[2][3] It is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed and fully automatic shoulder-fired weapon.

The M84 is a licensed copy of the Soviet Union's PKM, with a few differences such as a differently shaped stock, and a slightly longer and heavier barrel which has slightly different measurements at the gas port and forward of the trunnion in diameter.

[5] The stock, bipod, and iron sights are omitted from this version,[citation needed] and it includes a heavier barrel and electric trigger, much like the Russian PKMT.

Another version, the M86A, is designed for external mounts and can be used dismounted.

This article relating to machine guns is a stub.