Royal Marine Reacts To The US Army’s new Service Rifle - The SIG SPEAR / NGSW XM5

[@vampiro4236]

Oh boy.... He's found Flannel Daddy. Down the rabbit hole you go 😆

[@Vanayr]

Dear god. Let’s try not to let him read the comment section… lol

[@revolcane]

Wait till he finds AK Guy

[@maxmoller]

​@@revolcaneShould we introduce him to the AK 50? 😁

[@revolcane]

@@maxmoller We must!

[@ENCAGED79]

@@maxmollerYes please

[@3man659]

Fun fact, Garand Thumb recently did a video on the short barrel version of the MCX Spear. They also did a video on the MG338 (new medium machine gun that will replace the M240/ GPMG, also made by SIG). Great channel with tons of detailed, in-depth content on their channel

[@pfury67]

The shortened Spear looks awesome too. These will go through their rounds of improvements like every other thing the military adopts.

[@Messywildcat78]

I was just about to mention that video but caught your comment.

[@3man659]

@@Messywildcat78 watched it the other day. Very interesting comparison between it and the current URGI

[@BullsMahunny]

@@pfury67 The short Spear is obscene. It fires a 6.8 with rifle level velocities out of a short ass barrel at that insane rate of fire that it does. What I honestly think happened is SIG saw what was happening in Ukraine and was like "alright, BET" and created this absolute shredder for close combat.

[@ducklinguini6029]

He also covered the army’s new optic (xm-157)

[@seanmnew]

Over nearly 20 years in the Infantry and multiple deployments to the middle east, I've always kept electrical tape on my kit in order to secure loose ties/strings/flaps, etc. Its black, sticky as hell, and isn't reflective. Stops misc things from hanging, and can prevent sound of things banging together. One of the most useful tools!

[@jonadabtheunsightly]

Another advantage of electrical tape is, the roll is quite compact, especially compared to some would-be alternatives that tick the other boxes (e.g., gaffer tape and cloth book-binding tape, both of which have a roll size comparable to duct tape).

[@dmwalker24]

A brilliant bit of advice for those who might focus a lot on the weapon, or other tactical gear, and overlook how useful something like a roll of electrical tape can be.

[@darrinrebagliati5365]

Great bandage too!

[@the_fixer2593]

Garand Thumb is USAF Special Forces (SERE Trainer I believe), and has a lot of experience with firearms and all that fun stuff. He recently did a review of a BR-55 Battle Rifle (one that people remade irl obviously) that I reccomend you check out. My personal favorite is his review of the VSS, where he was working with other guntuber (and inventor of the AK50) Brandon Herrera. Edit: He's a former TACP and SERE-Instructor, both of which fall under ASAF Special Warfare, but are not Special Forces; my mistake.

[@EricTheSwede]

Yeah, he's a former SERE-instructor and TAC-P I believe!

[@prodigypenn]

from what I know he was a TACP, which while part of USAF special warfare, is not special operations

[@raox416]

Ex Marsoc raider

[@lj1687]

@@prodigypennI thought USAF SW was apart of JSOC

[@prodigypenn]

@lj1687 no, 24 special tactics squadron is the tier 1 JSOC element, which includes PJs and CCTs, those are also the tier 2 units that USAF has for SOCOM.

[@twohorsesinamancostume7606]

U.S. Marine here. We were doing CQB in Fallujah with the M16A4 and there's a really simple way to deal with being a bit slower with a longer rifle. Frag grenades to prep literally any room you're about to enter.

[@BigDaddyGAO]

The army is always preparing for the last war. Afghanistan shortfalls dictate this weapons platform. Since the level of training for us troops is much better than most likely adversaries, the Army is betting that American soldiers will be able to outshoot the enemy troops with less volume of higher accuracy shots. Lastly, the latest buzz word is “near-peer adversary” which really means Russia or China. Army wants a round that will overmatch body armor as well as give any advantage against night vision equipped enemy.

[@G1NZOU]

Even so, a longer rifle is trickier to stow when in a vehicle, when the SA80 was designed the British Army was thinking to the future and thinking there'd be more mechanised infantry, so the bullpup makes sense in that context. Big disadvantage to the L85 though is it''s trickier to trasition between shoulders because of the ejection port, which hampers building clearing and checking corners slightly.

[@G1NZOU]

@@BigDaddyGAO I can understand it though, the US Army has traditionally placed a lot of emphasis on accuracy and being a competent rifleman, pure volume does work against untrained hostile forces but the more experienced your enemy the less likely they're going to be effected by suppressive fire unless it lands close to them. That's one reason why the British Army have withdrawn their L110 (FN Minimi), in favour of the L7 (FN Mag) which they brought back into service, and relying on more of the marksman rifles, they're relying on training and accurate fire that has worked well for many many wars, while still recognising that intermediate calibre is superior in most cases for normal combat range. I am concerned about the reduction in rounds in a normal combat load, and the US Army's decision is controversial in terms of NATO STANAG compatability where the US has historically changed the status quo on their own whim rather than cooperate in good faith to standardise, but the concept of effective range and disciplined fire isn't just confined to preparing for the last war.

