M249 SAW

The M249 light machine gun (LMG), formerly and originally designated as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249 is a light machine gun that appears in Far Cry, Far Cry Classic, Far Cry 2, Far Cry 5, Far Cry New Dawn and Far Cry 6.
==Far Cry==
The M249 Machine Gun is one of the most powerful weapons a player is able to carry in Far Cry and the remaster. It offers a high rate of fire and is deployable in a large number of places. However, it suffers from low automatic fire accuracy, requiring the operator to focus fire in one area or on a single target, using fast bursts to be at its most effective.
Until Crowe is killed, the M249 was used exclusively by him, especially when fighting Jack Carver. Upon being killed, his weapon can be obtained, as well as from a few other mercenaries who wielding M249s later in the game.
The M249 is one of the best weapons obtainable and can counter multiple enemies, including assailants with high health. It functions much like an assault rifle-style weapon, but with a 100 round belt and a high cyclic rate of fire. Combined with the decent damage, and when used by someone who can handle and work with the fire rate and combined recoil, it presents a deadly foe in the right hands. What it lacks for an optical sight or grenade launcher, it makes up in sheer rate of fire.
It is advisable to fire from the crouched or prone position to increase accuracy and reduce the enemies' ability to injure the player with return fire.
===Far Cry Classic===
In Far Cry Classic, the M249 has been given a new model, which is far more detailed and now has a full stock, which was absent in the original game. Like all non-scoped weapons in the remaster, it is now possible to use the weapon's iron sights for more accurate shooting.
==Far Cry 2==
The M-249 SAW is one of the two light machine guns in Far Cry 2, the other being the PKM. This LMG is available after completing the first Weapon Shop mission in Act 2 and starts to appear in enemy hands during the same act. It is superior to the PKM in terms of accuracy and rate of fire, although has less recoil and a lower reliability. Enemies will begin to carry this weapon in the place of the PKM around midway through the Faction missions in the Bowa-Seko region. The M249 also appears in Act I as a mounted gun. During Act 1, all enemy Assault Trucks have a mounted M249 until Act II, where it is replaced by the M2 heavy machine gun and Mk 19 grenade launcher.
===Characteristics===
The M249 is superior to the PKM in some aspects, as it is more accurate and has a higher rate of fire. To some extent, the M249 can be used in close quarters combat. The M249's main disadvantage is its low reliability rating. It is recommended to purchase the reliability upgrade in order to counter this weakness.
===Reliability===
When the Reliability Upgrade is purchased for the M-249 SAW, it will start to jam somewhere between the 525th shot and the 1350th shot and will eventually break on the 1500th shot (three full bandoliers х 500 rounds).
=== Trivia ===
*The player's best buddy will leave a used M249 at the Safe House before the mission to steal a canister of defoliant so that it can be sprayed on the OGC farm in Act I.
*The mounted M249 turrets and the hand held version are counted as the same weapon in the statistics screen. This means a player can have the M249 listed as their favorite special weapon in the journal before it is available to them.
===Gallery===
M-249 SAW.jpg|The stats of the M249 in Far Cry 2
M249 turret.jpg|A stationary M249 in Far Cry 2
==Far Cry 5==
The M249 appears again in Far Cry 5 and Far Cry Arcade, being classified as a light machine gun this time.
<tabber>
M249 =
The standard variant, the M249 appears in Far Cry 5 and Far Cry Arcade.
It can be fitted with a suppressor, optical sight, extended magazine, and a skin.
When compared to the 7.62 NATO-firing M60, the M249 is lacking in several areas, sans the fire rate. While the M60 has a fire rate of 5, the M249 has a fire rate of 8. However, the M249 has less accuracy and less damage. The rate of fire is used to compensate, making the M249 more useful for shoot & scoot, or pray & spray tactics, where the lower-damaging, faster-firing rounds will be more useful.
===Gallery===
Fc5 weapon m249.jpg|The base model M249 as it appears in Far Cry 5
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes reflex.jpg|Reflex Sight
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes reddot.jpg|Red Dot Sight
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes optical.jpg|Optical Sight
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes marksman.jpg|Marksman Sight
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes tactical.jpg|Tactical Scope
Fc5 weapon m249 scopes enhranger.jpg|Enhanced Ranger
Fc5 weapon m249 suppc.jpg|Suppressor Cylinder
Fc5 weapon m249 supps.jpg|Suppressor Square
Fc5 weapon m249 skin yellow.jpg|"Old Mustard"
Fc5 weapon m249 skin grey.jpg|"Snowflake's Sting"
Fc5 weapon m249 skin beige.jpg|"Beige Blast"
Fc5 weapon m249 skin green.jpg|"Avaca-don't"
Fc5 weapon m249 skin camoblue.jpg|"Frozen Lake"
Fc5 weapon m249 skin camored.jpg|"River of Blood", the Prestige skin
|-|
M249 "Militia" =
The Prestige variant, the Militia is styled cosmetically after the Whitetail Militia.
It is identical to the standard M249, and can be fitted with optical sights, a suppressor, and an extended magazine. However, due to its nature as a Prestige item, it is not able to be given a skin, nor used in Far Cry Arcade.
===Gallery===
Fc5 weapon m249mil.jpg|The Whitetail Militia-themed "Militia", the Prestige variant
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes reflex.jpg|Reflex Sight
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes reddot.jpg|Red Dot Sight
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes optical.jpg|Optical Sight
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes marksman.jpg|Marksman Sight
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes tactical.jpg|Tactical Scope
Fc5 weapon m249mil scopes enhranger.jpg|Enhanced Ranger
Fc5 weapon m249mil suppc.jpg|Suppressor Cylinder
Fc5 weapon m249mil supps.jpg|Suppressor Square
</tabber>
==Far Cry New Dawn==
The M249 returns in Far Cry New Dawn. Unlike most weapons, all variants of the M249 seem relatively unchanged from their previous counterparts.
"Hurk's Wrath" M249
The "Hurk's Wrath" M249 is a Rank 2 weapon. It sports a yellow and red paint job with flame decals, although its handle and ammunition box are colored black. It also has a scope on top of the gun itself.
"Gardener's Fury" M249
The "Gardener's Fury" M249 is a Rank 3 weapon. it sports a dirty grey and black paint job with a dark grey coloration on the ammunition box. The handle is black in color. It also has a scope on top of the gun itself.
"Graffiti" M249
The "Graffiti" M249 is a rank 3 weapon. it has a black paint job with several white graffiti-like markings all over its body and on the tip of its barrel. There is also a scope on top of the gun itself.
== Far Cry 6 ==
The M249 SAW reappears in Far Cry 6.
=== Trivia ===
* Pre-release material showcasing the M249 showed it equipped with dog-tags apparently belonging to Willis Huntley.
Category:Far Cry weapons
Category:Far Cry 2 weapons
Category:Far Cry 5 weapons
Category:Far Cry New Dawn weapons
Category:Far Cry 6 weapons
de:M-249 SAW
ru:M-249
Category:Far Cry Arcade