Engineering:M250 light machine gun

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Short description: NGSW light machine gun
M250
M250 with an M157 fire-control system
TypeLight machine gun[1]
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service2022–present
Used bySee Users
Production history
Designed2019
ManufacturerSIG Sauer
Specifications
Mass13 lb (5.9 kg) (with bipod)
14.5 lb (6.6 kg) (with suppressor and bipod)
6.77 lb (3.07 kg) (100-round pouch)[2]
Length41.87 in (1,063 mm) (with suppressor)[3]
Barrel length17.5 in (444 mm)[4]
Calibre6.8×51mm Common Cartridge (.277 Fury)
ActionGas-operated short-stroke piston system with a proprietary recoil mitigation system, open bolt
Rate of fire~800 rounds/min
Feed system30-, 50-, 100-, or 200-rounds semi-rigid pouches

The M250 light machine gun is the U.S. Army's designation for the SIG LMG 6.8, chambered in 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge (.277 Fury), gas-operated, belt-fed light machine gun that features a proprietary recoil mitigation system, designed by SIG Sauer for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon Program in 2022 to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.[5]

The M250 features a free-floating reinforced M-LOK handguard for direct accessory attachment onto the "negative space" (hollow slot) mounting points. The M250 began to be fielded in March 2024.[6]

History

In January 2019, the United States military began the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to find replacements for the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. In September 2019, SIG Sauer submitted prototypes of the M7 rifle and M250 light machine gun.[7] The design of the XM250 was derived from the SIG Sauer MMG 338 which SIG was also developing for the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).[8] The M250 light machine gun and M7 rifle were designed for the 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge in response to concerns that improvements in body armor would diminish the effectiveness of the 5.56×45mm NATO (used in the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon) and 7.62×51mm NATO (used in the M240 medium machine gun).[9][10][11]

XM250 with an M157 fire-control system

On 19 April 2022, the United States Army awarded a 10-year contract to SIG Sauer to produce the XM250 light machine gun, along with the XM7 rifle, to replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and M4 carbine, respectively.[12][13] The names were chosen as the next numbers sequentially to the weapons they will replace (the rifle was originally designated as the XM5, but was later changed to XM7). The first batch of twenty-five XM7s and fifteen XM250s were planned to be delivered in late 2023. In total, the Army plans to procure a total of 107,000 XM7s and 13,000 XM250s for close combat forces. The contract has the capacity to build additional XM7s and XM250s should the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command choose to be included.[14]

In September 2023, the XM250 was delivered to soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment for user tests.[15] 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division officially began fielding it in March 2024.[16]

In May 2025, the XM250 was type classified as the M250 light machine gun.[17]

Design details

U.S. infantryman firing an M250 during a combined arms live-fire exercise (CALFEX), 2026

The M250 light machine gun weighs 13 lb (5.9 kg), or 14.5 lb (6.6 kg) with a suppressor. It has a basic combat load of 400 rounds in four 100-round pouches weighing 27.1 lb (12.3 kg). Compared to the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon weighing 19.2 lb (8.7 kg) unsuppressed, with a basic combat load of 600 rounds in three 200-round pouches, weighing 20.8 lb (9.4 kg), the M250 light machine gun weighs about 4 lb (1.8 kg) less and a gunner carries roughly a 1 lb (0.45 kg) heavier load with 200 fewer rounds. The barrel on the M250 is not considered a quick-change barrel, and the stock is collapsible but non-folding.[14][2][4]

The M250 primarily uses the M157 fire-control system, also known as the Vortex Optics NGSW-FC.[5] The optical sight integrates a laser rangefinder (LRF), ballistic solver, environmental sensors, aiming lasers, digital compass, and wireless communication to provide seamless battlefield connectivity. Built around a 1-8×30 LPVO with a glass-etched reticle, it is lightweight and durable, capable of withstanding extreme conditions. The M157 features a digital display that provides corrected aimpoints, wind holds, and other critical targeting data, allowing for rapid target engagement.[18][19]

Variants

SIG SAUER LMG

The SIG SAUER LMG is the general product name of the light machine gun family, available in 6.5mm Creedmoor (SIG LMG 6.5), 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge (SIG LMG 6.8) and 7.62×51mm NATO (SIG LMG 7.62).[20]

  • U.S. infantryman from the 2nd Battalion of the 502nd Infantry Regiment firing an XM250, 2023
    U.S. infantryman from the 2nd Battalion of the 502nd Infantry Regiment firing an XM250, 2023
  • U.S. infantryman firing an M250 with the M157 fire-control system, 2025
    U.S. infantryman firing an M250 with the M157 fire-control system, 2025
  • U.S. infantryman with an M250 at the 2026 Best Mortar Competition
    U.S. infantryman with an M250 at the 2026 Best Mortar Competition

