SIG Sauer MG 338

The SIG Sauer MG 338 is a medium machine gun manufactured by the SIG Sauer company.

SIG Sauer MG 338
The SIG MG 338 Machine gun chambered in .338 Norma Magnum
TypeMachine gun
Place of originUnited States
Production history
ManufacturerSIG Sauer
Specifications
Mass21.4 pounds (9.7 kg)
Length50 in (1,300 mm)
Barrel length24 in (610 mm)
Cartridge.338 Norma Magnum
Barrels1
ActionShort Recoil Impulse Averaging
Rate of fire600 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity2,650 ft/s (810 m/s)
Effective firing range1,860 yards (1,700 meters)
Maximum firing range6,170 yards (5,640 meters)
Feed system50 or 100-round belt

Description

The SIG MG 338 is primarily chambered in .338 Norma Magnum and has an effective range of approximately 1,700 meters, approximately twice the effective range of 7.62x51mm. And at 1,000 meters, it is still capable of penetrating Level III armor.[1] The MG 338 can be switched to fire 7.62x51mm by changing out the barrel, bolt, feed tray, and cover.[2] It weighs approximately 10 kilograms (22 lb) which is significantly less than the preceding M240. The MG 338 uses a short stroke gas piston operating system and is select fire being capable of both automatic and semi-automatic fire.[3]

The MG 338 is fully ambidextrous and is capable of being fed and charged from the right or left side which can make mounting the machine gun to various vehicles easier.[4] It can also be loaded from the closed or open bolt position.[2][5] Standard configuration utilizes an AR style handgrip and folding buttstock.[2] The weapon system also includes a suppressor made by SIG Sauer and has gas settings for firing suppressed or unsuppressed.[6] Optics are mounted to the frame of the weapon which avoids issues with mounting optics to the feed tray of the weapon.[3] A separate acquisition program for a fire control system was underway as of 2021.[7] Recoil is managed via a proprietary system which allows the barrel to shift backward, reportedly reducing the felt recoil to slightly more than an M4.[8]

History

In 2017 United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) issued a solicitation for a .338 Norma Magnum machine gun.[9] This was in response to the need for overmatch when examining the capabilities of the 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm rounds compared to 7.62x54mmR.[10] The MG 338 was planned to have a similar weight to the M240 but, with the .338 Norma Mag, deliver terminal effects on targets similar to that of the .50 BMG.[11][12] Programs for acquisition of .338 Norma Mag ammunition began in 2018.[13][14] Acquisition of the weapon system began in 2019.[15] The MG 338 was first unveiled at AUSA 2018.[16]

Development of the MG 338 also led to the NGSW XM250 design, chambered in 6.8×51mm, which was an offshoot of the MG 338. At one point, the MG 338 was referred to as the SL MAG.[2][17]

The MG 338 passed its US military safety evaluations in 2020.[18][9] The US Army began to look at adopting the weapon alongside SOCOM but ultimately adopted the Next Generation Squad Weapon.[19][20] The MG 338 was also evaluated by the Marine Corps' MARSOC.[21][22]

Users

See also

References
  1. Suciu, Peter (16 April 2021). "The SIG Sauer MG 338 is the Machine Gun the Army Drools Over". The National Interest. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. "SIG Range Day 19 – SL MAG, SIG's New 338 Machine Gun". Soldier Systems Daily. 20 January 2019. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  3. Cox, Matthew. "Here's the New Light Machine Gun SOCOM Is Evaluating". Military.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  4. Trevithick, Joseph (15 January 2020). "Special Operators Are Eying This Machine Gun To Solve A Number Of Problems". The War Zone. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  5. Iain Harrison, Jason St. John (5 February 2020). SHOT Show: SIG Sauer Range Day! The SL Mag 338 (Motion Picture). Las Vegas, Nevada: RecoilTV. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022 – via YouTube.
  6. Moss, Matthew (12 September 2019). "TFB First Look: SIG Sauer's Next Generation Squad Weapons". The Firearm Blog. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  7. "USSOCOM Small Arms Update". Soldier Systems Daily. 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  8. Larson, Caleb (28 August 2021). "Sig Sauer's MG 338 Heavy Machine Gun Take the U.S. Military By Storm?". The National Interest. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  9. Eger, Chris. "USSOCOM TAKES DELIVERY OF NEW SIG SAUER MG 338 MACHINE GUN". Guns.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  10. Schatz, Jim (27 April 2016). "A Path to Overmatch Next Generation Individual Weapon System" (PDF). NDIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  11. Cervantes, Marcos (2020). "Expanding the Competitive Space" (PDF). NDIA. SOFIC 2020: SOCOM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  12. Lancaster, John M. ("Tosh") (2021). "Ammo & Weapons" (PDF). NDIA. SOFIC 2021: Special Operations Forces Aqcuisition, Technology, & Logistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  13. Owens, Mark (2018). "Ammo & Weapons" (PDF). NDIA. SOFIC 2018: SOCOM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  14. "USSOCOM Small Arms Update". Soldier Systems Daily. 14 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  15. Cervantes, Marcos (2019). "Delivering Dominance" (PDF). NDIA. SOFIC 2019: SOCOM. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  16. "AUSA 18 – SIG SAUER Unveils Belt-Fed Machine Gun, Carbine and Hybrid Ammunition – Next Generation Squad Weapon Candidates". Soldier Systems Daily. 8 October 2018. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  17. "1005-01-685-5209". Part Target. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  18. "USSOCOM Completes Safety Certification and Purchase of SIG SAUER MG 338 Machine Guns, Ammunition, and Next Generation Suppressors". SIG Sauer. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  19. Keller, Jared (7 November 2020). "The Army is on the hunt for a brand new machine gun to replace the M240". Task & Purpose. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  20. Beynon, Steve (2022-04-19). "Army Picks Its Replacement for the M4 and SAW". Military.com. Archived from the original on 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  21. "MARSOC To Conduct Combat Evaluation of SIG Lightweight Machine Gun in 338 Norma Mag". Soldier Systems Daily. 5 June 2020. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  22. South, Todd; Lowe, Christian (16 January 2020). "MARSOC to evaluate machine gun that could replace both the M240 and .50 caliber 'Ma Deuce'". Army Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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