Is The Army’s New Rifle A Lemon?– dailycaller.com
News Source
EXCERPT:
The United States Army is facing criticism over the fielding of the M7 rifle, which the M8 carbine is replacing starting in December.
SIG won a ten-year contract in 2022 to produce the Army’s Next-Generation Squad Weapons—a rifle and light machine gun designed to fire a new 6.8x51mm round, Guns.com reported. The M7 has drawn fire on social media for being too heavy for troops. (RELATED: Inside The ‘Top Secret’ Plan That Led To Biggest Pro-Second Amendment Ruling In 90 Years)
Thoughts about Sig winning the NGSW contract? Sounds like a Gun Meme Review in the making…
— Brandon Herrera (@TheAKGuy) April 21, 2022
“Besides weighing 50% more than an M4, this POS is heavily overloaded with janky tacticool features, takes special ammo produced by one monopoly supplier, and falls to pieces under stress,” one post says. “All it lacks to be a true exemplar of American tech is a QR code and frozen touch screen.”
The Army launched the NGSW program after the 2017 Small Arms Ammunition Configuration (SAAC) study, which validated a need for greater energy on target and reduced shooter error through advanced fire control. It addressed limitations of existing 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm systems against protected and unprotected threats at extended ranges and is the first major rifle and automatic rifle fielding of this nature in roughly 65 years.
The M7 weighed 9.8 pounds equipped with a suppressor, had a 20-round magazine, a 13.5-inch barrel and could be equipped with an optical sight, according to ArmyRecognition.com. The XM8 weighs 8.8 pounds with the suppressor, has a 25-round clip and an 11-inch barrel, according to the United States Army.