
What do you call a machine gunner in the Marines?
Machine gunners are usually referred to as “31s” by the other infantry marines in their platoon or battalion. How Much Are 0331’s Paid? Complete the machine gunner course at the school of infantry, east or west coast
Why do machine gunners make good riflemen?
Because handling a fully automatic machine gun takes a lot of marksmanship and the job requires extensive physical and mental conditioning, machine gunners can make great riflemen. They’re used to taking a much harsher physical beating, so the job of the puny riflemen is not challenging to them in the least.
What kind of guns do machine gunners use?
Typically, a machine gunner will operate one of the following: M240, 50 Caliber machine gun, and 40 mm heavy machine gun. Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
What does a machine gunner do in a rifle squad?
Since the job of a machine gunner is to directly support the rifleman, they don’t always have to be embedded within a rifle squad. They can just sit on a hill with a vantage point and shoot from afar while the rifleman runs around and clears trenches.

What rank is a machine gunner in the Army?
This position is within the Infantry Career Field. Those holding the position of machine gunner (MOS 0331) have ranks from private to sergeant.
How much do machine gunners make?
Marine machine gunners earn the same salary as other enlisted military personnel of the same rank. Their pay starts at $1,785 per month and increases based on rank. After you achieve the rank of E-3 or lance corporal, you are eligible for pay increases every year after two years of service.
Does the army have machine gunners?
Almost 50 Soldiers from 1-24th weapons squads completed a four-day classroom course and two-day machine-gun range to train and test machine gunners April 1 through 9. "This is a machine-gunner course for the whole battalion," said Sgt. 1st Class Mike Barrera, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-24th.
What guns do machine gunners use?
What types of machine guns do they carry? Typically, a machine gunner will operate one of the following: M240, 50 Caliber machine gun, and 40 mm heavy machine gun.
How many rounds do machine gunners carry?
The gunner has the option of using 30-round M16 magazines or linked ammunition from pre-loaded 200-round plastic magazines. The gunner's basic load is 600 rounds of linked ammunition.
What is the life expectancy of a machine gunner in combat?
He said a machine gunner's average life expectancy was three minutes, because once he fired, he became a target.
Can soldiers buy their own weapons?
A soldier isn't supposed to bring any equipment that's not government-issued. (He's also supposed to bring all of the government-issued equipment he gets.) People do buy their own gear anyway, often after checking with higher-ups to make sure it's OK.
What bullets do machine guns use?
Machine guns are available in caliber 5.45, 5.56, 7.62, 12.7 and 14.5 mm. Single shot grenade launchers have a caliber of 40 mm, and generally fire a HE (high explosive) grenade out to a maximum range of about 400 meters.
What's the Army's new gun?
The Army recently announced that the Next Generation Squad Weapon, the XM5 rifle and XM250 light machine gun will replace the M4/M16 rifle and the 249 light machine gun, with some Soldiers expected to receive the weapons by the fourth quarter of 2023.
Does the military have fully automatic weapons?
There are suggestions that fully automatic fire has no genuine benefit and has been restricted or banned in combat due to being a waste of ammunition. The M4 carbine is now the main combat rifle of the US armed forces and has been available until recently in semi-automatic and burst mode of three rounds only.
Is a machine gun an assault rifle?
A so-called “assault weapon” is NOT a machine gun or automatic firearm. Automatic firearms were severely restricted from civilian ownership under the 1934 National Firearms Act.
Can you sell machine guns?
Section 922(o) of Title 18, United States Code, makes it unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a machinegun, except a transfer to or by or under the authority of the United States or any department or agency thereof or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of; or any lawful transfer or ...
Why are machine guns so expensive?
It can take close to a year to get approved to purchase each machine gun. Plus, because it has been illegal for civilians to buy new machine guns since 1986, only used guns are available on the market. That means it's not only a lengthy process, but an expensive one.
Are tommy guns legal?
In 1939, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the law constitutional. The law so effectively ended the spread and use of submachine guns the federal government didn't get around to actually banning civilian ownership until 1986.
What is a mortarman in the Marines?
MOS Description. Mortarmen are responsible for the tactical employment of the M224, 60mm Light Mortar and M252, 81mm Medium Mortar. Mortarmen provide indirect fire in support of the rifle and LAR squads/platoons/companies and the infantry and LAR battalions.
What does a machine gunner do?
Machine Gunners in the Marine Corps are responsible for the deployment, care, mounting, and unmounting of heavy machine guns.
How much weight does a machine gunner carry?
While the average Marine in the Marine Corps may carry 60 lbs. of gear, machine gunners typically carry anywhere from 70 - 100 lbs. of gear.
How much do machine gunners make?
