Eliminating the magazine housing allows for a simpler design but now you can't use a STANAG mag in a pinch. An Amry buddy of mine shot an M249 with STANAGs on several occasions though and the gun proved to be unreliable with them anyway, so overall this is a benefit.
I know the M249 is 17 pounds and I was under the impression that the Mk. 46 was 15 pounds, but I found some weights that are closer to 13 pounds so I was a bit off there, and that is singificantly lighter, but the IAR is significantly lighter than even that.
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