Comments by "" (@neutronalchemist3241) on "M240 Bravo: America Replaces the M60" video.

Stoner had little to do with the AR15, that was made by Sullivan and Fremont (mostly scaling down the AR10). He designed the AR10, using the multi-lug bolt design of Johnson. Interestingly, while Stoner used a derivate of Johnson's bolt (that was also used in the AR18 and in all the derivates), Kalashnikov used a derivate of Garand's one. So, practically all the gas-actuated modern small arms use a system derived, or from Johnson (even if his weapons were short-recoil) or from Garand.
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In WWI there were not metallic belts. A LMG with a partially spent canvas belt hanging on one side while moving? Bad idea. There are reasons why belt fed LMG weren't a thing still in WWII (and the GPMG concept took decades to impose itself after the war). A belt-fed LMG has MANY problems.
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@goobcity "There are reasons why belt fed LMG weren't a thing still in WWII (and the GPMG concept took decades to impose itself after the war). A belt-fed LMG has MANY problems." The MG42 was a GPMG. Used as a LMG, it used a 50 rounds belt in a can (the Guttromel). It took way less to change 3-4 magazines tha a single Guttromel. The Browning 1919 was not a LMG either. It was a MMG pretending to be one. It had even more problems with weight and fixed barrel.
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An improvement over the flimsy, ill-conceived and unreliable M60, but too heavy for what it does. The PKM provides the same service weighting 3kg less and with the only downside of a slower barrel change.
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An improvement over the flimsy, ill-conceived and unreliable M60, but too heavy for what it does. The PKM provides the same service weighting 3kg less and with the only downside of a slower barrel change. However there are love letters of the Ukrainians for the Rehinmetall MG3 and Beretta MG42/59, that have similar weight to the M240. I suspect the difference is the tripod. The Lafette tripod is a work of art.
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@slavsupreme5129 Another MMG pretending to be a LMG.
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@hailexiao2770 The French FM 24/29 was a top-fed BAR. It didn't have a quick exchange barrel tough. With the one of the FN Model D it would have been a really good LMG. On par with the ZB vz. 26 However, to use 40 round magazines in WWII meant to be in search of problems. Already the 30 rounds one of the BREN were problematic (and not only for the rimmed cartridges) and infact the top-fed ZB vz.26, FM 24/29, Breda 38 and Scotti LMG used 25 rounds magazines.
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@richardlahan7068 He was the chief designer for Armalite, but he didn't design the AR15. He designed the AR10, and the AR15 is largely (but not exclusively) a scaled down AR10, but, other than the ideas the two have in common, he had nothing to do with the AR15. Stoner disliked the .223 Rem. He didn't consider it a viable military cartride, and didn't design ANY rifle in .223 Remington at Armalite, at Colt and at Cadillac Gage. The first weapon in .223 Rem Stoner designed had been the LAMG, in the '80s.
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