Users

  •  Israel: Israeli Defense Forces adopted the SIG LMG 7.62 variant in 2025.[21][22]
  •  United States: Used by the United States Army.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Reinsch, Michael (13 May 2022). "NGSW signifies an evolution in Soldier lethality". https://www.army.mil/article/256697/ngsw_signifies_an_evolution_in_soldier_lethality. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Beynon, Steve (2 May 2022). "How Well Do the Army's New Guns Perform? That's Classified, But Soldiers Will Carry More Weight, Less Ammo". https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/05/02/how-well-do-armys-new-guns-perform-thats-classified-soldiers-will-carry-more-weight-less-ammo.html. 
  3. ↑ Popenker, Maxim (20 April 2022). "SIG Sauer NGSW-R MCX Spear XM5 assault rifle (USA)". https://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/u-s-a-machineguns/sig-sauer-ngsw-ar-xm250-2/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moss, Matthew (16 May 2022). "US Army Shares Details on Next Generation Squad Weapons". https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/05/16/us-army-shares-details-next-generation-squad-weapons/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Justification Book - Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles". https://www.asafm.army.mil/Portals/72/Documents/BudgetMaterial/2026/Discretionary%20Budget/Procurement/Procurement%20of%20Weapons%20and%20Tracked%20Combat%20Vehicles.pdf. 
  6. ↑ Lehrfeld, Jonathan (2024-03-29). "101st Airborne first Army unit to field Next Generation Squad Weapons" (in en). https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/03/29/101st-airborne-first-army-unit-to-field-next-generation-squad-weapons/. 
  7. ↑ Moss, Matthew (19 April 2022). "SIG Sauer Wins US Army Next Generation Squad Weapon Contract" (in en-CA). https://www.overtdefense.com/2022/04/19/sig-sauer-wins-us-army-next-generation-squad-weapon-contract/. 
  8. ↑ "SIG Range Day 19 – SL MAG, SIG's New 338 Machine Gun". 20 January 2019. https://soldiersystems.net/2019/01/20/sig-range-day-19-sl-mag/. 
  9. ↑ South, Todd (19 April 2022). "Army chooses SIG Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon" (in en). https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/04/19/army-chooses-sig-sauer-to-build-its-next-generation-squad-weapon/. 
  10. ↑ Schogol, Jeff (19 April 2022). "Army selects SIG Sauer to produce Next Generation Squad Weapon and ammo" (in en-US). https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/army-selects-sig-sauer-next-generation-squad-weapon/. 
  11. ↑ Mizokami, Kyle (21 April 2022). "The Army's Next-Gen Infantry Weapons Will Be More Lethal and More Accurate" (in en-US). https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a39774920/army-next-gen-infantry-weapons/. 
  12. ↑ Beynon, Steve (19 April 2022). "Army Picks Its Replacement for the M4 and SAW" (in en-US). https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/04/19/army-picks-its-replacement-m4-and-saw.html. 
  13. ↑ "Army awards Next Generation Squad Weapon contract". 19 April 2022. https://www.army.mil/article/255827/army_awards_next_generation_squad_weapon_contract. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 South, Todd (20 April 2022). "Army expects Next Generation Squad Weapon to get to its first unit by next year" (in en). https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2022/04/20/army-expects-next-generation-squad-weapon-to-get-to-its-first-unit-by-next-year/. 
  15. ↑ South, Todd (20 December 2023). "Army to field new rifle, machine gun and optic in 2024". https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/12/20/army-to-field-new-rifle-machine-gun-and-optic-in-2024/. 
  16. ↑ Lehrfeld, Jonathan (29 March 2024). "101st Airborne first Army unit to field Next Generation Squad Weapons" (in en). https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/03/29/101st-airborne-first-army-unit-to-field-next-generation-squad-weapons/. 
  17. ↑ Project Manager Soldier Lethality Announces Type Classification Approval for Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW). Army.mil. 20 May 2025.
  18. ↑ "Vortex Optics XM157 Selected by U.S. Army | Gun Talk Media". https://www.guntalk.com/post/vortex-xm157-selected-by-army. 
  19. ↑ "Behind the scenes, critical process ensures weapons systems ready for Soldiers' use" (in en). 2024-10-01. https://www.army.mil/article/280167/behind_the_scenes_critical_process_ensures_weapons_systems_ready_for_soldiers_use. 
  20. ↑ "Defense Machine Guns". https://www.sigsauer.com/defense-machine-guns. 
  21. ↑ TAB (2026-02-12). "SIG M250" (in en). https://armourersbench.com/tag/sig-m250/. 
  22. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (2025-01-03). "Israel Buys 7.62x51mm Version Of U.S. Army's New Sig Sauer M250 Light Machine Gun: Report" (in en-US). https://www.twz.com/land/israel-buys-7-62x51mm-version-of-u-s-armys-new-sig-sauer-m250-light-machine-gun-report. 

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