Will the REAPR Replace the U.S. Military’s Classic M240 Machine Gun?
Posted by Warrior Poet Society on Apr 4th 2024
The M240 Machine Gun has been the U.S. military's belt-fed, suppressive fire weapon of choice since the 1970s, but now, our friends at Ohio Ordnance Works have engineered its possible replacement. The Ohio Ordnance version is lighter, lower profile (even packable weapon) belt-fed weapon chambered in .338 Norma Magnum, but easily convertible to 7.62 NATO. It's called the REAPR. That stands for Recoil Enhanced Automatic Precision Rifle. Could it be a replacement for the U.S. military classic?
Why does suppressive fire matter?
If you're not a combat veteran, you might not have much experience with suppressive fire. As an Army Ranger, I (John Lovell) remember many instances when our machine gunners got us out of some dicey situations. They'd just send a few hundred rounds of well-placed suppressive fire down range from the M240.
Suppressive fire is what soldiers use to keep enemies cowering. This allows you and your guys to move positions without dodging bullets. Enemies have a hard time shooting you when they're scared behind cover.
The big and heavy belt-fed M240 has given our teams an advantage for decades. Our military units started using that gun in the late 1970’s. It’s been with us ever since. It's portable and can fire off more than 600 rounds a minute.
Of course, it's also awkward and heavy to carry (quite unlike the REAPR, pictured below).
Why Does the M240 Machine Gun Need to be Replaced?
I'm not necessarily saying the decades-old M240 workhorse needs to be upgraded, but after spending some range time with the Ohio Ordnance REAPR, it seems like a pretty compelling idea.
My friend Robert Landies, the founder and president of Ohio Ordnance, gave me a walkthrough of this impressive new piece of machinery. I respect a lot of things about his company, including the real-world tactical knowledge of his team.
They've experienced combat situations and have been supplying weaponry to military units since the early 1990s. The REAPR is the most recent offering from their decades-long legacy of weapons engineering, and it blew my mind.
Ohio Ordnance has mastered the development of belt-fed weapons after years of using and engineering weapons.
"We've spent years refining the design features that matter and staying away from features that don't work," Robert told me. "That's how the REAPR was engineered. We know what works and what doesn't out in the field."
Why This Belt-Fed Rifle Is Simply Mind Blowing
Monstrous firepower and range is of course a prerequisite for a battle-worthy belt-fed weapon, and the 338 Norma Mag cartridge delivers a lot of destructive mass at a high velocity, providing precision targeting even at longer distances.
The rifle was engineered specifically for the .338, which doubles a shooter's effective range when compared with the M240's 7.62 NATO rounds.
And speaking of those long effective shots, the REAPR has mount system that's optimized for precision optics, thermal optics, etc. atop a full-steel receiver. This construction allows for loading without obstruction or disassembly.
When it comes to assembly, disassembly, and maintenance in the field, the REAPR those jobs significantly easier than its predecessors. Barrel changes are a one-man, one-handed job. And the gun equipped with high-quality barrels that last, even with all the heat exchange that happens with its large-round, high-volume rate of fire.
It's inertia driven instead of gas operated, and this removes a lot of the complexity and additional moving parts of most rifles of its kind.
And because rapid fire isn't always effective when trying to hit targets, the REAPR's semi-auto feature gives a shooter the option of greater control and precision. And of course the REAPR takes a suppressor.
Lighter Weight, Ammo Versatile, and Even Packable
Even with all this durability and higher firepower than the M240, it still weighs less. It also breaks down small enough to fit into a backpack. If you've ever lugged the M240, you know how surprising that is.
And let's say you're some place in the world where 338 Norma Mag rounds are scarce supply (a real possibility), the REAPR can easily convert for 7.62 rounds. Those NATO bullets are found in abundance in most regions of the world.
The REAPR converts to 7.62 in a matter of minutes, and without any special tools.
I recommend looking into this newest engineering masterpiece from Ohio Ordnance Works--just released in January 2024.
Train Hard. Train Smart. Live Free.
