submit an example to the Lab for classification. Someone has to go first and watch their investment get poked and prodded by the tech's in Ottawa after (presumably) several years of waiting in line. Not an attractive proposition, whereas the MCR Upper Receiver is a parts assembly not subject to classification.
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From what I remember, the civie 249s weren't going to be permitted for export. Not sure if it's ITAR thing or a corporate policy. I heard the other day that there is a factory recall just announced. I'd still love to own one though. 
No thanks. I hated humping one for 20 weeks as my personal weapon on Infantry Officer Winter Qualification Phases 2 & 3, back in 1987. As a result you couldn't pay me enough to own one today, especially at the (to me) obscene asking price. The M249/C9 Minimi is nothing more than an area-suppression bullet-hose with dubious single-shot accuracy and an unnwieldy heft. At least the MCR can function as a reasonably accurate semi-auto rifle with the same size and weight as a standard AR. Pending confirmation of the MCR's acceptable reliability and durability under operational conditions, I tend to view it as the superior choice due to the inherent flexibility and modularity of the AR/MCR platform. YMM obviously vary based on your degree of nostalgia for the C9. ��
RE: Fightlite MCR: The standard AR lower that is currently offered hangs the box too low off the mag well and it is impossible to use effectively. It is clumsy with all that ammo hanging so low during movement. The gun will be sitting on the ammo box unless it has some very tall bipods.
Think about this, you are running and hitting the deck, the ammo box hit the ground first. The drama of plastic ammo box taking off.....
That is the problem of using AR lower - AR lower is taller than the lower of most belt fed guns. I think they should just ditch the magazine compatibility and make it a dedicated belt fed gun. Otherwise it is just a carbine with the add capability of belt feeding, but not a belt fed gun with the capability to be a mag fed carbine.
And if I get to choose, I will go for IMI Negev.
Well I think that this discussion is focused on belt-Feds that we Canucks can (or possibly can) possess in semi-auto format. That rules out the NEGEV and leaves us with a limited selection of 5.56mm, 7.62x51mm and 8mm Mauser platforms.
The trick with the MCR is to use the smaller, flexible 100-round nut-sacks, not the plastic 200-round belt box. As you have noted, the plastic box is incompatible with the Fightlite MCR Assault Machinegun 2 (AMG2) configuration, which is based on a standard AR/M16 Lower Receiver. To employ the larger plastic belt box you need the AMG1 configuration, which is designed precisely as you have suggested. The AMG1 'consists of the MCR Upper Receiver mated to a dedicated LMG Lower Receiver which has Box/Bag and Pintle-mounting interfaces in lieu of a Mag Well in order to get the mounting point higher up on the weapon. To my knowledge, the AMG1 Lower Receiver is not available in semi-auto format to permit the creation of a dedicated semi-auto belt-fed rifle/carbine for those who eschew the alternative mag feed of the AMG2. The only configuration shown on Wolverine's website for civilian importation is the AMG2 with STANAG Mag Well.
See here for an overview of the various MCR configurations: https://youtu.be/X6GH5sQtdDI
I opted to order the FightLite MCR Keymod Upper as opposed to a complete rifle. I will mate the MCR Upper to an Aero Precision Lower with a Geisselle Trigger and an LWRCI Ultra-Compact Buttstock ( on a standard Carbine Buffer Tube). By choosing not to order the complete rifle I don't have to pay $700 CAD for a FightLite-branded Lower Receiver. I was able to build my Aero Lower for far less money with a better trigger and Stock. Furthermore, the Iron Sights cost $500 CAD - way overpriced IMO, especially when I plan to mount an optic. By ordering the "stripped down" Upper without Iron Sights and Barrel Handles I was able to save a bunch more money. I added the Barrel Handles separately to facilitate warm barrel changes. I have both the 16.5" and 12.5" barrels on order, along with various Spring replacement sets and a Bolt Rebuild Kit. Once Wolverine finally gets the MCR Uppers across the border (apatently a US State Dept paperwork problem), I should be good to go. It has been a loooong wait since placing my deposit earlier this year....
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Since Ares is rebranded itself to Fightlite, all the AMG models had disappeared from the public catalogue. I have asked Wolverine supplies the question about the lower without magwell ( aka the AMG-1 vision ) but I have never received a response. No response = No .
Some of the stuff Ares made and shown on catalogue probably have never actually gone into production other than a few handmade prototypes. Someone at ARF long time ago got frustrated and made their own AMG1 style lower. Perhaps shops like Motiuk Manufacturing would entertain such as idea. The problem is that the typical raw AR forging doesn't have enough thickness to have the box mounting bracket machined in. This means it needs to be made separately and attached by probably one or two bolts.
I personally do not think the 100 round nut sack will solve the problem entirely. It is a bit of physics here - think of walking with a sledge hammer with long handle vs short handle by holding it at the end. The hammer with long hand handle is harder to change direction. When the hammer hits the wall, the one with the long handle hits harder.
Some of the stuff Ares made and shown on catalogue probably have never actually gone into production other than a few handmade prototypes. Someone at ARF long time ago got frustrated and made their own AMG1 style lower. Perhaps shops like Motiuk Manufacturing would entertain such as idea. The problem is that the typical raw AR forging doesn't have enough thickness to have the box mounting bracket machined in. This means it needs to be made separately and attached by probably one or two bolts.
I personally do not think the 100 round nut sack will solve the problem entirely. It is a bit of physics here - think of walking with a sledge hammer with long handle vs short handle by holding it at the end. The hammer with long hand handle is harder to change direction. When the hammer hits the wall, the one with the long handle hits harder.
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- Location
- On the beach
Give me back the Mk48 over the C9 any day.
$10,689.99
If a used H&K P7M13 can sell in a day at $5500 there's likely a market for the M249 here even at that price.
If I were going to be ponying up $10K (+), I'd be looking at the semi M60 that Wolverine Supplies is bringing in, although those may all be spoken for by now. Far better value for your dollar, IMO. And the FRT already exists!
onetwentyish
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Central AB (AKA Northern Texas)
USA Company, USA Sales.
If you could get an frt for this thing, It will jump to the top of my list.