[@twohorsesinamancostume7606]

I'm very aware of the advantages of shorter barrel rifles guys. My comment was more meant as a "haha grenades" more than anything else. Good points from both of you though.

[@callmetatersalad132]

His mud and ice tests for guns are pretty neat aswell, he does have alot of knowledge for sure.

[@LiteralCrimeRave]

Neat, not a good representation of realistic conditions, but definitely a cool torture test.

[@bornonthebattlefront4883]

@@LiteralCrimeRave yeah, no one would do what they did But that’s the point of a torture test How far can some of these guns go? Was it scientific? Not really But it was fun!

[@redmist6630]

nice pfp

[@SuburbanBand1t]

23:00 Yeah, its called "M-LOK" a lot of rifles have it or theres after market handguards with it. It is worth noting that picatinny rail is still prominent and that both mounting options are for as well as I can remember, equally popular. The advantages with M-LOK stem from being truly free float, meaning your attachments or the handguard itself won't be affected by the recoil or heat of the firearm because the handguard does not touch any part of the barrel. The other is the substantial reduction in weight with only the top having picatinny rails, but more importantly it allows the weapon system to cool down and dissipate heat due to all the holes allowing much more airflow. Also, there are picatinny plates of varying lengths that you can mount to the left, right, and bottom which means you can still use flashlights, laser aiming modules, grips, and other accessories that originally wouldn't have been able to have been compatible due to them having the option to mount only to picatinny. Hope that info is helpful. One final note, rather suprised you hadn't heard of Garand Thumb before this video, he's a rather well known firearms content creator with really damn good videos. If you are fine with taking recommendations, he does have a video where he discusses the tactics and gear pertaining to the war in Ukraine with two men that are currently serving in Ukraine as foreign fighters, one of them being a UK military veteran like yourself if you find that at all intriguing.

[@dridex223]

mlok is so shitty imo, i much prefer rails way more durable.

[@SuburbanBand1t]

@@dridex223 To each thier own, I do also personally prefer quad rail handguards myself, though thats probably due to the bias of how my own rifles are setup as well as liking the aesthetic that the M4A1 Block II FSP has.

[@armynurseboy]

M-LOK also doesn't turn your rifle foregrip into a cheese grater.....

[@GrumpyGenXGramps]

I hate quads. Hated mine in the military and have never owned one in civilian life since the advent of Keymod and better yet, M-Lok. Weight, comfort and speed of changing an accessory are all advantages.

[@G1NZOU]

@@dridex223 I'm sure it's durable enough, US Navy testing for USSOCOM found it beat out KeyMod in drop and failure load testing, they clearly made a compromise over having more versatility in attachment and better cooling and free float, while also saving weight while keeping a durable barrel. They may have to replace one or two damaged ones over time but overall it contributes to a pretty decent weapon system. The British decided to go with KeyMod for their L85A3 upgrade, but with their new KS-1 rifle for the Royal Marines and Rangers they elected to go for M-LOK.

[@thornydig]

GT is a wealth of knowledge packed into a silly, but serious package. I consider him to be one of the best firearms reviewer on the Internet. It also helps that he's a fellow propeller head..... ' chairforce ' to you crayon eaters and bulet stoppers out there. * I forgot the squids, but who doesn't.

[@MichaelScheele]

USAF Tactical Air Control Party, so he would be attached to ground forces (conventional and special operations) to coordinate air support. He is retired and appears to be living in somewhere in Washington state.

[@MrPandaCommando]

the army realized with Afghanistan that the move to super short barrels put troops at a significant disadvantage at the distances they found themselves being engaged at. Iraq was almost non-stop CQB, but Afghanistan turned into long range, mountain-to-mountain, slugfests where the Americans could not effectively engage because their M4's were outranged by PKM's and other weapons used by the insurgents. CQB doctrine did dictate the max length of the rifle submissions to the NGSW program, but the biggest concern was a cartridge that would not only match, but OUTmatch the range of any near-peer small arms. The NGSW wasn't just the rifle, but the optic system to go on that rifle, which is an LPVO that will find the range of a target and highlight in your scope where your point of aim needs to be for that target with only a push of a button. Even with that 13 inch barrel, one could get accurate fire out to 800m+ with the combination of cartridge and optic. Total weight and reduced ammo capacity is definitely a valid concern. If Ukraine is any indication, I don't think room clearing is going to be a big thing in future conflicts outside of dealing with insurgencies. "Room clearing" will likely just become chucking a frag in the room or leveling the building with a tank.

[@VoFALT]

If Ukraine is any indication, volume of fire and logistics are still king, which puts the Sig Spear at a significant disadvantage. i would extend the barrel and restrict this rifle to a DMR role.

[@captin3149]

Imagine a return to a selection of battle rifles and submachine guns, depending on the weapons that a particular mission/environment calls for.

