SIG MCX
| SIG MCX | |
|---|---|
 SIG MCX rifle | |
| Type | Semi-automatic carbine |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2015-present |
| Used by | SC&O19 CTSFOs[1][2] |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | SIG Sauer |
| Produced | 2015-present |
| Variants |
Assault rifle Short-barreled rifle Semi-automatic pistol |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
2.61 kg (5.8 lb) (229 mm barrel) 2.72 kg (6.0 lb) (406 mm barrel) |
| Length |
730 mm (29 in) stock unfolded (229 mm barrel) 908 mm (35.7 in) stock unfolded (406 mm barrel) |
| Barrel length |
229 mm (9.0 in) 406 mm (16.0 in) |
|
| |
| Cartridge |
5.56×45mm NATO .300 AAC Blackout 7.62×39mm |
| Action | Short-stroke gas-operated piston, rotating bolt |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable STANAG box magazine |
The SIG MCX is a carbine series designed and manufactured by SIG Sauer, featuring a short-stroke gas piston system, carried over from the SIG MPX submachine gun. It is made in both semi-automatic and selective fire (assault rifle) configurations.
Built at SIG's New Hampshire factory, the MCX was "engineered from the ground up to be short, light and silenced," according to a SIG Sauer brochure.[3]
Design
The SIG MCX series features a short-stroke gas piston system to reduce recoil and improve the reliability of the weapon; this was based on the design of the earlier SIG MPX.[4] The MCX features a system that allows for conversion between 5.56×45mm NATO, .300 AAC Blackout and 7.62×39mm ammunition, using standard 5.56×45mm STANAG magazines for 5.56×45mm NATO and .300 AAC Blackout, and specially designed STANAG-compatible magazines for 7.62×39mm.[4][5] The MCX is designed to deliver optimal performance with the .300 AAC Blackout and an optional suppressor.[6]
The barrel's profile is tapered at the crown to allow the installation of muzzle devices and direct-thread sound suppressors without the use of washers that degrade performance and allows the devices to self-center on installation. The barrel can be changed in a matter of seconds to another length or a different caliber. Additionally the barrels are nitride coated for corrosion resistance.[7][8] It features hardened steel wear points.[4][7]
All MCX variants have a forend made of aluminum with a KeyMod system to add accessories. Controls are mostly ambidextrous including the charging handle but not the bolt release. Four types of stocks are available for the MCX carbine.[4][8]
SIG designed the upper receiver to be compatible with standard AR-15 and M16 lower receivers.[4][7] The overall layout of the two rifle platforms is similar.[9]
Variants
- MCX Carbine: Carbine, with 16 inches (410 mm) barrel. Available with a safe/semi-automatic trigger group for U.S. civilian sales, or safe/semi-automatic/fully-automatic trigger group for law enforcement and military sales.[4]
- MCX SBR: Short-barreled rifle, with 9 inches (230 mm) barrel. Available with a safe/semi-automatic trigger group for U.S. civilian sales, or safe/semi-automatic/fully-automatic trigger group for law enforcement and military sales. Under U.S. federal law, rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches are Title II weapons, which are subject to federal restrictions, as well as being regulated by state laws.[4]
- MCX Pistol w/ SBX: Semi-automatic pistol, with 9 inches (230 mm) barrel, SIG SBX stabilizing brace and safe/semi-automatic trigger group. This version fits the U.S. legal definition of a "handgun", in that it is only designed to be fired with a single point of contact with the shooter's body,[10] though in general terms, it is a compact carbine rifle, as it fires an intermediate round. The BATFE has warned users that shouldering a weapon fitted with the SIG SBX or a similar forearm brace, and not registered as a short-barreled rifle, constitutes the making of a short-barreled rifle, which is a Title II weapon.[11]
- MCX Low Visibility Assault Weapon (LVAW): Short-barreled, suppressed, select-fire variant available only to law enforcement and the military. It is nicknamed "Black Mamba".[12][13]
- MCX-MR (Mid Range): Semi-automatic sniper rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO. It features a 16 inches (410 mm), fluted, 416 stainless steel barrel, with a 1:10 inch twist, manufactured by Bartlein Barrels. The handguard is secured via two screws, and the gas system has settings for suppressed or unsuppressed use. It weighs 8.9 pounds (4.0 kg), and features both an M16/AR-15-type charging handle and a left side charging handle, uses SR-25 box magazines, and is compatible with SR-25 lower receivers. It was SIG Sauer's unsuccessful submission for the United States Army's Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS) program.[14][15]
Users
Criminal use
A SIG MCX was used in the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, which is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.[16]
References
- ↑ "London Met – SIG MCX". Soldier Systems. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ↑ Vining, Miles (24 November 2015). "SIG MCXs among British Counter Terror Cops". Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- ↑ https://www.sigsauer.com/upFiles/CmsContent/documents/2016-SIG-SAUER-FULL-LINE-CATALOG.pdf 2016-SIG-SAUER-FULL-LINE-CATALOG
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 G&A Online Editors (January 13, 2015). "First Look: SIG Sauer MCX". Guns & Ammo.
- ↑ Leghorn, Nick (October 17, 2015). "Gun Review: SIG SAUER MCX". The Truth About Guns. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
- ↑ "SIG Sauer MCX Carbine". American Rifleman.
- 1 2 3 Merrill, David (2015). "RECOIL Exclusive: Breakdown of the Sig MCX". Recoil.
- 1 2 Warden, Drew (October 7, 2015). "Full Review: SIG Sauer MCX". Gun Digest.
- ↑ Utley, Sean (30 June 2015). "Sig Sauer's MCX Rifle: An Elite Modular Weapons System". Tactical Life.
The MCX has the familiar AR upper and lower receiver layout that we know, but some caveats have been added here. The upper receiver is hardened in select areas, and Sig has developed replaceable parts for those areas that wear the most. One such part is the metal cam-path insert on the side of the upper receiver. Other replaceable parts include a feed ramp insert and the ambidextrous charging handle latch. These items are all steel inserts or pins. The forward assist has an aluminum housing that can be replaced if it wears out. These features reveal that the MCX was meant for long-term use in harsh conditions. In essence, you won’t have to scrap the upper receiver after hard use, only replace some parts. The lower receiver’s controls require no retraining, as they are the same as an AR’s, while the magazine release, bolt release and safety selector are all ambidextrous. Aftermarket drop-in triggers will be right at home, too.
- ↑ Federal Gun Control Act 1968 18 U.S. Code § 921 - Definitions, Cornell.edu, "(29) The term “handgun” means— (A) a firearm which has a short stock and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand"
- ↑ "The Rise And Fall Of The SB-15 'Sig Brace'". Grand View Outdoors. 24 March 2015.
- ↑ "On the range with Sig Sauer's MCX 'Black Mamba'". Military Times. 17 April 2014.
- ↑ Neville, Leigh (31 March 2016). Guns of Special Forces 2001 – 2015. Casemate Publishing. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-1-4738-8102-0.
- ↑ Merrill, David (2015). "An Inside Look at Sig Sauer's CSASS – The MCX-MR". Recoil.
- ↑ Jahner, Kyle (8 April 2016). "H&K confirms: This is the Army's new and improved sniper rifle". Army Times. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ↑ Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (June 14, 2016). "The gun the Orlando shooter used was a Sig Sauer MCX, not an AR-15. That doesn't change much.". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
External links
- SIG MCX on SIG Evolution The Sig Vendor's website for the SIG MCX