FN M240 General Purpose Machine Gun

[TazMan2000]

I'm using a bit of a different approach in building this, which will probably make things a bit easier and accurate. Normally, the split side plates would have been glued together, then glued to the bottom plate of the receiver, but when doing so, you could get a slightly different length for each plate, so that when you finally glue everything together you will either have one side, maybe, a mm or so, shorter than the other, due to sanding/filing/gluing errors which would throw off the alignment of the entire prop. But because the real weapon has rectangular plates around the place the ammo enters, and the links are expended on the other side, this will provide a great reinforcement for the two plate halves. Each side plate half is secured to the bottom receiver plate using brass 3/16 rod as a guide.

Securing the rear grip works almost exactly like on the real weapon. The buttstock (only partially printed, slides down into the back and is held by a screw at the bottom, which is partially hidden by the grip. The real buttstock latches into place at the bottom, but I decided to go the simpler and more rugged approach.

The only parts that are post-processed and sanded, for now, are the items that interact with each other. I'm just making sure that when things are designed, that they actually fit in the real world when printed. So far, so good.

The gas tube is also reinforced with a 1/2 inch copper plumbing pipe.

TazMan2000

 

[TazMan2000]

The largest parts of the buttstock are printed. They are aligned and held together with two 1/4" copper tubes. Nothing glued yet. There are two other parts that have yet to be glued on to the back. One which will be resin printed, once I get my Mono X fixed.

TazMan2000

 

[joberg]

...and another winner

 

[TazMan2000]

...and another winner

Thanks joberg

Where have you been? Vacation?

TazMan2000

 

[expo180]

This is looking awesome, TazMan!

 

[TazMan2000]

This is looking awesome, TazMan!

Thanks!

in addition to the M240B version, I'm trying to make most of the other models, like the M240D, M240E1, M240G, M240H and the M240N as interchangeable parts, so the modeller can switch out components to match the model, without having to print the base design several times. If you get bored of how it looks, switch it around to create another model.

I'm leaving out the M240C model, because it's a right hand feed system and I've already got enough time invested in this without having to design a seventh version.

TazMan2000

 

[TazMan2000]

TazMan2000

 

[asavage]

Wonderful, inspiring work.

 

[TazMan2000]

Wonderful, inspiring work.

Thanks Adam. This really means a lot, coming from you.

TazMan2000

 

[joberg]

Thanks joberg

Where have you been? Vacation?

TazMan2000

Yep, Brussels and Venice to visit family and friends...good to be back in Canada;-)

 

[TazMan2000]

Yep, Brussels and Venice to visit family and friends...good to be back in Canada;-)

I hope you visited some of the filming locations.

TazMan2000

 

[TazMan2000]

A small update. I printed out and fit in the base of the rear sight assembly and I made a working trigger for the grip. This will be the last update, printing-wise, for a couple of weeks as my company is sending me to New York for training. There are still lots of small parts that I can design on this during the evening, so for certain I won't be bored.

The rear sight base can't bee seen well in the above photo, so perhaps this will give you a better idea.

TazMan2000

 

[joberg]

I hope you visited some of the filming locations.

View attachment 1619939

TazMan2000

Yes, albeit by accident Looking at your pic; it was there that I said to the wife: "Same location in the Indiana Jones movie"...no reaction from her;-p

 

[expo180]

Really looking forward to seeing more updates, TazMan! What you have done so far looks incredible!

Hope all goes well in New York!

 

[Master Boda]

Late to the thread,TazMan2000 that is f’n cool man very impressive sir.

 

[TazMan2000]

Late to the thread,TazMan2000 that is f’n cool man very impressive sir.

Thanks!

TazMan2000

 

[TazMan2000]

Bolt Assembly from what I can see from pictures. Almost no technical information on the net (not surprising).

TazMan2000

 

[joberg]

Well, that looks technically sound...despite, as you said, of the scant info on line

 

[TazMan2000]

Well, that looks technically sound...despite, as you said, of the scant info on line

I'm going for "It looks like it would work". If it fools someone for a couple of seconds, I have achieved my goal.

TazMan2000

 

[TazMan2000]

I'm dissatisfied with the grip plates. I printed them flat on the build plate and they came out with not as much detail as I would have hoped, but I'm sure that if I print them again a bit thicker, the detail will stand out more.

TazMan2000