U.S. Marine Corps rejects switch to M7 rifle

The United States Marine Corps has decided to retain the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle for its close combat formations rather than adopt the Army’s M7 Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle, a Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed to Task & Purpose.

“The Marine Corps will retain the M27 for our close combat formations as it best aligns with our unique service requirements, amphibious doctrinal employment of weapons, and distinct modernization priorities, while ensuring seamless interoperability across the Joint force and with coalition partners,” the spokesperson said in an email to the publication.

The decision keeps the M27 as the Corps’ primary infantry rifle while the Army continues fielding the M7 and its companion M250 machine gun under the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program. The Marine Corps indicated it will continue observing the Army’s program before making any future decisions.

“We will continue to monitor development of the M7 [Next Generation Squad Weapon rifle] to inform future requirements,” the spokesperson added, noting that the service regularly evaluates equipment against its expeditionary operational needs.

The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, based on a Heckler & Koch design, was first deployed by Marines during combat operations in Afghanistan in 2011. Originally introduced to replace the M249 squad automatic weapon, the rifle evolved into a standard infantry weapon after Marines expanded its role across rifle squads.

The Army’s M7 rifle represents a new generation of small arms built around a 6.8mm cartridge intended to provide increased range and improved lethality compared with the long-standing 5.56mm ammunition used across much of the U.S. military. The Army is currently issuing the M7 and M250 to close combat forces, including infantry units, scouts, combat medics, forward observers, combat engineers, and special operations personnel.

Brig. Gen. Phil Kinniery, commandant of the Army’s Infantry School and Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia, previously told Task & Purpose that the 6.8mm round “stops the enemy at one round versus having to shoot multiple rounds at the enemy to get them to stop.”

Despite the Army’s adoption of the new weapon system, questions have emerged regarding aspects of the rifle’s design. An Army officer presentation at the Modern Day Marine exhibition in Washington, D.C., raised concerns about whether the M7’s 20-round magazine capacity provides sufficient ammunition during combat engagements.

Both the Army and manufacturer Sig Sauer rejected those criticisms. “We have a very large staff of individuals that work daily on that rifle to ensure that every aspect of its performance is scrutinized, every aspect of its safety is criticized,” Jason St. John, senior director of strategic products for Sig Sauer, told Task & Purpose. “We are highly confident that we have provided the U.S. Army soldier with a very robust weapon system that is not only safe, but it performs at the highest levels.”

The Marine Corps previously addressed confusion surrounding its rifle modernization plans in May 2020, when Marine Corps Systems Command corrected an earlier release that incorrectly suggested the service planned to replace the M27 with the NGSW program.