It’s tough to say we are in a peacetime America when we still have troops in Iraq, Syria, and lord knows where else. However, we don’t have battalions of Marines and soldiers deploying overseas every month. The military seems to be taking this time to prepare for the next war. This includes everything from submarines to bombers. Somewhere between the two, we have a focus on military firearms.
The current flux state of military firearms seems focused on making the average infantryman deadlier. That shouldn’t be a surprise. The last 100 yards of any battlefield belong to the infantry. Throughout the GWOT, firearms steadily became smaller and lighter for use in and out of vehicles and in urban areas.
In 2025, the focus will be less on size, weight, and maneuverability and more on making weapons that shoot further, with bullets that travel faster and hit harder. Today, we’ll examine the projects, the projectiles, and the weapons that are bound to be the future of military firearms.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon
The most well-known of these future military firearms programs is the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW). The U.S. Army launched the NGSW program in 2017. In 2022, the Army announced that SIG Sauer won the contest, and the MCX SPEAR and SIG LMG 6.8 would become the XM7 and XM250, respectively.
The intent is to replace the M4 and M249 in the infantry and combat arms. The idea behind this system was to provide a rifle weapon system that fired a 6.8mm round extremely fast with a projectile design capable of piercing level 4 body armor and to increase the effective range of the infantry squad.
This 6.8x51mm cartridge has a maximum pressure of 80,000 PSI and a speed of 3,000 feet per second with a 135-grain cartridge. The cartridge case is a hybrid design with three distinct pieces. We have a steel case head connected to a brass body via an aluminum locking washer.
The XM& and XM250 have an effective range of 600 meters. The XM7 weighs 8.4 pounds, which makes it heavier than the M4. The XM250 weighs 13 pounds, making it lighter than the M249 SAW.
The new weapon system promised to be one of the Army’s most advanced. The Marine Corps hasn’t officially adopted the platform but likely will if the U.S. Army deems it fit for service.
There have been plenty of naysayers in the military firearms world. The XM7, in particular, is seen as a step back. The heavier, higher-recoiling rifle feels like a return to the battle rifle rather than an evolution of the assault rifle.
The Lightweight Medium Machine Gun
Read more about the SIG LMG at Wikipedia
The Marine Corps and SOCOM have been looking for a weapon capable of providing the range of the M2 without the weight of the .50 BMG platform. The ultimate goal is a machine that sits between the M2 and the M240. This created the Lightweight Medium Machine Gun program.
The program uses the .338 Norma Magnum cartridge. It was announced in 2017, and by October 1st, 2024, there was supposed to be a winner, but as of this writing, this has not been established. Three machine gun candidates have undergone testing with SOCOM.
Capable Military Firearms
This includes the SIG MG 338, the True Velocity Recoil Mitigation 338, and the Ohio Ordnance Works Recoil Enhanced Automatic Precision Rifle. The SIG is the lightest at 24.1 pounds, making it lighter than the M240 by slightly more than three pounds. All entrants are lighter than the M240 and feature recoil-reducing technology.
The new .338 Norma Magnum LMMG will have a range of up to 2,000 meters. This combined lightweight design and long-range provides a man-portable medium machine gun that will extend troops’ maximum contact distance and deliver deadly, accurate fire. The .338 Norma Magnum has proven effective at long ranges and has excellent barrier penetration.
The systems vary substantially. SIG offers a closed-to-open bolt design to maximize reliability and cooling. SIG and Ohio Ordancne offer ambidextrous controls and the ability to swap the feeding mechanism from right to left. The True Velocity option appears to be a beefed-up M240, which most soldiers will be familiar with.
Mk22 Mod 0 Advanced Sniper Rifle
The Marine Corps and SOCOM like the .338 Norma Magnum cartridge. It’s powerful, accurate, and capable. It’s no surprise it was the winner of the Advanced Sniper Rifle contest alongside the Barrett MRAD. The pair combine to make the Mk22 Mod 0 Sniper Rifle. This platform will have the same range as the Barrett .50 BMG but not the weight associated with the massive round.
