SIG MCX: When is an AR not an AR?

[Tokarev]

I just read on ar15.com that the next batch of guns will ship with a 2-position gas setting. SIG reportedly made this change because they aren't happy with sound levels of the auto gas system.

No word posted on whether or not the new gas system is adaptable to the existing barrels. Maybe I'll see if I can talk to someone in NH and get an answer. I also wonder if the upper receiver will need modification to access the setting switch.

[Larry Vickers]

As I see the other thread on M4C about the MCX got deleted because of some comments made about Govt programs and such and thus my comments were deleted as well I want to post them here for anyone who is considering buying an MCX;

I shot an MCX ( select fire version in 5.56mm ) and got the run down on the whole system back in Feb of this year. Neat concept but it is not ready for prime time; there is still work to be done on this weapon

There is no free lunch in weapons design and when you shorten the operating group you run into serious timing issues - after all there is a reason that HK discontinued the extremely compact HK416C project. My advice to everyone at SIG developing this as well as end users in military or LE circles is flush the idea of making the gun functionally reliable on full auto and make it a semi auto weapon for all users. I could be wrong, and if I am I'll admit it, but I seriously doubt the MCX will ever be truly combat reliable on full auto. On semi auto they have a chance

If your a civilian I would wait before I bought one - give them time to sort it out. Work still to be done here.

[dbwebbsr]

Thanks, LAV.

I was holding out for a factory FDE one, but looks as if I'll hold out just a bit longer...

[Tokarev]

SIG has already apparently halted production while they revamp the gas system. It sounds like there are some fouling issues with the auto-regulating system so SIG is switching back to a two position user-adjustable gas system.

I have to wonder about the long-term durability of the ballpoint pen recoil springs and the plastic recoil spring guides. These parts are pretty flimsy.

Mine hasn't given me any problems but I'm not yet even at the thousand round mark. Also, I have been running mine exclusively with 300BLK and a 16" barrel.

[maddy345]

As I see the other thread on M4C about the MCX got deleted because of some comments made about Govt programs and such and thus my comments were deleted as well I want to post them here for anyone who is considering buying an MCX;

I shot an MCX ( select fire version in 5.56mm ) and got the run down on the whole system back in Feb of this year. Neat concept but it is not ready for prime time; there is still work to be done on this weapon

There is no free lunch in weapons design and when you shorten the operating group you run into serious timing issues - after all there is a reason that HK discontinued the extremely compact HK416C project. My advice to everyone at SIG developing this as well as end users in military or LE circles is flush the idea of making the gun functionally reliable on full auto and make it a semi auto weapon for all users. I could be wrong, and if I am I'll admit it, but I seriously doubt the MCX will ever be truly combat reliable on full auto. On semi auto they have a chance

If your a civilian I would wait before I bought one - give them time to sort it out. Work still to be done here.

Thank you for coming back and clarifying your comments. I'm going to take your advice and wait until it has proven to be reliable.

[CCK]

As I see the other thread on M4C about the MCX got deleted because of some comments made about Govt programs and such and thus my comments were deleted as well I want to post them here for anyone who is considering buying an MCX;

I shot an MCX ( select fire version in 5.56mm ) and got the run down on the whole system back in Feb of this year. Neat concept but it is not ready for prime time; there is still work to be done on this weapon

There is no free lunch in weapons design and when you shorten the operating group you run into serious timing issues - after all there is a reason that HK discontinued the extremely compact HK416C project. My advice to everyone at SIG developing this as well as end users in military or LE circles is flush the idea of making the gun functionally reliable on full auto and make it a semi auto weapon for all users. I could be wrong, and if I am I'll admit it, but I seriously doubt the MCX will ever be truly combat reliable on full auto. On semi auto they have a chance

If your a civilian I would wait before I bought one - give them time to sort it out. Work still to be done here.

Ahh what the hell do you know Larry?

CCK out!

[RHINOWSO]

What, where is Scuba Steve and his encyclopedia PMP?

Too bad about the MCX - I've always thought that SIG was biting off more than it can chew with the MCX, MPX, Scopes, Suppressors, RDS, Pistols, etc, etc.

Start by doing ONE thing great, then add... of course money is money and it's a business, so oh well.

[Rohardi]

Not to hi-jack, but have there been any issues with the MPX so far?

[YesNoNahYeah]

Yeah, but I am sad they chose a standard bolt. The most likely part to break and instead of being innovative, as they were with this design, they chose to stick to the standard bolt. The sinlge most important part of the rifle, which happens to be the earliest to break.

They took so many steps to truly innovate and completely missed the most important part. Not to mention the prone to break cam pin, and the cotter pin which could have also been redesigned.

I hear you, but I actually like it. It's two less things to worry about (parts availability and proven design). I think being able to use any old AR bolt will help sell more MCX's for that reason, because people can't make the (legitimate) argument they always make for any non-AR, non-5.56 rifle: that if you need a replacement bolt or extractor spring quickly for whatever reason, it'll be too hard or expensive because it's proprietary. And more MCX sales hopefully means more accessories, support, and improvements, as well as knowledge for the prospective buyer who will be able to know exactly what they're getting into when they buy one thanks to all the people who will own one and can share their experiences with it online.

Plus, it's not like the standard AR bolt doesn't have any room for improvement while still being backwards compatible with existing setups. The LWRC, LMT, and Sharps enhanced bolts are drop-in replacements but are made from allegedly far stronger metals than the Carpenters 158 used to make standard bolts. Maybe Sig could eventually come out with their own enhanced bolt for the MCX to entice people to buy it from them instead of just going with any old AR bolt lying around or new one made by all the other companies that make them.

[BoringGuy45]

If Sig really wants to make this work in terms of sales, though, they need to price it somewhat lower than most new generations of semiauto rifles. Industry wide, manufacturers make the same mistake over, and over, and over, and over again: Charge out the ass for their new guns. ACRs, flawed as they may be, probably would have flown off the shelves if they were priced at the $1200 to $1500 that Magpul estimated when it was still the Masada. But Bushmaster ****ed up and priced them at $3000. Same deal with the SCAR: Overall, a good rifle but nearly 150% the-price-of-a-quality-AR better?? Is the HK MR556 really worth $4000? Sig is now talking about what, about $2200 for this thing? Why can't the gun industry ****ing learn?? You need to get everybody and his brother wanting and able to buy new products.

I've been pretty bored with firearm industry news overall the past few years. It's great that there's constant tweaking of the current systems, and I like the new stuff like Keymod and M-Lok. But I've been hoping to see something really new and exciting. We've constantly been let down with things like the XM8, XCR, Masada/ACR, Massoud, SCAR, HK416, etc. Either the systems didn't work or, if they did, cost a king's ransom and/or were not available to the general public. I hope, just for a little excitement, that Sig is able to make this thing all they want it to be at a decent price. I hope it fools both the experts and amateurs alike and they somehow solve many or all the concerns that people here have expressed, and that it will prove to be a combat rifle as good as or better than the AR.