Tag Archives: M27

Marines Show off Shorty HK416s, M18s in Underway Small Arms Drills

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Marines getting in some live-fire training, while embarked on a Navy amphibious warfare ship, were recently spotted with some interesting new gear. 

The Marines, part of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)’s Maritime Special Purpose Force, are currently deployed aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5). An elite unit within an elite unit, the MSPF typically includes a SEAL Strike Platoon, a Force Recon Direct Action Platoon, and a platoon from the MEU(SOC)’s boat company, among others. That would explain the extensive use of M27s— itself a version of the well-liked Heckler & Koch HK 416 rifle– modified with HK’s Reconnaissance Weapon Kit. 

The recent photos of the 26th MEU(SOC)’s MSPF show Recon-kitted M27s complete with EoTech holographic sights and PEQ-16 flashlight/laser aiming devices. (Photo: Cpl. Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)

First spotted in use in 2021, the kit includes a 416A5 upper with an adjustable gas system and 11-inch barrel, allowing for a more compact and suppressor-friendly close-quarters weapon rather than the 16-inch barrel on the standard M27. 

For longer-range work, they have been seen with EoTech magnifiers as well. (Photo: Cpl. Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)

The SIG Sauer M18, recently adopted as standard across the Marine Corps, is also present on each of the MSPF members, complete with Surefire X300 lights, and lanyards.

(Photo: Cpl. Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)

(Photo: Cpl. Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)

(Photo: Cpl. Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)

As I previously reported, the Marines sought 35,000 of the smaller SIG Modular Handgun System variants to replace Beretta M9 pistols, Colt M45A1 CQB .45ACP railguns, and the M007 Glock.

The 26th MEU(SOC), embarked with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, has been deployed in European waters conducting exercises with NATO allies in the Mediterranean, but this week arrived in the Middle East to support deterrence efforts in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been harassing oil tankers as of late

The typical Devil Squad is changing, due to the M27

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U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment fire the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle during a live-fire weapons exercise at range F-18 on Camp Lejeune, N.C., Dec. 8, 2017

The building block of every infantry platoon in the Marines is the squad, currently a 13-strong unit. Under the new format, it will shrink by one to 12 and constrict the size of each fire team from four to three members, but the number of M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle systems will swell as every member will carry one, effectively tripling the current volume of fire available to the unit, according to officials. Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller said the development will make the squad “more lethal, agile and capable.”

While the unit has given up their M249 Squad Automatic Weapons — the U.S. version of the FN Minimi — the M27 has taken the place of that belt-fed weapon and will by 2020 phase out the M4 rifles in the squad, upping the number of the modified select-fire variant of the HK416 5.56mm gas piston rifle per squad from three to 12.

And that’s just the start of the changes.

The rest in my column at Guns.com

IARs are looking better and better

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CW5 Wade, 2MarDiv’s Gunner, released another interesting video last week, this one on controllability of the M27 IAR on full-auto vs “aggressive semi-auto fire” — an argument the Marines have made since Guadalcanal.

While the video is interesting (here) the IAR they use is a really great set-up.

They are using Trijicon’s versatile VCOG Combat Sight, a 1-6x24mm scope built for CQB, long range and everything in between that has proven to be very popular, especially when compared to the M27s standard optic (the SU-258/PVQ 3.5x35mm Squad automatic-weapon Day Optic)– though both use a Larue Tactical base and an RMR backup on the top of the scope for reflex shooting. The suppressor and flip up sights are KAC. On the right-hand side, just out of sight, is an EOTech AN/PEQ-16B MIPIM LED IR illuminator. Add folding bipod, Blue Force Tactical sling, weapon mounted light (if anyone knows which model this is, drop it below) and a 30 round mag and the 9~ pound IAR jumps to more like 12 with a 30-rounder PMAG. Still, that’s better than a stock M249 and a heck of a lot more accurate and maneuverable.