VIDEO: The next assault rifle of the US Army

In April 2022, the U.S. Army announced that the SIG Sauer MCX Spear had won the tests for the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW). Caleb Savant from BROWNELLS got his hands on the civilian version of the new Spear and explains the weapon to us, evaluating the rifle from the perspective of both a gunsmith and a combat-experienced veteran.

The Spear is designed for the new .277 SIG Fury (6.8x51mm) cartridge, which is essentially a .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO case necked down to 6.8mm with a steel base, allowing for a much higher operating pressure: 80,000 psi compared to 62,000 psi for the .308. Even with its 13-inch barrel, the MCX Spear shoots flatter at 1,000 yards than a 6.5 Creedmoor and delivers 30 percent more energy on impact. Does this additional performance come with a weight disadvantage for the rifle? Contrary to what you may have read on the internet, the Spear actually weighs less than an HK417.

The short-stroke piston system of the Spear makes an AR-15 buffer system unnecessary, making a folding stock standard equipment. The controls are similar to those of the M4, but are fully ambidextrous and feature both a traditional AR-15 charging handle AND a charging handle on the left side of the rifle. The side charging handle is also a great help in clearing malfunctions. The MCX Spear also retains the Forward Assist. The Spear features an ambidextrous safety, a 2-stage match-quality trigger, an ambidextrous magazine release, and a standard M4 bolt release with corresponding ambidextrous lever on the right side.

A steel insert reinforces one of the weak points of the M4, which is the cam track on the bolt carrier. This insert can be easily replaced, significantly extending the life of the upper receiver. The MIL-STD 1913 rail on the upper receiver extends well beyond the barrel before meeting the handguard. Changing the barrel only requires removing two screws. By simply swapping out this barrel, the MCX Spear can easily be converted into a 7.62 NATO or 6.5 Creedmoor rifle. An easily accessible adjustment button on the gas block allows the operator to switch between "Normal" and "Adverse" gas flow. Unlike the M4 with permanent overgassing, the Spear can only switch to overgassing as needed.

The SLX MG suppressor is attached using the SIG coupling system. To keep the SLX MG compact yet still have adequate sound mitigation, it is 3D printed from an extremely heat- and pressure-resistant Inconel alloy. This suppressor produces far less gas blowback towards the shooter than a standard M4 suppressor. Removing the SLX reveals a simple but effective muzzle brake underneath, which effectively kills the flash from the gas exiting the front of the suppressor.

The MCX Spear comes with transparent polymer magazines from Lancer Systems, but would also work with standard SR-25 7.62 NATO magazines. All information on the new SIG SAUER weapons that won the US Army's NGSW competition, directly from the manufacturer.

BROWNELLS online

SIG SAUER online