At a Glance

M249 B is a base light machine gun that occupies the heavy-volume end of the LMG class — high rate of fire, mid-tier per-bullet damage, and the kind of magazine capacity that lets you commit to long engagements without worrying about reload windows. Base damage of 50,000 per bullet, 800 RPM cadence, 100-round magazine, 4.5-second reload, and a 1.55x headshot multiplier define the SAW-pattern LMG that anchors many sustain-DPS builds. The "B" variant is the standard military-pattern release with an open talent slot.

Who this is for. Players who want sustained fire at AR-tier per-bullet damage with 3-4x the magazine capacity. M249 B is the LMG for builds that hate reloading.
Long-engagement specialist. 100-round mag is the heart of the rifle. At 800 RPM, the mag lasts about 7.5 seconds of constant fire, which is twice as long as most ARs and more than enough to weather any single engagement.
Acquisition. Drops from Black Tusk and True Sons heavy enemies, with elevated rates from the Pentagon and District Union Arena Heroic missions. Targeted Loot rotation includes it on a roughly 6-week cycle.
Best fit: Strikers Battlegear stack-engine builds, Hunter's Fury aggressive setups, In Sync chest skill-on-crit builds, generalist Heroic loadouts.

Full Stats

Stat	Value
Base Damage	50,000
RPM	800
Magazine	100
Reload	4.5s
Optimal Range	35m
Headshot Multiplier	1.55

Intrinsic Attributes (random roll)

The intrinsic on M249 B rolls weapon damage and a secondary like CHD, HSD, or damage to elites. God-roll farming aims for 14-15% on the primary and 12-13% on the secondary. Targeted Loot rolls average to higher rolls than open-world drops. The 100-round mag means small percentage rolls translate to larger total damage per mag than on shorter-mag weapons.

Customization Slot (Open)

M249 B's customization slot is open and accepts any LMG-class talent. The natural fit is Strained for the CHD trade — the 100-round mag means crits proc constantly across the engagement. Boomerang's miss-refund is meaningful on a long mag where missed shots add up. Optimist scales hardest of all because the long mag means more time at max stacks.

Built-in Mods

Standard LMG mod slots — optic (4x default), magazine, underbarrel, muzzle. The 100-round mag is already class-leading for damage tier, so magazine extension mods are typically wasted. Reload-speed mods are popular because the 4.5-second reload is long enough to feel painful, but most players push that mod budget into damage instead and accept the reload window.

Weapon Talent: Customizable (Sustain Profile)

"Customizable Talent Slot" — Accepts any LMG-class talent. The 100-round mag and 800 RPM cadence reward stack-engine talents like Optimist or sustain talents like Strained.

The mechanic is the same as any base LMG — open talent slot, any LMG-class talent compatible. The difference is that M249 B's stat profile (large mag, sustained fire, mid-tier per-bullet) makes Optimist absolutely dominant. The talent ramps mag damage across the magazine, and a 100-round mag means Optimist reaches max stacks early and rides the bonus through the back 70 rounds at full ramp.

In practice, M249 B plays as the sustain LMG. You set up, brace the rifle, hold the trigger, and let the long mag do the work. The 800 RPM is fast enough to clear groups, and the 50K per-bullet damage is high enough to drop yellows in a few seconds of constant fire. On a Strikers Battlegear build, M249 B reaches max Strikers stacks within the first 25 rounds of the mag and stays there for the remaining 75.

Practical numbers from a verified Optimist + Vigilance + Memento setup:

Body shot, full mag, Optimist max: ~65,000 per bullet
Body crit, Optimist max + Vigilance + Memento: ~250,000 per bullet
Headshot crit at full stack: ~390,000 per bullet
Sustained DPS, full mag: ~3.5M

The sustained DPS figure is the highest in the LMG class because the 100-round mag lets the build stay at max stacks for the longest stretch. Burst DPS is lower than premium ARs, but sustain DPS is higher than nearly anything outside Pestilence.

Top Builds

M249 B × Optimist × Strikers Battlegear

The flagship sustain LMG build. Strikers stacks weapon damage on hits, Optimist ramps mag damage, and the 100-round mag means both stack engines stay at max for the longest stretch in the game. Strong in any extended Heroic engagement where you commit to the position.

M249 B × Strained × Hunter's Fury

The aggressive proximity build. Strained trades armor for CHD, Hunter's Fury rewards close engagement, and the volume of fire from the 100-round mag means crits proc constantly to realize Strained's bonus. Strong in tight Heroic rooms where you brace the rifle and commit.

M249 B × In Sync × Heartbreaker

The skill-DPS hybrid build. In Sync converts weapon crits to skill damage, Heartbreaker rebuilds armor on hits, and the 800 RPM with 100-round mag puts crits out faster and longer than any other LMG. Heartbreaker's armor regen is at its strongest on M249 B. Strong in mixed-DPS group comps.

PvE vs PvP

In PvE, M249 B is the sustain LMG. The 100-round mag means you do not run out mid-engagement, the 800 RPM clears groups effectively, and the 50K per-bullet damage scales into yellow burst with sustain talents. The 35m optimal range covers most engagement distances. Where it falls off is mobility — LMGs are inherently set-and-forget weapons, and M249 B is no exception. Brace, fire, reposition only when the engagement is over.

The 4.5-second reload is the longest in the AR/LMG bracket. Magazine conservation matters — you do not want to burn the mag on a single yellow when you have three more in the room.

In PvP, M249 B is a positional weapon. The 100-round mag wins extended engagements, but the slow ADS and long reload make it weak in mobile DZ play. Most ranked PvP players treat M249 B as a hold-the-line weapon rather than a roaming pick.

Pros & Cons

Comparison

Versus Stoner LMG, M249 B has the lower per-bullet damage and faster RPM. Stoner is the precision LMG, M249 B the volume LMG. Different roles.

Versus Pestilence (exotic LMG), M249 B is the open-talent pick to Pestilence's plague mechanic. Pestilence has the unique DOT mechanic, M249 B has the higher base damage and customizable talent.

Versus an AR like Police M4, M249 B has the larger mag and similar sustained DPS. The trade is reload time — M249 B's reload is twice as long, but you reload three times less often.

FAQ

Is M249 B still good after TU22? Yes. The stat profile has not been touched in any recent balance pass and the sustain-LMG niche remains uncontested for builds that hate reloading.

What talent should I roll on M249 B? Optimist for sustain ceiling, Strained for CHD-bias builds, Boomerang for forgiveness on long engagements. Optimist is the most common first pick.

M249 B or Stoner? Stoner for higher per-bullet damage and slower RPM, M249 B for higher RPM and longer mag. Different tools — many players keep both.

Can I run M249 B in raid? Yes. With Strikers and Optimist it is a viable raid LMG for braced positions. The reload window matters more in raid than open world, so positioning is key.

How long to farm a god-roll? Targeted Loot rotates every 6 weeks. Outside the window, Black Tusk and True Sons drops give you a steady supply within 2-3 hours of farming.

Closing

M249 B is the sustain LMG. The 100-round magazine, 800 RPM cadence, and 50K per-bullet damage produce the highest sustained DPS in the LMG class outside Pestilence, and the open customization slot means you can fit it to nearly any sustain-DPS build. Roll an Optimist variant and pair it with Strikers Battlegear for one of the most consistent stack-engine rotations in the game, and use it in any engagement where you can brace the rifle and commit to the position.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-25 · TU22.1 · Verified vs in-game