The C9
Light Machine Gun
Characteristics:
Range: 600m
Weight: 6.97kg with loaded magazine, and 9.64kg with full box
Development of the 5.56mm light machine gun which was to become the Minimi began in the early 1960's. Although some of the early development work centered around the 5.56 x 45mm cartridge which was to become the M193, Earnest Vervier and his succesor Mauroce Bourlet carried out work on a diferent 5.56mm cartridge which became the SS109. Int he event the Minimi was developed to fire both cartridges. The first Minimi prototypes appeared during 1974 although production did not commence until 1982. Since then the Minimi has been adopted by many armed forces.
| Cartridge: | 5.56 x 45mm (FN SS109 NATO or M193) |
| Operation: | gas operated, fully-automatic |
| Locking: | rotating bolt head |
| Feed: | 200-round belts 30-round detachable box |
| Weight: | standard 6.85kg Para 7.1 kg |
| Length: | standard 1.04m Para, stock folded 736mm Para stock extended 893mm |
| Barrel: | standard 466mm Para 347mm |
| Rifling: | 6 grooves, right hand 1 turn in 304mm, (M193) 1 turn in 178mm (SS019) |
| Sights: |
fore, semi fixed hooded post, adjustable for windage and elevation rear, aperature, adjustable for windage and elevation |
| Sight Radius: | 495mm |
| Muzzle Velocity: | M193 965 m/s SS109 915 m/s |
| Rate of Fire: | cyclic, 700-1,000 rds/min |
| Effective Range: | up to 1,000m |
| Manufacturer: | Fabrique Nationale Nouvelle Herstal B-4040 Herstal |