On average, Machine Gunners can make as little as $1,793 per month, to as much as $5,017 per month.
What types of machine guns do they carry?
Typically, a machine gunner will operate one of the following: M240, 50 Caliber machine gun, and 40 mm heavy machine gun.
What is a machine gunner in the Marines?
Machine Gunners in the Marine Corps are responsible for the deployment, care, mounting, and unmounting of heavy machine guns.
What are the skills that marines need to be a machine gunner?
The discipline and determination that it takes to be a machine gunner are valuable skills that marines can use in other areas of life as well. Completing college or starting a business are both ventures that marines have found success in since they are able to tap into their years of discipline and hard work.
How long does a 0331 Marine spend in the armory?
Clean and well-maintained weapons are extremely important, so it is not uncommon for 0331 marines to spend several hours per day at the armory where they will be cleaning and maintaining their weapons.
What is a 31s marine?
Machine gunners are usually referred to as “31s” by the other infantry marines in their platoon or battalion.
What is the Marines' primary machine gun?
The Marine Corps uses three primary heavy machine guns. These machine guns are primarily the M240B which uses 7.62 mm ammo, the 50-caliber machine gun, and the 40 mm heavy machine gun. The primary mission of these machine guns is to provide overwhelming ...
How many marines are in a machine gun?
The major difference being that machine gunners will work in small teams, of two to three marines, and utilize overwhelming firepower to destroy and suppress enemy positions.
What is the mission of a M240B?
The primary mission of these machine guns is to provide overwhelming fire power while in a firefight or while suppressing an enemy position. While on foot patrol, these marines will carry the M240B in support of infantry platoons or light armored reconnaissance units.
Machine Gunner Careers
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a machine gunner. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.22 an hour? That's $54,533 a year!
Machine Gunner Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes.
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How many rounds does a machine gunner shoot?
The “Screamer”. Machine-gunners are trained to whisper the words “die motherf*cker, die” while firing their weapon. In the time it takes to finish saying the words to themselves, they’ve shot roughly between four to six rounds.
Why does the gunner ask other gunners to carry ammo?
This gunner tends to ask other members of his squad to carry his extra ammo so that they can haul more Rip-Its. What’s hilarious about this type of gunner is the nice way they go about asking you.
Why do gunners repeat the mantra?
This repeated mantra is designed to prevent the gunner from overheating their barrel and causes them regularly adjust their fire for more accuracy.
Why do machine guns discharge four to six rounds at a time?
The “Barrel-burner”. As previously stated, machine-gunners are trained to only discharge four to six rounds at a time to avoid overheating their barrels. The “barrel-burner” tends to forget the shooting cycle and fires more than intended — which can cause the barrel to warp. 5.
How does an infantryman work?
An infantryman works and trains hard to one day deploy their weapon system and score an accurate kill shot. For machine-gunners, scoring a precise kill from a distance is highly unlikely.
What type of gun does the Coast Guard use?
Also called the Legend-class cutter, this ship is armed with a 57mm gun, about a half-dozen .50-caliber machine guns, and the ability to operate a helicopter, usually a MH-60T Jayhawk.
What is the replacement for the F-35?
The F-35 is replacing the AV-8B Harrier, F/A-18 Hornet, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt II in U.S. service. Airwolf not only would replace all four of those airframes, but it would also replace all of the AH-1 and AH-64 helicopters in Marine Corps and Army service. The promise of the TFX program as originally envisioned in the 1960s could be fulfilled at last!
Why do riflemen choose to be machine gunners?
Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Luke Kuennen) 2. Machine gunners have the most pride in their job. Most riflemen only choose to be such because, when the time came, they decided they wanted the easiest possible life in the infantry.
What is a Marine Gunner?
A “Marine Gunner” is qualified to train Marines on the proper employment of all weapons systems organic to the infantry. That includes, but is not limited to, pistols, rifles, machine-guns, rockets, mortars, missiles, explosives, and their associated accessories.
How do machine gunners and riflemen differ?
This gives a machine gunner the opportunity to catch their breath momentarily, whereas riflemen get to catch theirs as they wait to move from one objective to the next.
What is the difference between a Marine rifleman and a machine gunner?
The Marine Corps infantry rifleman is the centerpiece for combat operations, and machine gunners, essentially, exist to directly support riflemen so they can move around the battlefield without being overwhelmed by enemies. Here are just a few of the major differences that riflemen and machine gunners fight each other over.
Why are riflemen skinny?
Riflemen are generally skinny guys because, as you probably guessed, they don’t have to carry such large weaponry most of the time. Machine gunners, on the other hand, carry the big guns, and they have the big guns from lugging them around.
Where is the brain of a machine gunner?