The Mk 22 Mod 0 has an effective range of 1,500 meters, right on the precipice of a mile. The MRAD platform is also inherently modular and easy to swap between barrels and calibers. Its massive monolithic scope rail system can accommodate a variety of modern optics.
The platform maintains bolt-action precision with excellent power. The Marine Corps adopted these military firearms just in time to see snipers eliminated as a whole—a sad day for the Corps, to be sure. SOCOM will still be fielding this modular sniper rifle system, so it won’t disappear anytime soon. The Mk22 Mod 0 Advanced Sniper Rifle brings a .50 caliber range without the .50 caliber weight and recoil.
Precision Grenadier System
Historically, grenade launchers have been weapons designed to be primarily fired in an arc. This includes rifle grenades and 40mm launchers like the M203 and M320. They’ve had limited range, and the arcing motion of the grenade being fired has long created issues with accuracy and effective range.
The Army launched the Precision Grenadier System to overcome these problems with the traditional grenade launcher and to add some strengths to the Grenadier system. The Army is testing systems from Barrett and FN, which have serious XM25 vibes. These 30 mm systems offer a direct-fire design and integrate programmable airburst grenades.
These military firearms aim to be the ultimate counter defilade tool and will turn cover into concealment. While exact details on the system’s methods are scant, the optic will program the grenade when to explode. Imagine a grenade sailing right over cover and exploding, killing the enemy behind it.
Both Barrett and FN’s systems look and handle a lot like assault rifles. They have a rifle-like layout, are automatic, and feed from magazines. They have an M4 look but are much busier, with weight being kept under 15 pounds.
The Precision Grenadier system seems to be one of the more advanced weapons that could arm military forces. This system could be an infantry game changer if it functions as advertised. Barrett has shown grenades, anti-armor, and anti-drone cartridges. FN’s been a bit more secretive with their platform.
New Optics
It’s tough to shoot further on these platforms without being able to see your target. The U.S. Army and US Marine Corps have leaned into more capable optic systems for the average grunt.
Vortex XM157
The Vortex XM157 isn’t just a scope; it’s a Fire Control system. It’s a blend of optics and computers to create a high-tech LPVO with a 1-8X magnification at the system’s core. The XM157 uses a built-in laser range finder, a ballistic solver, environmental sensors, aiming lasers, a digital compass, and a wireless communication potential.
It will solve ballistic problems for you. It calculates drop and windage to provide an aiming point to make the average grunt as accurate as a computer. The Barrett PGS also uses the XM157. The XM157 preliminary reports show a real lack of confidence in the system.
VCOG 1-8X
The USMC has finally said goodbye to the ACOG. In its place, they’ve adopted the Trijicon VCOG. The VCOG is a 1-8X LPVO built like a brick house. It’s huge, heavy, and tough enough to deal with 18-year-old Marines.
These systems are spreading across the Marine Corps to provide Marines with a tool for effective fire at longer ranges and for better-establishing identification of the enemy.
Further, Faster, Deadlier, and Quieter?
Suppressors have quickly moved from being the tools of special operators to becoming extremely useful for the average grunt. The USMC experimented with a battalion of Marines that utilized suppressed weapons. They found that it increased command and control significantly.
The U.S. Army is fielding the XM7 with a SIG-made suppressor. It’s seemingly necessary with the weapon’s short barrel and high-pressure cartridge. The suppressor will cut volume but also cut muzzle flash, which will likely be extremely present with the high-powered cartridge.
The USMC is stacking its M27 rifles with LPVOs and now suppressors, specifically Knight’s Armament NT4. The NT4 might not be the quietest, but it’s known for its durability, which is critical with 18-year-old infantrymen.
READ MORE: Meet the SIG MGO and WARP System — SHOT Show 2025
The lightweight medium machine gun program is also requesting a suppressed barrel to accommodate each of the entrants. This isn’t surprising, as machine guns are very visible targets, and a suppressor would help hide them.
What’s Next With Military Firearms?
That’s always the big question. What’s next for military firearms? Will the M7 series succeed? Or will the M4 prove it’s still king of the hill? Are accessories the future? It will be an interesting and exciting time to see military firearm development. What are your thoughts? Share below!
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