The US Army will begin issuing SIG Sauer’s new M8 assault rifle to some units at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in December. Several company executives confirmed this to Military Times.
At SIG Sauer’s facilities, large pallets containing M8s from the Next Generation Squad Weapon program are already packed and ready to be shipped to units.
The new rifle appears set to replace the M7 as the standard weapon of the US Army, less than three years after distribution of the previous model began.
The M250 will also reach units
The Next Generation Squad Weapon program also includes the M250 machine gun, intended to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. According to Dave Buehler, SIG Sauer’s vice president of manufacturing, the first M250s are expected to reach service members in the first half of 2027.
The M8 and M250 use the same round, the 6.8×51 mm Common Cartridge, developed by SIG Sauer with a hybrid case designed to withstand the high pressures generated in the chamber.
The M7 drew criticism from service members, particularly over its weight and size, which were seen as detrimental to handling. Reports also emerged regarding wear caused by high-pressure ammunition on components such as barrels and suppressors.
SIG Sauer disputed some of the harshest criticism. The company now presents the evolution from the M7 to the M8, previously designated XM8, as the result of feedback gathered directly from users.
«From our perspective, the M8 is a significantly better rifle than the M7,» said Dave Buehler. «With the M7, our hands were partly tied by the design criteria and requirements specified in the contract: even when we were not convinced by them, we had to comply.»
«The M8, on the other hand, takes our observations and those of service members into account. We cannot wait to field it,» he added.
Less weight and a shorter barrel
One of the main changes concerns weight. The M8 weighs more than 450 grams less than the M7 and has a barrel approximately 8.9 centimeters shorter. The previous folding stock, which was unpopular with users, has also been replaced by a fixed solution.
Other changes introduced on the basis of service member feedback include a stiffer handguard. According to Josh Shoemaker, SIG Sauer’s defense product manager, the transition should nevertheless be straightforward for soldiers already trained on the M7.
«The fundamentals are essentially the same,» Shoemaker explained. «Anyone already familiar with the M7 should welcome the transition to the M8.»
The main challenge in developing the new model was reducing its overall weight. The unloaded M7 exceeded 3.6 kilograms and reached nearly 4.5 kilograms with the suppressor installed.
The comparison with the previous M4A1 was significant: the carbine weighs approximately 2.88 kilograms without ammunition. According to Shoemaker, SIG Sauer was able to reduce the difference from the M4 to less than 450 grams with the M8, not including the new rifle’s suppressor.
«We worked extensively to reduce weight where possible and where it mattered most,» he explained. Some material was removed from the receiver, and the barrel’s mass was also reduced.
That latter change, however, requires particular care. A lighter barrel can affect service life, thermal performance, and the weapon’s ability to sustain a high volume of fire, while also increasing the risk of overheating.
«It is a lengthy process, necessary to identify the limits and understand how much weight can be removed before going too far,» Shoemaker added.
Reducing the barrel length and the resulting shift in the center of gravity also helped improve handling. According to Shoemaker, with the suppressor installed, the M8 is better balanced than the previous model.
The fate of the M7 remains uncertain
It remains unclear what the future holds for the M7 rifles already delivered. Budget documents released this year indicate a reduction in procurement and, for fiscal year 2027, the Army reportedly did not request additional examples. About 50,000 M7s have reportedly already been delivered.
The US Army has not yet publicly disclosed what it intends to do with the weapons in its inventory, especially if the M8 is gradually issued to units that have already received the previous model.
According to Shoemaker, the Army has several options. M7s could be assigned to training units or transferred to Army National Guard or Army Reserve units.
Another option would be to convert the M7s already available using dedicated kits. Shoemaker explained that the barrel and handguard can be replaced quickly, while the serialized lower portion of the weapon remains unchanged.
«Overall, an M7 could probably be converted into an M8 in less than five minutes,» he said.
For now, however, US Army leadership has not indicated which solution it intends to adopt.
«The Army is well aware of the many options available and is deciding which path to take,» Shoemaker concluded.
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