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United States Navy SEAL Weapons: My Top 5 Favorite Firearms

I recently posted a list of my Top Five Must Have Weapons Systems for Navy SEALs. I came up with that list when my good friend and bestselling author of Target America, Scott McEwen asked me for my top five weapons. Since I’m a believer that we are the weapons and we choose which tools we will use in battle, my response contained things such as mindset, your teammates and support staff. So I’m following up on that post with my list of the top five united states Navy SEALs weapons. Specifically my favorite firearms I used in the US Navy SEAL Teams.

What Guns Do Navy SEALs Use

1. .300 Win Mag (M91A2)

A soldier aiming with an M91A2 sniper rifle

What guns do navy seals use? As a Navy SEAL Sniper Instructor, I’ve used and taught every kind of long-range weapon out there. There are some that can shoot farther, but this is the most versatile of the bunch and can reach out and touch someone out past one thousand yards with a flat trajectory. For Navy SEAL firearms, it isn’t always about being the longest shot but the most adaptable weapon, and the M91A2 makes the cut to become one of my Navy SEAL firearms of choice.

2. M4A1 with SOPMOD Kit and M203

Navy SEALs using M4 rifles while crouching

Yes, these are likely to be phased out by the newer FN SCAR Series, but I’ve spent so much time with this system that I can fire and fix it in my sleep. As a corpsman in the platoon, I was also a grenadier and there’s no better feeling than accurately projecting 40mm rounds when your enemy is hiding behind cover. One of my personal favorites, the M4A1 is the poster child of Navy SEAL firearms. A good SOPMOD kit allows for complete configuration changes from mission to mission, giving you the opportunity to grow immensely familiar with a particular weapon while sacrificing nothing in versatility. One of my most recommended Navy SEAL firearms.

3. M14

A Navy SEAL checking his M14 rifle

I used the M14 quite a bit in my first platoon at SEAL Team Two. It was a winter warfare platoon and this weapon did everything we needed it to do in the cold mountains where we operated. It has a great effective range of 800 yards and always seemed to work. They’ve tried making “upgrades” to it with the MK14 EBR, but I’ll take the original. One of the things I consider when making the Navy SEAL weapons list is weather resistance and reliability. To be considered as part of my Navy SEAL firearms list, a weapon must be reliable under a variety of conditions, just like it’s operator. I could take an M14 anywhere, and that’s of great value to an operator. The M14 is an old standard for operators everywhere, and for good reason. The m14 is a solid choice when looking for Navy SEAL firearms or for general use.

4. HK MP5N

Soldiers in training using MP5N rifle

This 9mm submachine gun was what I learned with when training for Close Quarters Combat and Maritime Boarding Operations called VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure). This weapon is an official member of the Navy SEAL firearms list by a higher authority than my own. The “N” Stands for Navy as it was developed for our use and is an extremely effective weapon for short, quick engagements. It has virtually zero recoil due to its unique delayed blowback bolt system, firing from the closed bolt position. So far this list of Navy SEAL firearms has focused on long range and rifle weapons, so I want to highlight the HK MP5N as the optimal close quarters automatic option. 

5. Sig Sauer P226

A model of Sig Sauer P226

This weapon set the “Gold Standard” by which all other combat handguns are measured. I’ve fired so many rounds from this gun it would be impossible to count; yet, I can hardly remember a single malfunction. Reliability will always be the number one factor to consider when inducting a member to the Navy SEAL firearms list.  In and out of the water, sand and mud — pull it out of its holster and it’s going to fire. You can find plenty of higher-end pistols on the market today, but you’ll never find one with the proven track record of the P226. It is no stretch to say an operator stakes their life on their weapon during every mission. This is the combat gun I am prepared to stake my life on. 

Navy SEAL Weapons

There’s a look at the Navy SEAL firearms I prefer to operate with and recommend. As you can see by my short listed Navy SEAL firearms, the three most important features of any weapon are versatility, customization and reliability. As always, this is not an exhaustive list and there are other firearms I would recommend. That said, these five Navy SEAL weapons are worth talking about and are what I reach for first when gearing up. If you have a favorite you think should be inducted into the Navy SEAL firearms hall of fame, let me know in the comments. 


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