The United States Marine Corps Rifle Creed reflects the powerful bond between soldiers and their weapon. One part says, “My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless.” Even though it was written in World War II, its significance and relevance continue to be imparted in training to this today.
The U.S. Marine Corps uses a diverse range of firearms in its arsenal for mission execution. From rifles to sidearms to sniper rifles, each weapon contributes to the Marines fighting force’s effectiveness.
To determine the standard-issue guns of the U.S. Marine Corps, 24/7 Wall St. referenced a catalog of Marine firearms from Military Factory. We organized these guns based on their entry into service and provided details such as firearm type, range, caliber, and manufacturer, all sourced from Military Factory.
The majority of the guns listed here are rifles, consistent with the historical connection to this branch of the military, emphasizing the principal that “Every Marine is a rifleman” regardless of their military occupational specialty. Another notable feature of this arsenal is the interchangeable ammunition across many of these guns, especially the 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, which can be used in multiple firearms.
The M4 Carbine is one of the most frequently used rifles in the Marine Corps. As a compact version of the M16A2 rifle, the M4 is a gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire weapon. Its reduced size makes it well-suited for close-quarter battles. Despite its reduced size, the M4 maintains exceptional range and accuracy. The rifle is also highly modular and allows for easy attachment of accessories to adapt to various combat scenarios.
For close-quarter combat situations, the Marines rely on the Benelli M1014. This semi-automatic shotgun is the first gas-operated shotgun made by Benelli. It fires 12-gauge shells renowned for their stopping power at close range. The M1014 has seen consistent combat action throughout the Global War on Terror, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the Marine Corps’ most recently adopted guns is the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. The M27 is based on the Heckler & Koch HK416 platform and is known for its accuracy and modularity. Its utilization of 5.56x45mm NATO rounds, the same as the M4 and M16, provides a uniformity in ammunition across platforms.
The Marines have acted as the primary force in every military conflict since the inception of the United States, according to the USMC Heritage, using handguns, rifles, shotguns, snipers, and more. This list is an overview of the guns used by the U.S. Marine Corps.
Here are the US marines’ standard issue guns:
27. M72 LAW
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Anti-tank rocket launcher
- Year: 1963
- Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
- Caliber: 66mm
- Manufacturer: Talley Industries
26. Heckler & Koch HK MP5
- Type: Submachine gun
- Year: 1966
- Maximum effective range: 660 ft.
- Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
- Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
25. Remington M40
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Year: 1966
- Maximum effective range: 3,280 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Remington Arms
24. Saco Mk 19
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Automatic grenade launcher
- Year: 1967
- Maximum effective range: 4,500 ft.
- Caliber: 40x53mm
- Manufacturer: Saco Defense Industries
23. M21 Sniper Weapon System
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Semi-automatic sniper rifle
- Year: 1969
- Maximum effective range: 2,263 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
22. Mossberg Model 590
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Pump-action shotgun
- Year: 1975
- Maximum effective range: 130 ft.
- Caliber: 12-gauge
- Manufacturer: O.S. Mossberg & Sons
21. Fabrique Nationale M240
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: General purpose machine gun
- Year: 1977
- Maximum effective range: 5,905 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing
20. M202 Flash
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Shoulder-fired incendiary rocket launcher
- Year: 1978
- Maximum effective range: 66 ft.
- Caliber: 66mm
- Manufacturer: State Factories
19. FIM-92 Stinger
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Air defense missile system
- Year: 1981
- Maximum effective range: 15,750 ft.
- Caliber: 70mm
- Manufacturer: General Dynamics / Raytheon
18. Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW / LMG
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light machine gun
- Year: 1984
- Maximum effective range: 2,600 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing
17. Colt M45 MEU (SOC)
- Type: Special forces semi-automatic service pistol
- Year: 1986
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
- Caliber: .45 ACP
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing
16. M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4)
Source: usairforce / Flickr
- Type: Anti-armor rocket launcher
- Year: 1987
- Maximum effective range: 985 ft.
- Caliber: 84mm
- Manufacturer: Alliant TechSystems
15. SIG-Sauer P228
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Semi-automatic pistol
- Year: 1988
- Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
- Caliber: 9x19mm parabellum
- Manufacturer: SIG-Sauer
14. Beretta M9
Source: Tivoly / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
- Year: 1990
- Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
- Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
- Manufacturer: Beretta
13. Colt M16A4
Source: zim286 / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Automatic rifle
- Year: 1990
- Maximum effective range: 1,968 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing
12. M4 Carbine
Source: Bulgac / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Assault carbine
- Year: 1994
- Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing / Remington Arms
11. FGM-148 Javelin
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Anti-tank guided missile launcher
- Year: 1996
- Maximum effective range: 8,202 ft.
- Caliber: 127mm
- Manufacturer: Raytheon / Lockheed Martin
10. Benelli M4 Super 90 (M1014 JSCS)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Semi-automatic combat shotgun
- Year: 1999
- Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
- Caliber: 12-gauge
- Manufacturer: Benelli Armi
9. Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year: 2002
- Maximum effective range: 1,800 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing / Knights Armament Company
8. Fabrique National Mk 48 LWMG
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light weight machine gun
- Year: 2003
- Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
7. M32 MGL
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Six-shot grenade launcher
- Year: 2006
- Maximum effective range: 1,315 ft.
- Caliber: 40x46mm grenade
- Manufacturer: Milkor USA
6. M110 SASS
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year: 2007
- Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Knight’s Armament
5. M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year: 2008
- Maximum effective range: 2,550 ft.
- Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: USMC Armorers
4. Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17)
- Type: Automatic assault rifle
- Year: 2009
- Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
3. M320 GLM
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Grenade launcher
- Year: 2010
- Maximum effective range: 492 ft.
- Caliber: 40x46mm SR
- Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
2. HK M27 IAR
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Designated marksman rifle
- Year: 2011
- Maximum effective range: 1,800 ft.
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
1. Accuracy International Mk 13
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
- Year: 2017
- Maximum effective range: 3,940 ft.
- Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
- Manufacturer: Accuracy International
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