M249 | Predator (Factory New)

Skin overview

M249 | Predator is a Consumer Grade machinegun finish with reddish-brown stripes sprayed over an olive-green base, a pattern the game describes as zebra-like. In Factory New the stripes keep sharp edges and the green stays even, so the contrast between the two colours is at its strongest. This is the cleanest way to own the skin, and a clean surface also gives stickers the neatest backdrop.

Item type: machinegun. Consumer Grade is the lowest tier of the rarity scale: the most common skins, most often used in trade-up contracts.

Spray-Paint: paint sprayed over the metal; scratches and scuffs appear early but look natural.

Other qualities of this skin: Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn and Battle-Scarred.

Appearance in Factory New

The receiver and handguard are painted olive green with diagonal rust-brown stripes that wrap around the sides and top covers. The large box magazine carries the same stripes in wide vertical bands, which makes it the most visible part of the pattern in first-person view. The stock and grip continue the green-and-brown scheme, while the barrel, muzzle and small fittings stay dark with only a light green tint. Because this is a spray-paint finish, stripe placement shifts slightly between copies. On worn copies the paint goes first on the magazine edges, the carry handle, the sights and the corners of the receiver and stock.

The paint is intact on every part, with crisp borders between the green base and the brown stripes. The magazine and receiver look uniformly coloured, and no metal shows on edges. Since the float range begins near the upper limit of this grade, Factory New copies sit in a narrow band and all look practically identical. In game the gun appears clean and evenly painted.

Factory New quality — float range 0.06–0.07

The whole float range of M249 | Predator is 0.06–0.8; Factory New takes the 0.06–0.07 segment (1% of the scale). The lower the float within the range, the cleaner the surface looks and the higher a copy is usually priced.

Origin of the skin

M249 | Predator belongs to The Havoc Collection, which holds 19 skins. It does not drop from a case: the collection has none — such skins come from operation drops, souvenir packages or the market.

What it costs in each quality

By price this skin is 2nd of 8 skins Consumer Grade M249 in this quality (the first being the dearest).

Souvenir version

There is also a the Souvenir version with tournament stickers.

Stickers and crafts

Stickers in brown, tan, olive or muted gold match the earthy palette and blend with the stripes. Placing them on the green sections of the receiver keeps them readable without clashing with the brown bands. Bright or neon stickers will stand out sharply against this camouflage, which suits only a deliberate contrast craft.

What to check before buying

• Check where the float sits within the wear range, since low and high floats of the same grade can look quite different on the magazine edges.
• Look at the box magazine first, because its edges and corners lose paint earliest and it is the most visible part in first-person view.
• Compare stripe placement across copies, as the spray-paint pattern shifts slightly and some layouts look more balanced on the magazine.
• For Souvenir copies, check the preapplied stickers and how they sit on the receiver.

Who should buy Factory New

• Collectors who want the cleanest version of the skin with sharp stripes.
• Sticker crafters who need an intact surface on the receiver.
• The top grade for anyone who values a clean look over saving.