XM250 (M250)
SIG Sauer Inc. · Machine Gun · In Production · 2022
Also known as: M250, SIG MG 6.8, NGSW-AR, Next Generation Squad Weapon - Automatic Rifle
Overview
The XM250, type-classified as the M250 light machine gun in May 2025, is the United States Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon - Automatic Rifle (NGSW-AR), a gas-operated, belt-fed machine gun chambered in 6.8x51mm Common Cartridge (.277 SIG Fury). Developed by SIG Sauer as part of the same program that produced the XM7 rifle, it was selected in April 2022 to replace the 5.56mm M249 SAW in close combat squads. The weapon feeds from disintegrating-link belts carried in detachable semi-rigid pouches of 30, 50, 100, or 200 rounds, and uses a patented recoil-mitigation system in which the barrel, gas system, and bolt group recoil together against a hydraulic buffer to tame the high-pressure cartridge. It features a quick-change air-cooled barrel, integral Picatinny rail optimized for the XM157 Next Generation Fire Control System, a side-folding adjustable stock, folding bipod, and an integrated quick-detach suppressor. At roughly 6.6 kg with suppressor and bipod it is markedly lighter than the M249 while delivering far greater range and armor-defeating terminal performance.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 6600 g (232.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1064 mm (41.89") |
| Barrel Length | 444 mm (17.48") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Open Bolt |
| Magazine Capacity | 100 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 914 m/s (2999 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3628 J (2676 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 800 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Cerakote |
Calibers
- 6.8x51mm Common Cartridge · primary — also known as .277 Fury, .277 SIG Fury, 6.8x51mm, 6.8 CT
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Disintegrating Link Belt
- Safety mechanisms: Ambidextrous Safety Selector
- Features: Belt Fed, Quick Change Barrel, Folding Bipod, Folding Stock, Adjustable Stock, Suppressor Ready, Quick Detach Suppressor, Picatinny Rail, Rotating Bolt, Recoil Mitigation System, Hydraulic Buffer, Ambidextrous Controls, Xm157 Fire Control Compatible
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 2022 · as XM250 / M250
- 101st Airborne Division · adopted 2024 · as XM250
Production
Production years: 2022-present
Part of the U.S. Army NGSW program; fielding began 2024 with the 101st Airborne Division; type-classified as M250 in May 2025
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: David Steimke
Notes
The NGSW-AR program sought a squad automatic weapon firing the same 6.8x51mm hybrid-case ammunition as the XM7 rifle, capable of defeating modern body armor at extended ranges that 5.56mm NATO cannot reach. SIG Sauer's design won over Textron and General Dynamics-True Velocity submissions. Unlike the M249, the M250's barrel is not described as a true rapid quick-change barrel, and the cyclic rate is commonly cited between roughly 600 and 800 rounds per minute depending on source. The 10-year contract for NGSW weapons and ammunition is valued at up to $4.4 billion. Fielding began with the 101st Airborne Division in 2024, and type classification to M250 followed in May 2025.
Background
Where the XM7 replaced the rifleman's M4A1, the XM250 was conceived to retire the M249 SAW that had served U.S. squads since the 1980s. Firing the same potent 6.8x51mm hybrid-case round at 80,000 PSI, the XM250 gave automatic riflemen the ability to defeat body armor and reach out past the effective range of legacy 5.56mm support weapons. SIG's engineers tamed the cartridge's violent recoil with a hydraulic recoil-mitigation system that lets the entire barrel-and-bolt group travel rearward against a buffer, a design that drew on the company's machine-gun heritage. Lighter than the belt-fed M249 it replaces yet far more powerful, the XM250 embodies the NGSW program's bet that overmatch in range and lethality is worth the heavier ammunition and the cost of a fundamentally new cartridge.