We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

The Army Loves It: The US Army’s XM7 Next-Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) is receiving praise from soldiers for its significant advancements over the M4 Carbine.

-Designed for superior range and lethality, the XM7 fires a 6.8 x 51mm NATO round capable of penetrating body armor at distances of up to 600 meters, twice the effective range of the M4.

-Featuring advanced optics compatibility, suppressors, and fire selectors, the XM7 also offers modularity and ambidextrous usability.

-Although heavier and with more recoil than the M4, soldiers report the XM7’s increased lethality and versatility provide substantial combat support for infantry and close-combat operations.

Why Soldiers Are Praising the XM7 Next-Generation Squad Weapon

The US Army’s now-arriving XM7 Next-Generation Squad Weapon is receiving favorable reviews from soldiers who say the weapon is a generational leap beyond the M4 Carbine it is replacing. 

The new weapon can reportedly break through body armor, a key requirement for the rifle based on US Army soldier experience in Afghanistan wherein existing 5.56 rounds were not able to penetrate body armor. 

Therefore, while there are many advantages to the configuration of the rifle, to include ergonomic adjustments, the largest margin of difference appears to be range and lethality related to the ammunition. The new weapon is based on a “gas-operated, magazine-fed SIG MCX-Spear,” according to War History Online.  The XM7 fires a much newer 6.8 x 51mm NATO round, able to fire through body armor from farther distances. This new round is called the Common Cartridge which can operate with an effective range of 600 meters, roughly twice that of the 5.56. 

XM7 Close Combat Rifle

Along with vastly improved range and lethality, the XM7 is also designed to be compatible with advanced optics, suppressors and fire selectors, paired with next-generation fire-control systems. 

SIG Sauer won a 10-year deal with the Army to replace both the M4 and the M249, and the technological steps forward seem quite significant, perhaps in large measure because the Army spent many years upgrading the M4 with improve performance capabilities through efforts such as the M4 Product Improvement Program (PIP).  Given this, there was likely a high bar set through the PIP program, and the XM7 reportedly seems to succeed as a paradigm changing weapon. 

Sgt. Jacob Harrison, a U.S. Army Reserve Soldier from the 377th Theater Sustainment Command, takes aim with his M4A1 carbine at the M4 Reflexive Fire event during the 2021 U.S. Army Reserve Best Warrior/Best Squad Competition at Fort McCoy, Wis., May 22. Approximately 80 Soldiers from across the nation travelled to Fort McCoy to compete in the annually-recurring event running May 19-28. It brings in the best Soldiers and squads from across the U.S. Army Reserve to earn the title of “Best Warrior” and “Best Squad” among their peers. Competitors are evaluated on their individual and teamwork abilities to adapt and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-focused events, which test their technical and tactical abilities under stress and extreme fatigue. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hernandez/Released)

XM7 Optics & Suppressors

The War History Online essay describes the XM7 as a “gas-operated, semi-automatic rifle, it has a fully modular design that allows soldiers to adapt it to various mission profiles with ease. Along with being compatible with several types of optics and suppressors, its fire selector allows operators to switch between different modes. When paired with the weapon’s advanced fire-control systems, troops are better able to engage threats in combat environments,” the essay says. 

The XM7 is also reportedly ambidextrous, meaning it can support both right and left-handed operators, an adjustment which includes a M-LOK handguard for additional protection. The new rifle also includes what’s called a short-stroke piston system that allows for peak performance in more difficult or auster combat conditions. 

XM7 vs M4A1 PIP

The XM7 is reported to be heavier than the M4 and generate more recoil, yet US Army soldiers with the 101st airborne overwhelmingly praise the new weapon and say it offers much improved combat support for infantry. The intent of the Army is to use the XM7 as a closer-in combat rifle for infantry, calvary and combat medics, the War History Online adds. 

M4 Carbine

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Cpl. Johnny Hurst, assigned to A Company 3rd Battalion (Airborne) 509th Infantry Regiment, a native of Chicago, Ill., fires his M-4 carbine during a live-fire and movement-to-contact operation on the Infantry Squad Battle Course at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Friday, May 31, 2013. The Soldiers focused on core infantry skills such as fire team movement, communication, shifting fire, and once on the objective identifying and eliminating weapons caches and treating and evacuating casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Justin Connaher).

It appears the improvements with the XM7 far exceed enhancements added in the PIP effort, which transitioned existing M4s into a heavier, more lethal M4AI variant. 

An Army weapons developer involved in the PIP project said “The heavier barrel is more durable and has greater capacity to maintain accuracy and zero while withstanding the heat produced by high volumes of fire. New and upgraded M4A1s will also receive ambidextrous fire control,” an Army statement on the PIP from several years ago said.

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.