Another blow to SIG - the XM7?

[BHPSteel]

Army infantry officer calls new XM7 'unfit for use as a modern service rifle'

The officer interviewed more than 150 soldiers as part of his research, which was presented at an annual Marine Corps exhibition in April.

taskandpurpose.com

 

[MILSURP Collector]

To me the biggest issue is less ammo. BUT you get more stopping power and penetration. Maybe more accurate fire and slower suppression needs to be stressed.

If soldiers armed with both weapons are expected to carry seven magazines into battle as part of their universal basic load, or UBL, soldiers with M4A1 carbines would carry 210 rounds while soldiers armed with the XM7 would have 140 rounds, Trent said at Modern Day Marine.

“Now again, a 70-round difference may not seem significant, but to the soldier in the fight, it absolutely is a difference, not to mention that every magazine added to the XM7 — each 20-round loaded magazine — adds another 1.25 pounds to the soldier’s load, meaning that if troops equipped with the XM7 tried to match their old UBLs, they’re going to have even more weight being carried,” Trent said.

I Googled WWII Basic load and found this:

During WWII, a typical US rifleman's ammunition load consisted of an 8-round clip in their M1 Garand rifle, plus 80 rounds in a bandolier, totaling 88 rounds. They might also carry extra ammunition in bandoliers or pockets, potentially bringing their total to over 200 rounds.

 

[MILSURP Collector]

Pretty interesting site as well erf WWII

https://www.battleorder.org/post/us...h pocket could carry 1,M1 Rifle was 88 rounds.

However, in practice, more ammo was carried. Additional ammo could be carried in disposable cloth bandoliers that fit either 6 M1 Rifle clips (48 rounds) or 12 M1903 Rifle clips (60 rounds). For an M1 Rifleman, a full bandolier would weigh about 3.4 lb (1.5 kg) and would be worn slung across the torso or in a general purpose carrying bag. One to 2 bandoliers were a common addition in battle. Two bandoliers plus a full cartridge belt would weigh a total of 13.6 lb alone and would provide for a total of 176 rounds.

 

[BHPSteel]

Maybe it's not the damning critique it seems (or it will have no effect)

I'm sure you could dig similar articles out of the archive by some guy in 'nam who is bitterly clinging to his M14, and yet the M16 won out.

 

[charlie hotel lima]

In WWII, the soldier and Marines were handed an M1 Garand and / or 1911 pistol to fight with. No modularity crap, the men came in all shapes and sizes. They learned to shoot what they had, and it worked out pretty good. The SCAR wasn't embraced like it was supposed to have been, but hangs around.

 

[BIKER13]

To me the biggest issue is less ammo. BUT you get more stopping power and penetration. Maybe more accurate fire and slower suppression needs to be stressed.

If soldiers armed with both weapons are expected to carry seven magazines into battle as part of their universal basic load, or UBL, soldiers with M4A1 carbines would carry 210 rounds while soldiers armed with the XM7 would have 140 rounds, Trent said at Modern Day Marine.

“Now again, a 70-round difference may not seem significant, but to the soldier in the fight, it absolutely is a difference, not to mention that every magazine added to the XM7 — each 20-round loaded magazine — adds another 1.25 pounds to the soldier’s load, meaning that if troops equipped with the XM7 tried to match their old UBLs, they’re going to have even more weight being carried,” Trent said.

I Googled WWII Basic load and found this:

During WWII, a typical US rifleman's ammunition load consisted of an 8-round clip in their M1 Garand rifle, plus 80 rounds in a bandolier, totaling 88 rounds. They might also carry extra ammunition in bandoliers or pockets, potentially bringing their total to over 200 rounds.

tougher back in the day

 

[basstracker89]

Yea. A lot of those old guys were farmers used to carrying 100lb. bags of somethin.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

I would think in war continuity of fire trumps everything else the majority of the time. Which is why 556 has dominated the infantry mans load out for so many decades.

Battle rifles have their niche, but it's hard to beat a light weight carbine with as much ammo as can be carried.

 

[charlie hotel lima]

I would think in war continuity of fire trumps everything else the majority of the time. Which is why 556 has dominated the infantry mans load out for so many decades.

Battle rifles have their niche, but it's hard to beat a light weight carbine with as much ammo as can be carried.

True this, but history says air superiority trumps it all. The US has been lucky, or blessed, to have it for so long.

 

[MILSURP Collector]

True this, but history says air superiority trumps it all. The US has been lucky, or blessed, to have it for so long.

I would hate to be on the battlefield today with suicide drones, thermals etc. Hard not to be seen. If it can be seen it can be hit.