[@user-bl2vv1wh6t]

So room clearing is just how gramps did it in ww2? Let’s go

[@MrPandaCommando]

@captin3149 the M4 will be remaining in a similar role that the M1 carbine had in WW2 and Korea, so you're not wrong lol

[@mecampbell30]

@@VoFALT I would not use Ukraine as any kind of example of how the US would go to war against a well-resourced foe. Ukraine is far too reliant on artillery and has very poor tactical level recon. The USMC has already given up on volume/inaccurate fire (no more machine guns) for suppression. The thinking now is that fewer, more accurate shots have the same suppressive effect. My guess is that the US will lean on better battlespace awareness to gain a tactical advantage (engage at longer distances with computer assisted aiming). The military is also hoping that COIN is a thing of the past.

[@TCK-9]

Garand named after the old M1 Garand Rifle used by the U.S. There is a lot of snark and comedy in his videos as well. Some of the random equipment he wears at various times could be humor. I believe he now does most of his work in U.S./Idaho.

[@bornonthebattlefront4883]

The dude wears a bloody white doctors coat in 20% of his videos His clothing is always for the Larp 😂😂

[@austinhunt972]

This video was when he was still in Washington, but he has recently moved to Idaho

[@One_foot_in_the_Grave]

Don't know if anyone else mentioned it, if so i apologize. His name, " Garand thumb " comes from the M1 garand battle rifle, and when loading the rifle its Extremely common to "catch" and hurt your thumb in the breach from the bolt.

[@BoosterStevens000]

I was literally going to make this same comment to him since he didn’t seem to know what it was or where the name came from.

[@Leonarco333]

M-lok is the industry standard in the US. It’s more modular and a lot lighter than quad or even dual rail picatiny. You can mount a short rail wherever you want or you can mount accessories directly to the mlok slots for a more compact and lighter package.

[@G1NZOU]

It's starting to become the standard here in the UK too, both the new rifle for the Royal Marines and Ranger Regiment, and the new marksman rifle for the Royal Marines, feature M-LOK, while the A3 variant of the regular L85 service rifle features KeyMod on the foregrip that replaces the older Daniel Defense RIS handguard that the A2 variant recieved in the 2000's, it seems more likely that the eventual wider replacement will use M-LOK.

[@armadillolover99]

@@G1NZOU Ew, keymod. I don’t see why anyone would feel the need to use a mounting system made for warehouse shelving units.

[@andrewbailey6777]

Grand thumb also did a video on the new optic that will be issued with this rifle called the xm-157 by vortex. You should definitely check that out, It's really impressive.

[@McNubbys]

"It's basically Hogwarts"-Some fat guy lol🤣

[@DjJ0SHWA]

Its also important to remember that CQB doesn't necessarily = room to room only clearing. I forgot who I heard this from, but the average firefight distance in the city of Mariupol Ukraine was apparently around 300meters. The army isn't SOF, their rifles need longer range capability.

[@maeckknox6535]

him using a round to adjust the gas system its designed to do that. alot of guns have parts that are meant to be adjusted with a round such as the early m16 having to use a round to zero your rifle.

[@teknonstrikegaming8620]

M-Lock is just a way to mount small sections of picatinny rail or direct mount something meant for M-lock only where you need it on the weapon to reduce weight. You don't have to have the rail everywhere, you just mount a piece of it just big enough for what you need where you need it.

[@captin3149]

This, M-Lok is the current fave of many people, with Picatinny on the way out and Keymod somewhere in between. M-Lok in my opinion is probably the best weight-vs-utility compromise of the three.

[@troopdog23]

M-Lok

[@DjJ0SHWA]

He did a very good video on the British service rifle too. May be interesting for you to get your input on it haha edit: LOL just got to the part where you noticed the SA80 video from him. Yea we'd love to see you react to that

[@DjJ0SHWA]

The SA80 that is

[@Lithenius]

Would love to see him react to that one.

[@EricTheSwede]

Seconded, would be a fun react!

[@iamjames8200]

Not sure about “very good” he didn’t know where the bolt release was and couldn’t zero the optic. Pretty poor video for his standards.

[@CharlieFoxtrot128]

@@iamjames8200he didn’t have the optic zeroing tool and it’s not like it’s a gun he could have weeks to run thousands and thousands of rounds on so you can’t blame him too much

[@BradenKoi]

The mounting system is called M-LOK and it is the standard at this point. It’s fantastic

[@G1NZOU]

Yeah the Royal Marines are adopting new rifles that feature it, both the Knight's Stoner rifle which is being designated the L403A1, and the new L129A2 in 6.5mm Creedmoor.

[@BoricuaDBO]

That tape is very useful. From tying down flapping straps to making candy canes. VERY useful, many uses

[@stephanarizona9094]

1) Pronouced: Gaa-rand Thumb, he is a Air Force Veteran (Mike Jones) 2) Weapon was renamed from X5 to the X7. 3) "Spear" is the civilian variant and offered in several calibers. 4) The military variant is specific to the .277 Fury. 5) Chest device is a phone holder for an ITAK Device. 6) He usually films in Idaho but does film at other locations depending on a few factors. 7) He is gear is what the average American who is tactically prepared owns.

[@CharlieFoxtrot128]

XM5 and XM7, not just X7. If it’s fully adopted it will be shortened to just M7. Spear isn’t the civilian variant, it’s the rifle itself. XM7 is just the military designation for the spear. SIG offers the spear in .308, 6.5, and 6.8 under their military catalog. As of now the semi auto only spear is only in .308

[@travelingspartan2035]

ATAK, not ITAK. Stands for Android Team Awareness Kit for the civilian version.

