This is a fascinating Photo Of The Day (POTD) set showcasing some of the U.S. Army's current small arms family, with the XM8 Carbine, the M7 rifle, the M250 and the M4A1. It’s not often we get to see studio-quality images, but here’s the new XM8 Carbine in a perfect side-view. Here's what's going on with each weapon pictured.
XM8 Carbine
The newest addition to the Army's arsenal. The U.S. Army accepted its first delivery of XM8 Carbines from Sig Sauer earlier in 2026. It is set to replace the M4A1 carbine for soldiers in the Close Combat Force and is approximately 3.5 inches shorter and over a pound lighter, improving soldier mobility and controllability while maintaining system-level lethality with 6.8mm ammunition.
The XM8's design reflects feedback from soldiers and was developed under the M7 PIE (Product Improvement Effort) label. Sig Sauer made refinements based on the initial fielding of the M7, improving handling, decreasing weight, increasing balance, and advancing performance. Notably, soldiers preferred a fixed stock over the M7's folding stock, calling it more robust.
M7 Rifle
The XM8's original, and bigger sibling. The M7 is the U.S. Army's adopted variant of the SIG MCX-SPEAR chambered in 6.8×51mm Common Cartridge (.277 Fury), designed for the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program to replace the M4 carbine. It was fielded beginning in March 2024.