The brain of a machine gunner can be found in their arms. 4. Riflemen have bigger brains. A rifleman’s job may not be extremely physically demanding all the time but it can certainly be mentally demanding, so they can’t eat their brains for protein like some machine gunners might.
What does OFP mean in the military?
For the uninitiated, OFP is a military initialism that means, “own f*cking program.” The term is commonly used by one service member in reference to another that seems to be immune from formations, uniform inspections, working parties, and the general tomf*ckery that goes along with being a part of the world’s most elite fighting forces.
What is a machine gunner?
The Machine Gunner is responsible for the tactical employment of the 7.62 mm Medium Machine-Gun, the 50 cal., and 40mm Heavy Machine-Gun, and their support vehicle. Machine Gunners provide direct fire in support of the Infantry Rifle squads/platoons/companies. They are located in the weapons platoons of the rifle and weapons company in the infantry battalion. Noncommissioned Officers are assigned as team leaders and squad leaders/section leaders.
What is a veteran in the military?
You chose Veteran-- veterans are any former Service member who has been discharged from active duty military service. To help you focus on the most applicable credentials, the certification list has been filtered to show in-demand credentials that are GI Bill approved. You can customize your search by clicking Select Filters at the top left of the credentials table or by using the keyword search at the top right of the table.
What rifles did the assistant gunner carry?
The assistant gunner and ammo bearer both had M4 assault rifles with the standard 210 rounds, plus spare barrel and tripod. The gunner is also equipped with an M9 pistol with a couple of mags of 9 mm. Many armies have developed their ammo bags/bandoleer that could carry the full 600 rounds.
Why is a machine gun called a squad weapon?
And yet, there is a reason why a machine gun is called a squad weapon: you need more than one man to properly operate it and carry all the ammunition. The number of rounds carried into battle depends on the squad tactics and weapon used. It varies from 500 to a few thousand rounds. How much ammo does a machine gunner carry into battle? (Photo: XY)
How much ammo does an M240 carry?
M240 Combat Load: How much ammo does an M240 gunner carry into battle? (Photo: Ed Darack) Most of the experienced M240 gunners carry a big bottle of 90w gear oil to drip on the rounds being fed in, and graphite or a wax-based dry lube for sandy conditions, and moly grease with a barber brush for the barrel, to keep it all lubed and running smooth.
How many rounds does a FN Minimi machine gun carry?
FN Minimi (M249) Combat Load. For a machine gunner operating either the 7.62 GPMG or FN Minimi saw machine gun, it would be around 800 rounds for a standard patrol (take into account that each ammo belt holds around 100-200 rounds) and that unless in a fire support mode, fire in 5 round bursts (20 round bursts for fire support/suppressive fire).
How many rounds can an M240 carry?
Many armies have developed their ammo bags/bandoleer that could carry the full 600 rounds. An M240 gunner typically carries the full combat load and had the assistant gunner carry extra. The ammo bag has a big quick release on the band the allows the assistant gunner to pull the bag off while the M240 gunner is prone behind the gun, ...
What weapons did IMI Negev carry?
Every IMI Negev gunner also had his sidearm with a few magazines plus water, grenades, food, helmet, etc. Combined with all those equipment and combat vests, it is a considerable weight. Every other man in squad could also carry a drum or two.
When was the FN mag made?
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN). It has been used by more than 80 countries and it has been made under license in several countries.

The “Marksman”
The “Napoleon”
- This one refers to the French military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, because of his height. This gunner gets looked at differently because of the contrast between their smaller body and the massive size of the M240 they’re holding. However, they always manage to carry it and fire the weapon like a seasoned pro.
The “Screamer”
- Machine-gunners are trained to whisper the words “die motherf*cker, die” while firing their weapon. In the time it takes to finish saying the words to themselves, they’ve shot roughly between four to six rounds. The “screamer” chooses to shout that sh*t out loud. This repeated mantra is designed to prevent the gunner from overheating their barrel a...
The “Barrel-Burner”
- As previously stated, machine-gunners are trained to only discharge four to six rounds at a time to avoid overheating their barrels. The “barrel-burner” tends to forget the shooting cycle and fires more than intended — which can cause the barrel to warp.
The “Freeloader”
- This gunner tends to ask other members of his squad to carry his extra ammo so that they can haul more Rip-Its. What’s hilarious about this type of gunner is the nice way they go about asking you. It makes you feel good about yourself for helping out a brother.
The “Animal Mother”
- If you’ve ever served in the infantry, you probably had one or two “Animal Mothers” in your company. Just like in the movie,Full Metal Jacket, he’s the trigger-happy badass who is more than thrilled to shoot into an enemy compound and then ask questions later.