SIG Sauer MG 338

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

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, while at 1,000 meters, it is still capable of penetrating Level III armor. The MG 338 can be switched to fire 7.62×51mm by changing out the barrel, bolt, feed tray, and cover. It weighs approximately 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.

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. It can also be loaded from the closed or open bolt position. Standard configuration uses an AR style handgrip and folding buttstock. The weapon system also includes an NGS (Next Generation Suppressor) suppressor made by SIG Sauer and has gas settings for firing suppressed or unsuppressed. Optics are mounted to the frame of the weapon which avoids issues with mounting optics to the feed tray of the weapon. A separate acquisition program for a fire control system was underway as of 2021. 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.

History
In 2017 United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) issued a solicitation for a .338 Norma Magnum machine gun. This was in response to the need for overmatch when examining the capabilities of the 5.56×45mm and 7.62×51mm rounds compared to 7.62×54mmR. 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. Programs for acquisition of .338 Norma Mag ammunition began in 2018. Acquisition of the weapon system began in 2019. The MG 338 was first unveiled at AUSA 2018.

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.

The MG 338 passed its US military safety evaluations in 2020. The US Army also looked at adopting the weapon alongside SOCOM, and it was also evaluated by the Marine Corps' MARSOC.

Users

 * United States Special Operations Command