The FN Herstal Minimi, designated by the military as the M249 was built for a specific purpose. The United States’ Infantry Squads had a problem. Their standard service rifle, the M16 struggled to maintain sustained automatic fire and lacked the firepower to suppress the enemy. Enter the M249 SAW. First adopted in 1984 and chambered in the same 5.56x45mm cartridge used by standard infantry, this LMG was built to withstand heavy, sustained fire with its heavier barrel and massive 200-round belts but still be more portable than its predecessor, the M60. It quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Later down the line in its development, USSOCOM had some design notes of their own, cutting down on some unnecessary weight and offering additional barrel-changing options, thus, the MK46 was born. Finally for the replica market, the long-awaited MK46 Mod.0 LMG SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) from Tokyo Marui. This model features all the Next Gen Recoil Shock attributes you’d expect from a top-level AEG Replica, and some damn fine details too.