M249 SAW vs PKM

M249 SAW (Light Machine Gun, 5.56x45mm) against PKM (Light Machine Gun, 7.62x54R) in WARDOGS: measured damage, fire rate, DPS, weight, attachments and unlocks side by side, with the verdict worked out from the numbers.

Related:M249 SAWPKMWeapon tier list
Higher DPS
PKMM249 SAW 444 · PKM 916
Harder hit
PKMM249 SAW 32.36 · PKM 63.54
Stronger headshot
PKMM249 SAW 64.42 · PKM 126.51
Faster fire rate
PKMM249 SAW 824 · PKM 865
Lighter
TieM249 SAW 7.5 kg · PKM 7.5 kg
Unlocks first
M249 SAWM249 SAW Support Lv 15 · PKM Support Lv 30

Side-by-side stats

Measured
M249 SAW weapon render in WARDOGSM249 SAWLight Machine Gun
VS
PKM weapon render in WARDOGSPKMLight Machine Gun
StatM249 SAWPKM
ClassLight Machine GunLight Machine Gun
Caliber5.56x45mm7.62x54R
Chest dmg (FMJ)32.3663.54
Head dmg (FMJ)64.42126.51
RPM824865
DPS444916
Dmg per magazine6,4726,354
Weight7.5 kg7.5 kg
Fire modesSemi, Full AutoSemi, Full Auto
Magazines51
Largest magazine200100
Optics1113
Underbarrel111
Muzzle76
UnlockSupport Lv 15Support Lv 30

Green marks the best value in each row (lowest for weight and unlock level).

M249 SAW or PKM: the verdict

Calculated

The M249 SAW wins 3 of the 7 categories where they differ (Dmg per magazine, Attachments, Unlock); the PKM wins 4 (DPS, Chest dmg (FMJ), Head dmg (FMJ), RPM).

  • The PKM has the higher chest DPS: 916 against 444 for the M249 SAW, about 106% more.
  • The PKM hits harder per shot: 63.54 chest damage against 32.36 for the M249 SAW (96% more).
  • Headshots favor the PKM: 126.51 per hit against 64.42 for the M249 SAW.
  • The PKM fires faster: 865 RPM against 824 RPM for the M249 SAW (5% more).
  • The M249 SAW carries more damage in one magazine: 6,472 over 200 rounds against 6,354 over 100 rounds for the PKM.
  • The M249 SAW and PKM weigh the same: 7.5 kg.
  • The M249 SAW accepts more attachments: 29 against 20 for the PKM.
  • The M249 SAW unlocks earlier (Support Lv 15) than the PKM (Support Lv 30).
Open in the comparison tool →M249 SAW statsPKM stats

M249 SAW vs PKM damage by ammo type

Measured

Hollow point multiplies damage by exactly ×2 and armor-piercing by ×0.8 against an unarmored target.

AmmoM249 SAW chestM249 SAW headPKM chestPKM head
FMJ ×132.3664.4263.54126.51
Hollow Point ×264.72128.84127.08253.02
Armor Piercing ×0.825.8951.5450.83101.21

Values are damage per hit against an unarmored target. How HP and AP interact with armor has not been measured.

The M249 SAW (Light Machine Gun, 5.56x45mm) goes up against the PKM (Light Machine Gun, 7.62x54R). The M249 SAW wins 3 of the 7 categories where they differ (Dmg per magazine, Attachments, Unlock); the PKM wins 4 (DPS, Chest dmg (FMJ), Head dmg (FMJ), RPM). The PKM has the higher chest DPS: 916 against 444 for the M249 SAW, about 106% more. The M249 SAW unlocks earlier (Support Lv 15) than the PKM (Support Lv 30). With hollow point ammo the M249 SAW deals 64.72 and the PKM 127.08 per chest hit; with armor-piercing it is 25.89 and 50.83. All damage figures are measured in the Firing Range against an unarmored target at about 20 m; recoil, range falloff and armor are not part of the comparison.

See Also

M249 SAW statsPKM statsWeapon comparisonDamage calculatorWeapon tier list
MetaBot Desktop

Get the Winning Edge

Real-time overlays, automatic match tracking, and exclusive tools — everything you need to climb, free on your PC.

  • In-game overlays
  • Automatic match tracking
  • Desktop-exclusive tools
Download for WindowsMore InfoFree download
🔍

Help us maintain accuracy! If you notice incorrect stats, missing data, or any issues, your feedback directly improves the quality of our data for the entire community.

Report an Issue

M249 SAW vs PKM FAQ

Is the M249 SAW better than the PKM in WARDOGS?

The M249 SAW wins 3 of the 7 categories where they differ (Dmg per magazine, Attachments, Unlock); the PKM wins 4 (DPS, Chest dmg (FMJ), Head dmg (FMJ), RPM). The PKM has the higher chest DPS: 916 against 444 for the M249 SAW, about 106% more. These are measured values against an unarmored target; recoil and handling are not included.

Which has more DPS, the M249 SAW or the PKM?

The PKM has the higher chest DPS: 916 against 444 for the M249 SAW, about 106% more. The PKM fires faster: 865 RPM against 824 RPM for the M249 SAW (5% more).

Which hits harder, the M249 SAW or the PKM?

The PKM hits harder per shot: 63.54 chest damage against 32.36 for the M249 SAW (96% more). Headshots favor the PKM: 126.51 per hit against 64.42 for the M249 SAW.

Which unlocks first, the M249 SAW or the PKM?

The M249 SAW unlocks at Support Lv 15 and the PKM at Support Lv 30.

What ammo should I use in the M249 SAW and PKM?

Against unarmored targets hollow point multiplies damage by 2: 64.72 per chest hit for the M249 SAW and 127.08 for the PKM. Armor-piercing deals ×0.8 of FMJ damage (25.89 and 50.83), and what it gains against armor has not been measured yet, so HP is the measured damage pick.

Which takes more attachments, the M249 SAW or the PKM?

The M249 SAW accepts more attachments: 29 against 20 for the PKM.