AUSA 2025: Sig Sauer M7 rifle gets lighter and reshapes balance between mobility and lethality.

SIG SAUER unveiled a lighter M7 at the AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington, presenting a 7.6 pound Enhanced Rifle with a 13.5-inch barrel and a 7.3-pound Carbine with a 10 inch barrel. The update reflects a Product Improvement Effort with the U.S. Army, aiming to ease the rifle’s weight while keeping the NGSW architecture and the XM157 fire control in the program.

At AUSA 2025, held October 13 to 15 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, SIG SAUER detailed Product Improvement Effort variants of the M7, saying user feedback and Soldier Touch Points drove targeted weight reductions and simplified ergonomics. The show floor brief put the current 13.5-inch M7 at 8.3 pounds unloaded without optics or suppressor, with the new Enhanced Rifle listed at 7.6 pounds and the Carbine at 7.3 pounds, while the program office continues to evaluate lethality and range with the shorter barrel. PEO Soldier’s spring Type Classification for M7 and M250, reiterated publicly in September, underpins these iterative changes inside the NGSW framework.
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The lighter version shown comes in at 7.6 pounds with the same barrel length, and a derivative carbine is indicated at 7.3 pounds with a 10-inch barrel. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The stated objective is to incorporate user recommendations and meet Next Generation Squad Weapons program requirements while retaining the weapon’s 6.8×51 mm architecture. Weight reduction remains the central point. In its basic configuration with a 13.5 inch barrel and no accessories, the M7 is listed at 8.3 pounds. The lighter version shown comes in at 7.6 pounds with the same barrel length, and a derivative carbine is indicated at 7.3 pounds with a 10-inch barrel. These figures, communicated at the show, move the M7 closer to previous mass envelopes, while noting that the XM157 optic and accessories alter the weight in service.

Several structural changes are introduced to achieve these figures. The upper receiver is reworked to remove material, the operating group receives targeted reductions to limit inertia without affecting reliability, and the barrel profile is slightly thinned to save weight within thermal and endurance constraints. The stock remains adjustable for length, but the folding mechanism is removed to eliminate mass that user feedback judged unnecessary. These choices aim for a balance between handling and durability and have been visible since earlier show demonstrations.

Additional work appears around the immediate environment of the weapon, including a shortened sound suppressor and a light thermal shroud intended to reduce the infrared signature and improve handling. These adjustments do not alter the core PIE focus on the action and barrel, but they help reduce perceived length and manage signatures in use. Hands-on observations at DSEI 2025 support this direction, with an M7 that improves its balance without changing the employment concept.

Evaluation relies on Soldier Touch Points and firing campaigns conducted with the U.S. Army, which inform the trade off between the lighter 13.5-inch standard length and the operational value of a 10 inch barrel. The question concerns both handling and conformity with expectations for lethality and practical range, leading to a gradual integration of changes to preserve training and sustainment on a common base. The process unfolds within a program framework established by type classification, which facilitates incremental adaptations without disruption.

In this context, the lighter M7 at AUSA 2025 illustrates a manufacturer adjusting its product in coordination with the program office, prioritizing weight reduction at the source and simplified ergonomics. Fielding depends on U.S. Army decisions regarding the mix between the lighter standard length and the carbine format. There is no communication documenting international proliferation at this stage, but repeated exposure at major shows draws interest from allied forces watching the system’s evolution and the logistical implications linked to 6.8×51 mm.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.