Today’s American combat soldiers are trained to use some of the most advanced mass-produced portable firearms ever developed. These weapons are typically lighter than their predecessors, with more effective range, more accessories, and improved reliability.
To compile a list of the guns used by American soldiers in the U.S. Army, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the weapons in the U.S. Army arsenal. (Also see, this is every rank in the U.S. Army.)
These are common weapons used by armed forces worldwide. Some are also featured in blockbuster video game franchises like Call of Duty, so armchair warriors would recognize guns like the M249 SAW portable belt-fed machine gun or the Mk 19 mounted grenade launcher.
With the exception of the Mk 19, a heavy mounted gun that fires 40mm grenades at up to 60 rounds a minute, these firearms fall into three categories: general purpose combat rifle, sniper rifle, and belt-fed machine gun. (Some of these guns are used by the Army’s special forces. Here are 17 of America’s most elite special forces.)
Many of these weapons, including the M4 (the successor to the popularly known M16), use NATO cartridges, allowing for streamlined production and distribution of ammunition among Western allies.
These common weapons of the U.S. Army are constantly improved and updated. For example, the Model Precision Sniper Rifle, or Mk 22, will soon replace the M107 sniper rifle and the M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle. The U.S. Army says the Mk 22 provides soldiers the ability to configure the gun to shoot different calibers of ammunition in the field.
Here are the guns America gives to its soldiers
1. M4/M4A1 Carbine
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2. M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW)
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
3. M24 Sniper Weapon System
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. M240L 7.62 Medium Machine Gun
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
5. M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle (LRSR)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. M2A1 .50 Caliber Machine Gun
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. M240B/L/H 7.62Mm Medium Machine Gun
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
8. M110 7.62Mm Semi-Automatic Sniper System
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr / Public Domain
9. Mk19 Grenade Machine Gun
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
10. M14 7.62Mm Enhanced Battle Rifle
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
11. XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle
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