[@C0LL0SSUS]

I have an M400 DH3 kitted out and was looking at the spear for next purchase. Just not sure on what caliber I'm going with.

[@CharlieFoxtrot128]

@@C0LL0SSUS the spear or the spear LT? The normal spear is only in .308 right now.

[@jreyman]

That's why the hole is there in the gas system key, to use an ammo round as a lever.

[@Xenocide13]

If you want to feel out of date on military stuff, you should check out his video on the Vortex optic that the Spear is going to be equipped with. It has laser range finding which automatically adjusts the display for bullet drop, so you can just put the dot on something and shoot regardless of range...

[@jaydubs6354]

Hello, mlok (the handguard integrated accessory mourning system) has been adopted since like 2014. It’s lighter and just as strong as pic rail. As for using a round to adjust the gas system that’s actually exactly how it should be switched over when carbon locked. That’s why they machine a cutout in the gas key meant to stick the round in and push the switch over to suppressed/unsuppressed setting

[@hawkstable8889]

19:49 Using rounds as tools is actually a common design feature on a number of military firearms. This is because you may not always have tools but you'll generally always have ammunition in the field. Unless you don't in which case weapon maintenance is the least of your concerns. The Soviet DShK heavy machine gun was actually designed to use a round as the charging handle which is an interesting design choice.

[@johnpaulsanchez3517]

I’ve always wanted to watch another country’s servicemen/servicewomen’s opinions and reactions on our military’s weapons systems. Glad I found this channel

[@FinalRepublic]

The funny thing is we developed the new round mainly to counter the new Russian Ratnik body armor. Which turns out isn't all it was made out to be. Also range. Drone are also going to change a lot of things, especially with AI advancing. CQB soon may be left to robo dogs.

[@larryleqend]

To reference Flannel Daddy is an Air Force Veteran he served in SERE and as a Tactical Air Control Party. TACP’s are not special operators but they can and have brushed shoulders or assisted special operations units when trained through a special pipeline and usually when there is a lack of Combat Controllers. TACP’s are usually assigned to conventional combat units. But dude isn’t a Larper he knows what he’s talking about.

[@troyeberly2999]

GT's moniker comes from... Garand thumb is a minor injury that occurs when the bolt of an M1 Garand rifle slams shut on the operator's thumb while reloading. The operator uses their thumb and pinky to reload the rifle in a top-down, angled fashion, and their thumb can get caught in the bolt, causing bruising.

[@DeadBeatDex]

Anyone else notice how when he searched for the L129 it took him to the Squad wiki and it looked like a legitimate dedicated firearms wiki page?

[@jakemontell.7415]

Some info for ya luke. Mike Jones...aka Garand thumb... Served a few years in the air force as a survival evasion resistance escape instructor. After that he joined the TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY and got to roll with multiple spec ops groups. Hes been on youtube for a while, knows guns. Damn good channel. Enjoy the funny videos too.

[@zynthio]

If i remember correctly the shorter version it's likely going to be what the special forces will be adopting over this because of some of the size reasons you were talking about. I would be interested to see you react to that video as well. At 23:00 I've seen m-lok on the hand guards basically become the standard for a bit. They are a fair bit lighter than the older rail system handguards, because it's essentially the same cage of the picatinny hand-guards you're familiar with but without the weight of having the rails permanently fixed to it. So you cut down on weight. More openings for heat dispersion. And it actually makes it a little bit more customizable because you just mount whatever attachments you're using directly to the guard in the spots you want or can mount rails only where you need them, and usually you can also mount things on the 45 degree on the handguard instead of only top/bottom/sides.

[@troopdog23]

I’m so glad you did a garandthumb video. You two are the two I watch the most on KZbin this is great.

[@muziqfreek]

" Garand Thumb" is the slang originally given to the injury often sustained when reloading the clip fed M1 Garand, when the bolt would slam forward into your thumb as you feed the clip into the rifle

[@joshshimmons340]

As far as the length goes for cqb, a lot of marines with 20in m16’s cleared rooms very successfully in the Middle East

[@AfricanFurry]

Fuck yeah! Definitely watch his video on the L85A,1 it is golden.

[@OriginalHuman]

It will be live tomorrow :) just finished recording it.

[@AfricanFurry]

​@@OriginalHuman Hell yeah, man! I've been a follower for about five years, so I'm really glad you're getting into this stuff. It's really interesting to see veterans' perspectives on this. P.S. Greetings from South Africa!

[@Zael_Moonblade]

The idea behind the competition that led to the adoption of the Sig Spear was that combat ranges are going to be at 600+ yards and the common grunt needs to be accurate at 800 yard at minimum qualifications...

[@hvymax]

With a major caliber like this you clear the room from the outside.

[@hanskurtskies]

I definitely suggest watching his mud and ice tests for his guns, top notch videos

[@bensondiabeatech470]

Grand thumb has been my surrogate father for ten years. Great channel really informative channel, makes me wish i could afford to move to U.S.A.

