The Saw

Information about the SAW:


General Info: The SAW, short for Squad Automatic Weapon, was the primary weapon of Saul and was retrieved from the arms room at the Army Reserve Cente.

Appears in:

• 
  Chapter 4 - Used by Saul to clear "zombies" that got into the tower.
  
• Chapter 13 - Used by Burt and Angel to keep the "zombies" off the fire truck.
  

General Information on the SAW:
The SAW provides

• 
  Long-range, close defensive, and final protective fires as part of the squad?s defensive lines
  

• 
  Close and continuous fire in support of front-line rifle squads
  

Weight The following table lists the approximate weights (in pounds) of the M249 SAW and box of 5.56 ammo.

Item		Weight (in pounds)
Weapon (with bipod and tools)	17
200-round box (filled)	6.92

Length The length of the M249 SAW is 40.75 inches.

Range The following table lists the range (in meters) for the M249 SAW.

Type of Range	Range (in meters)
Maximum	600
Area target:	1,000
Point target:	800
Grazing fire:	600

Rate of Fire The following table lists the rate of fire (in rounds per minute) for the M249 SAW.

Rate of Fire	Rounds per Minute
Cyclic	850
Sustained	50
Rapid	100

Sights The following table lists the types of sights for the M249 SAW.

Sight	Type
Front	Semi-fixed hooded post
Rear	Fully adjustable peep type

Descriptive Characteristics The M249 SAW is

• 
  Gas-operated. Gas taken from the barrel acts on a piston directly fixed to the bolt carrier (slide). A single piston controls the gas pressure.
  

• 
  Air-cooled. The barrel is air-cooled and has a fixed head space. No special cooling measures are required. The normal outside temperature provides adequate cooling in any climate.
  

• 
  Belt- or magazine-fed. The M249 SAW uses a 200-round ammunition box consisting of a combat mix of linked ammunition under usual conditions. During firing, the links disengage and feeding is continuous. The weapon has an alternate 30-round magazine provision authorized only during emergency situations. Using the 30-round magazine reduces the performance of the weapon.