finally someone with common sense not another lifer

Wow so much misinformation so much speculation.
IAR use same magazines as m16-m4 and 416 variants it use same ammo 5.56 as m16-m4416 and the Saw (saw dont use 7.62 like someone wrote).It can use the same drums made for the m16 also Armatec has a 150 rounds drums eliminating the not so reliable exposed belt that can come undone at the very worse moments,also reloading a drum is way faster than reloading a belt under fire i dare someone to differ.It operates much cooler than 249 no need to change barrels no chance for melting barrel or for in your face cook-off.

It has way less recoil, more precise than 249 so more hits where it counts the target.Its ability to work with very little maintenance is a big plus for fast moving units. Since 249 is easily identifiable is a hot target for enemies now gunner is just another soldier.It is way more versatile than even the 249 short variation making it good for clearing buildings and or tight spaces.rate of fire is 640 rpm vs 750 of the 249 but being more precise more hits are achieved vs the les accurate 249.it basically can use all the same attachments as any M16-M4.its lightweight easier to sling(try that with 249) no charging handle poking your kidneys(gunners know what I mean).I can’t see a single thing bad against the 249 also H&K make great quality weapons no wonder the British are best equipped than US.

And yes I carried a 249 yes I fired 249 and yes I was in the military and back then there was no options so 249 ruled but now people have the chance of their lifetime and some are bitching about it.

Same ammo basically same capacity,more precise,less recoil,more lightweight,more maneuverable more reliable if not search H&k 416 is basically same design what is not to like?Of course the are lifers that thinks the wasting ammo shooting at walls is suppressing fire, that’s why there is Navy Seals an SF guys and then the rest of the military.Shots that hit the target are the only ones that count period not making noise with a SAW.

Ended up shooting the IAR today. All in all, i found it to be MUCH more accurate than an m16/m4. Insanely so in fact. If you asked me if i thought we should completley phase out m4′s and 16′s for the IAR, the answer would be an emphatic YES.

Would i phase out the SAW with it though? Hell no. Maybe if they had a perfected 100 drum mag. Maybe. But the suppression power of the SAWs 200 rounds is much more effective to a fire team than 30 rounds, otherwise we would still be using the M16A1.

All you people who say accuracy is more important than suppression are mistaken. In a firefight that involves movement, accuracy is the job of the other THREE people in your fire team (or however many are in the squad who do not have a SAW). The SAW is meant to suppress the enemy. Period. It works.

As far as the Marine dropping his rounds, and not being able to employ it properly, well it is exactly that, a failure to employ. Shooter error, and a lack of remediation on the part of the squad/team leader. (Unless you are talking about weapons malfunctions, which is not what i gathered)

Everything has its place gentlemen. For a reason.

S/F

There will be two M249 to each squad in a platoon.

the M27 is just a way to bridge the gap between the ROF of a M249 and the precision of the M16.

I don’t know Christopher, but why not ask any Marine veteran on WWII or Korea what they did?  They didn’t have SAWs back then, and for sure were faced with a lot of enemy in similar situations…Oh wait…news flash, maybe the grenadier should employ a few well-placed rounds of HEDP to kill multiple enemy and allow the corpsman to get across the street.  The horro if the TL thought to employ the full range of weapons available to him
Thanks for the dramatic scenario, but it does not make your point.

Wow, the IAR looks like a M4 on a bi-pod, or at the very least is very reminiscent.

I know I’m a little late on this discussion, but i would just like to say that i have deployed with an Automatic M4 and the corps does have them, It’s the socmod I believe. There are more than a few on my squad. However i do not think it could replace the saw by any means. If the M27 was designed from the ground up a an automatic rifle than why is anyone trying to compare it to a M4a1. I would like the reassurance that my AR is as reliable as my m4. I have seen to many cases of “bolt action SAW” (meaning weapons malfunctions preventing the saw from firing more than one or two rounds at a time. for those who have never heard the term) I totally agree with this change for our new dynamic battle ground. I’m not an expert on the subject by any means but I never really thought the SAW was all that reliable. The interchangeability of magazines within the squad is also a huge plus.( i know the SAW could use magazines but i had problems with misfeeds almost every time i used it.) I have done ZERO research on the topic though so these are just my thoughts.

Has anyone who made this decision ever been in a firefight, the SAWs keep the bastards shooting at ya head down, until you can manuver and put him on his A** permanently, id rather have 100 rounds going downrange at my enemy any day as opposed to 30

i would rather take an M14-ebr ri over any model of an ar-15. now i know it isnt the best choice up against guys with ak-47s and other automatic weapons but its just my opinion.i just like it because it is an assault rifle with less moving parts and faster reloading once your out of ammunition.and the gun seems to be easier to learn due to the fact that it has less parts.

I was a SAW gunner and I never thought the system was reliable, and too heavy……….. Half dozen BETA mags and this might do the trick, as long as it keeps runnin when it’s red hot and dirty?????? If it’s gas piton system it might. But iff it’s direct impingement?????

I will say this for the M-27 vs the SAW, the M-27 will be much more reliable and maneuverable in MOUT ops. In my 1 tour of OIF I believe we never used the SAWs for clearing rooms. They just guarded the halls and alleys.