[@CertifiedSunset]

Picatinny rails are still used and are generally considered a little more robust strength wise, but for most people, they hardly use all the rail space, so there was a "competition between two mounting solutions called keymod and M-LOK. M-LOK came out the winner for having an overall better design strength wise. M-LOK rails come standard on many modern AR-15s now and they are considered the new standard since they are super light weight and you can add whatever picatinny rail sections you like. It's slimmer, lighter, and more minimalistic compared to the classic quad rail systems. Edit: The M-LOK rail on this gun specifically is much more CHONK compared to the average AR-15 rail of the same design due to the fact that this is a piston gun and not a DI gas gun, so the rifle's operation is abover the barrel and not so much in the chamber which is good for suppression, durability, and reliability, but comes at the cost of weight.

[@christophersmith2171]

"Garand Thumb" is a term that harkens back to WWII when the M-1 Garand was the most ubiquitous battle rifle of the war amongst the Americans. The rifle had an internal magazine and was fed from stripper clips. When fully depressed into the magazine the action would spring forward catching some soldier's thumbs on the nail creating a blackened nail on the thumb. This was known as Garand Thumb.

[@MrMasada556]

M-lok is the mounting system found on this rifle and it has become a very very common thing. It is not as durable a mount as picatinny but it is lighter weight and more ergonomic while still maintaining what many consider an acceptable level of strength and durability.

[@TrulyUnfortunate]

Love my SIG AR!!!! The thing is flawless!! It never jams and when paired with the EOTech optic and the EOTech magnifier it's a tack driver!!!!

[@justking8153]

Garand Thumb was a member of Air Force Special Warfare as a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) AFSC 1Z3X1, aligned with conventional, Special Operation Forces, and Tier 1 combat maneuver units.

[@rokstar2001]

Since you're a former royal marine you might like Garand thumbs review of the L85A1

[@OriginalHuman]

It will be live tomorrow :) just finished recording it.

[@-scrim]

Garand Thumb is such a king. We need more reactions to him!

[@SukacitaYeremia]

There's also a Navy Seal essay video on the M7 Spear from his experiences and logistic knowledge. I think it's a good 2nd opinion to listen to.

[@hill_skills]

Mr Jones is a very knowledgeable chap. That's why I am subscribed to his channel!

[@orlandocarranza7187]

The fact that he was too busy building himself up and didn't get a chance to enjoy is pretty common nowadays. I'm glad that he is doing good. I wish him the best.

[@blakenelson5590]

On your comment about length of the gun. Keep in mind US soldiers used 20 inch barreled rifles in fallujah

[@WQuantrill]

This rifle strikes me as a knee jerk response to the 5.56 not being long distance enough for the mountains of Afghanistan

[@rednecksniper4715]

The rail is Mlok yes it is pretty much the industry standard it’s been well tested very strong. There are quick detach accessories for them but you can also mount picatinny sections on it. It keeps the weight down compared to a full quad rail but is still fully customizable

[@WMW-82]

You didn't need no gun, your a Royal...you are the weapon! 👍🏼🇬🇧 this rifle doubles up as a bat when clearing rooms

[@NET-POSITIVE]

CONGRATULATIONS 🎉🎉ON YOUR CITIZENSHIP!!!

[@DarkbaseTTV]

There is a shorty Spear, he's recently done a video on that as well. The round still has so much ass behind it out of the short barrel because of the insane pressure. Looks great, you should check it out

[@IAmSomeoneNamedMatt]

M-Lok mounting is very common now. It is super simple to implement and quick detach mounted hardware. easy to convert one to an picatinny rail if need be as well.

[@Native_Beats_]

I think most of us are going to love you reacting to these kind of videos on KZbin. There is another channel similar to Garand Thumb. My personal favorite Brandon Herrera, who's recently made the final version of The AK-50. An 8 year project to design an AK variant that fires .50 BMG. I won't tell you right now if it works though.

[@watchthe1369]

Picca tinny always was for sights, The M-Lock is more of an accessory mount and is common on the regular market in the USA.

[@zerinpetersen3519]

He will give you hours of great entertainment.

[@pipemartz]

The mounting system he is using is called MLok and it is fantastic. Mlok is super common in the US.

[@sawyerbeast6689]

He is a veteran and knows a lot about this stuff he’s a great watch

[@HY-mv4eq]

You forget the stock can fold for cqb

[@stephengartland2773]

My dad was a special operator in '67-'69 in Vietnam. He was actually part of a separate unit that his commanding officers didn't even know about. He'd just get pulled. I trust his knowledge on guns, but, unfortunately, I lost him in 2008. He swore by his m-16. He tried to have it shipped home in parts. U.S. Customs wasn't having it. He also loved the AK for its simplicity and ability to fire after being through water, dirt, mud, etc. The early M-16s (ARs) got a bad rap because they were new and would jam. What the Infantry figured out for themselves was that traditional gun oil is too thick. That's what created the jams. Any chance they got, they'd find a diesel vehicle, put a dipstick in there, run it down the barrel, and they were good. ARs are built tight, are lighter and more accurate at longer distance than the AK, but the AK will fire under ANY condition. Seeing as this new rifle is kind of a crossbreed, I agree with you- heavier ammo and longer barrel only works if we don't know the plan it was designed for. Great reaction ❤

[@jreyman]

The L129 is very similar, as it is made by LMT (Iowa, USA), and uses a DPMS style receiver (AR/M4), as does the SIG MCX Spear. This is pretty much the modern standard used in rifles today, even HK (whom normally makes things proprietary) has adopted a very DPMS based configuration, with it's HK-416/MR556A1/MR762A1 based rifles.

