Overview
- SIG SAUER showed Product Improvement Effort versions labeled the M7 Enhanced Rifle and M250 Enhanced LMG at AUSA, highlighting tangible weight reductions and ergonomic refinements.
- The Army ran Soldier Touch Points and a firing schedule on the PIE guns and is now deciding which modifications to adopt, with particular scrutiny on the carbine‑length barrel’s lethality.
- Fielding continues across the force, with more than 2,000 M7 rifles and over 900 M250 automatic rifles issued, including recent M250 deliveries to the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division.
- A new suppressor with a removable heat shield is slated for fielding, and the XM157 Fire Control System remains part of the program.
- SIG reports M7 barrel life exceeding 10,000 rounds versus the 5,000‑round requirement, while M250 updates center on an improved gas system, quick‑change barrels, a sturdier buttstock interface, a better bipod, and user‑friendly controls.