A military non-profit expects to raise some $20,000 by auctioning off the civilian variant of the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon next week during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida. Twenty grand may sound like a lot — especially considering the retail price is listed at $7,999 — but that’s not an unheard-of selling price for the Sig Sauer MCX Spear, if you can find it in stock. Plus, the rifle will be sold as a kit that includes other military hardware like a TANGO6T riflescope and a Sig SLX Suppressor, which together cost roughly $3,000.
The New Hampshire gunmaker donated the rifle package to the Task Force Dagger Foundation, a Florida charity with a stated mission of supporting Special Operations members and their families, alongside a host of companies donating items like guns, blades, and other gear. In all, the organization expects to raise more than $60,000 during the silent auction and raffle. Todd Kelsey, a spokesman for the foundation, called it “one of our primary fundraising events each year.” Bidding for the Sig MCX-Spear Kit starts at $8,400 and the event ends May 17 at 8 p.m. eastern time.
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The Sig MCX Spear is in many ways like the NGSW rifle, which has been heralded as the latest and greatest in firearm technology. The most significant difference between the two is the civilian variant – at least the one up for auction – is chambered for 6.8 Creedmoor instead of the Sig’s .277 Fury cartridge. However, it’s a multi-caliber gun, so you can swap the barrel to re-calibrate it. Additionally, the MCX Spear features side non-reciprocating charging handles, a six-position folding stock, ambidextrous controls, a match trigger, an adjustable gas piston, and M-LOK and Picatinny accessory mounting systems.
Sig introduced the civilian Spear in January, ahead of the Army officially picking its designs to replace the M4 carbine and M249 machine gun. The XM5 and the XM250 – the MXC Spear and Sig-LMG, respectively – were selected after 27 months of military testing. Compared to the older weapon systems, Sig’s designs were built to be lightweight, shoot a very high-velocity round, and be suppressor-ready. The Army announced the $20.4 million award in April and is expected to field the weapon systems this summer.
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