[@agent00carmel90]

He has some cool vids on bullet sound when you're getting shot at and some vids on Evasion and movement that's pretty cool as well

[@Jason-dg3fj]

Garand thumb is an injury you get if your not fast enough to pull your thumb back after reloading the clip on a M1 Garand. That's how he named his channel.

[@Suprentus]

I served in the US Marines, and we trained in and cleared rooms with full length M16A4s. It wasn't ideal, but the US Marines prize marksmanship more than anything. I don't know if they still use M16s anymore though. Here's what I think about the length. I think the SIG Spear was designed to be as short as possible while still having: 1. a round more powerful and longer ranged than 5.56, 2. being suppressed, and 3. not being a bullpup. 1. The round was designed to throw a heavy bullet at high speeds. If you think about it, you're getting about the same velocity as a 5.56 fired from a full-size rifle, but with a much heavier round. It ends up having more punch as well as being more stable over longer distances. And then also consider that this is being accomplished from a short barrel (13 inches vs 20 inches). 2. The military wants less hearing damage, both to be able to communicate better in combat, and to have fewer cases of hearing loss in veterans afterwards. Suppressors are their best solution to this. Suppressors are also great at flash suppression, which is important in lower-light settings. The tradeoff is that a lot of length (and front-heavy weight) is added by a suppressor. 3. The US military just doesn't like bullpups. They'd consider it a hassle to train soldiers on a new manual of arms. I don't agree with this, but it's whatever. A non-bullpup rifle is also faster and easier to field strip. You can break apart an M16/M4 really quickly to address a malfunction if needed. I personally like bullpups a lot, and think they have really tangible benefits over non-bullpups, but yeah, US doesn't like them. All things considered while fitting those 3 criteria, I think the rifle is as short as it can possibly be. Going any shorter would mean you'd have to sacrifice capability, suppressor benefits, or bullpup-ing it. I believe as it is, it's still perfectly usable in room clearing, but they want it to be capable of both room clearing and long ranges.

[@armynurseboy]

Marine infantry use the M27 now. Everyone else is now standardized on the M4A1.

[@alby1571]

They make a short and long version of this rifle. and the civillian version is like 4,000$ usd

[@akarminius]

Civilian versions are fkn unicorns and nonexistent lol every gun shop is sold out until I die. Lol

[@davidtuell5558]

A few things to note: First, they also are making a much shorter version of this weapon now that is meant for CQB. It has a 9 inch barrel, which means that alongside the new high pressure rounds you get a hefty punch with a small package. Also, MLOC is very common, especially in the civilian sector, and there’s countless different attachments, as well as bits that allow you to put piccatiny rails over it.

[@OllieStuff1]

Its using MLOK rails as the mounting system and yes it is very common now.

[@RiezanC]

Garand Thumb is retired airforce TACP. Also picatinny is mostly obsolete. The cut outs you see on the handguard are for M-Lok which is the standard now. It's extremely modular, and greatly reduces the weight of the firearm. If you look up the Mk18 Mod 3, or M4 Block 3, you'll see they both utilize M-Lok. Many firearms in the civilian market, and other militaries are also adopting it.

[@CharlieFoxtrot128]

Special warfare, not special forces. It’s different. However being a TACP is still incredibly impressive. I’m pretty sure the rejection rate is really high for people who wanna become a TACP

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

Fun fact. Grand Thumb just did a video on a shorty 10 inch barrel version of the spear. And my god. the wizardry put into that rifle. 10 inch rifle with a 2700 fps muzzle velocity.

[@CharlieFoxtrot128]

It’s actually a 9 inch. Shorter barrel than a MK18. Shit is wild

[@BloPsy_Actual]

Yes, the MLOK mounting system is basically becoming a standard now. Also in terms of using the round to adjust the gas system, that's how it is meant to be used - especially when it is carbon-locked or hot - almost all adjustable gas systems use this method for leverage.

[@troopdog23]

He was a TACP (tactical air control party) which is Air Force special operations. He gets attached to other special operations teams and calls in air support for them.

[@larryleqend]

TACP’s are not special operators or a special missions unit. Combat controllers are what you’re thinking of as they are legit special operators. TACP’s can and definitely have been attached to tier 2 units to supplement them same thing with Navy EOD for instance. We had TACP’s attached to our battalion and we were conventional which is where 95% percent will do time.

[@troopdog23]

@@larryleqend not even remotely true. AFSOC elements include Combat Controllers (CCT), Pararescuemen (PJ), Special Reconnaissance (SR), and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).

[@larryleqend]

@@troopdog23 TACP’s fall under afsoc but they are not considered a SOF unit and it’s uncommon for them to work with SOF. Similar to how navy EOD are not operators but can and support navy special warfare. I’m not tryna argue with you just a fact firsthand most TACP’s are in conventional units I deployed with a few when I was in the GWOT lol. Some can get extra training through selection to qualify and supplement tier 2 elements like rangers and SF but that’s if there’s a lack of Combat Controllers and those will be senior guys with time and extra training. To my knowledge he has no deployments under his belt…

[@ApeShat]

avg price, 3400-3800 USD for a .308 version, they do have a 5.56 version as well for around 2400-2700 USD

[@ihorbychkov8742]

I'd recommend to watch his video on XM157 , the optic that would be supplied with this rifle . Kinda mindblowing

[@GSXR750ization]

Gerand Thumb puts out some very good videos. Your biggest criticism of the new caliber is explained in detail. It's a spicy boy. Logistically yes more stuff. It really seems like it could be less though. United States often provides a lot of logical support and this actually condenses ammunition.

[@bluerex0521]

I would love to see you react to Garand thumb looking at the optic that is going to go with the SIG Spear. Crazy tech.

[@M0nkeybomber]

The mounts are called MLOK. It's just as useful as picinity but you can add and remove picinity pieces without having the weight of an entire rail.

[@M0nkeybomber]

Also... The Ford Fiesta RS was the Subaru killer in the World Rally Championship series. lol I'm a tuner guy but the Fiesta is a beast!

[@BrokenTwiggs]

This is only the first version. Just like many other platforms, there will be CQB veriations soon im sure. Great vid btw, Garand Thunb is great. Happy you liked his content.

[@wittsullivan8130]

The .277 Sig Fury round, the commercial version of 6.8x51 is available in a wide variety of bullet weights, some are as powerful as the combat version of 6.8 and they are insanely powerful, like .300 Magnum levels, even with a 10" barrel available for the Sig Spear. The military practice rounds are less powerful to reduce wear and tear on the rifles during practice. During combat, they'll use the more powerful rounds and have the armorer's replace barrels as needed. The new optic has a ballistic calculator built into it that the operator can pick what kind of round is being used. Suppressors are going to become general issue to the Army and Marines soon, if not already. During Panama (Just Cause), some Marine expert marksmen were able to get kill shots at 450-500 yards with their M-16A2 rifles. The M-16 rifles have a 20" barrel, which 5.56 was designed for, vs the M-4's 14.5" barrel, with which kill shots were uncommon past 250 yards until the new ammo came out.

[@Cryptogram44]

The new mounting system is called MLOK. It’s pretty common now, i think pic rails are better imo and hold better (hence why it’s still used on top for stuff that needs to hold zero more), but you can get a mount closer to the gun with MLOK than pic so makes the overall rifle slimmer.

[@aj897]

19:53 How is that dangerous? The only thing that could happen is the bullet and powder coming out of the casing, it’s likely annealed so that’s not happening.

[@ShootAUT]

Then there's also the fact that the hole on the gas block is that large for exactly that reason - to stick a round in there and use it as a tool to make a stuck gas block move. But you still run at risk of chipping a nail on freshly manicured, super soft sissy hands. Maybe that's what he meant.

[@wittsullivan8130]

That video is two years old, a LOT more information has come out about it and the round since then, even on GarandThumb's channel. Now it's called the XM-7 because they've had to tweak it a bit during testing. Sig has put out an even shorter version on the commercial market with a 10" barrel. Sig has put out a lot of commercial versions of the ammo from a commercial version of the military's lower pressure practice round to long range target/hunting rounds that are more powerful than the military's high pressure loads. The L129A1 Marksman Rifle is a version of the AR-10 made by the American Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT), known for their high quality AR-10's and AR-15's. The AR-15 is a "shrunken down" version of the AR-10, which was chambered in .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO. Standard AR-10's and AR-15's have a buffer tube in the stock that the bolt carrier goes back into during firing, you can't operate an AR-10/AR-15 with a folded stock. The Sig Spear rifles have a different kind of gas system, the bolt carrier doesn't go into the stock, you can fire it with the stock folded, but you wouldn't be able to hit anything. With the exception of the new XM-250 belt fed machine gun, Sig has a commercial version of everything they make you can buy in nearly any gun store. :) Semi-auto only, though.

[@armynurseboy]

They changed the name to XM7 because apparently Colt already holds the TM for "XM5", which was Colt's submission to the Individual Carbine trials.

[@tfox1166]

Electrical tape has many uses obviously: medical, mechanical, etc.; but for the Army it's carried to help subdue shiny objects (i.e. buttons and other exposed metal); another big use is to help cover the top of an ACOG and other fun optics to limit the amount of light into the sight so as not to wash out your target.

[@frankhickey562]

New drinking game, every time he says " former royal marine commando" take a shot lol

[@alexrogan7173]

His channel is named after the bruising WWII us army servicemen would get when the bolt of the M1 Garand rifle (chambered in 30-06) would close when the push the clip into the rifle and the bolt would close on their thumb if they weren't quick enough

[@SkankinRep]

If you want a solid breakdown of the M7 (this rifle) check out Alabama Arsenal's four part series on it- much more of a thorough breakdown. In reference to mounting- it's mlok. Extremely common universal mounting system. About a decade ago it was competing against keymod and mlok seems to have won out as most of the market uses it now. It's less weight than a pic rail because it's material removed instead of added. You have attachments and have ovular nuts that turn and then tighten into it.

[@Maria_Erias]

I think the term "charging" comes from artillery terminology, specifically the powder charge. When you "charge a gun" (in the artillery sense), it generally means that you're putting in the powder charge, followed by whatever shot or shell you're using - you're making it ready to fire. And probably goes back to loading black powder firearms, too.

[@Lirvan]

Need to check out Garand Thumb's video on the new vortex optics systems for the Spear too.

[@PocketDrummer]

M-Lok is very common now. It's lighter, more comfortable to hold, and there are a TON of accessories for it. It is a bit weaker than picatinny, but the trade-offs are usually worth it.

[@larrybromback876]

The M1 Garand from ww2. When you loaded a magazine you could get what know as Garand thumb. That’s where the name is from.

[@zzseabearzz3859]

you gotta do more garand thumb reactions

[@kerry-j4m]

I did 7 yrs regular army and did 4 deployments to go fight in Iraq ( I volunteered for all 4 tours and also did 2 tours back-to-back ) with the Texas guard.I was in infantry units,my first tour was in late 2004 and all of 2005 at Camp TQ ( then a Marine FOB ) and we did joint missions with the Marines.From my experience with regular soldiers the issue I have with this new weapon are soldiers zeroing and qualifying with it.Army soldiers had REAL problems doing this with the M-4,now,it'll continue with a brand new rifle introduced into their mist.Hopefully at the company levels soldiers will get more range time with this new rifle. Hopefully.

[@cheeseninja1115]

You do have to take into account the new Vortex optics that are coming alone with these new rifles. It will be interesting to see how they interact. As when this gun is zeroed, With that scope it will be a monster.

[@kerry-j4m]

@@cheeseninja1115 Good point on the scope,another reason to have more training on a new weapon,but,the army will wait till another war starts to do extra training. I say do it now,before anything new starts,most regular soldiers had trouble with the M-4 due to lack of training with it. Right now the US are positioning troops in different countries and plan to open up bases in the Philippines once again after dozens of years after closing bases there. The pieces are being put in place for something down the road.And expect a-DRAFT-sometime down the road also.

[@abelincoln8885]

The M7 & M250 come with the a $10 000 Fire control system and 1x 8 scope. You would have to be a imbecile not to qualify. Check out Garand's video of the Vortex XM157. Overkill by the Army, the M7 should have been a bullpup and the they should have told Sig to shorten the 277 Fury to 60 mm overall length with the full brass ammo better than 6.8 SPC or 6.5 GR and the steel head max pressure ammo equal to 6.5 CM. And

[@kerry-j4m]

@@abelincoln8885 Knowing the army ( I was stationed at Ft Hood,Tx-now Ft Cavazos ) they'd have us do truly dumb things,that made no sense at all.They'll problably have soldiers remove that 1 x 8 scope for zeroing and qualifying at the range,I wouldn't put it past these idiots. I was in 1st Cav-Div-one of the worst run divisions I've ever been in,from the company level on up to the brigade level. But,hopefully the soldiers will recieve the necessary and correct training they need.

[@abelincoln8885]

@@kerry-j4m What could have been if the Army simply required the 6.8 CC... to be a high pressure ... AR cartridge ... which can perform close to 308 & 6.5 CM. No need to replace the M4 & M249 ... but only seek a barrel, bolt & spring conversion kit for all Squad Weapons And likely new MAGs. But they chose to return to the Battle Rifle ... add a suppressor ... 1x 8 scoop .. and a $10000 plus fire control system. And ... not cancel the uber expensive & crappy IVAS to the usual loadout. The NGSW ( 6.8 CC) was a good idea ...but the Army stupidly wanted a lighter but more versatile 308 ... when it whold have always been a "high pressure" 6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendel or AR service rifles.

[@meadofvalhalla8535]

Part of the reason for the switch as well is a focus from combating insurgency to near peer enemies (China / Russia).

[@kevincarter9587]

React to his video covering "the fix" made by a firearms company named Q. You are going to go nuts on that video just the penetration on that round is crazy!

[@ShadowF0XX]

As requested. You stated Pic is USB. So going with that: mlok is usb-c, Pic usb 3.x. Typically we roll pic rail on top mlok slides and below.

[@patrioticz2858]

16:37 yes and the new LMGs too, just like the new scopes will be standard

[@Matt20911985]

There will be a smaller version of the M7 for CQB call the Sig Raptor, though for a special operators they will continue to use the new Sig Rattler LT and Sig Spear LT.

[@MightyRedWolf]

Currently serving US infantry. I have my issues with the new platform speaking on a doctrine/conventional training level. volume of fire will take a serious hit when this gets implemented; however, the partner SIG machine gun and the Assaulter variant of this same platform, are SuPpOsEd to mitigate the length and volume issues. Ultimately i am going to try and reserve my judgement for when i am able to get hands on. High speed units have been fielding them already, and seems to like them, but we'll have to see how the big army handles it.