SIG Sauer is rolling out a pair of commercial loads in the cartridge it designed to accompany its firearms currently under consideration for the U.S. Militaries Next Generation Squad Weapons competition. Consideration for the contract required the development of a cartridge with a 6.8 mm-diameter bullet, and enthusiasts will soon have the opportunity to sample the performance in the new .277 Fury loads.
The .277 Fury uses a revolutionary hybrid case with a primer-holding metal base and a locking washer sandwiched between it and the brass case that holds powder. SIG Sauer’s 2020 catalog proclaims it’s, “The biggest innovation in ammunition technology in more than 50 years. The SIG Fury hybrid case technology defies all ballistic theory by producing more energy on target in a smaller, lighter package.”
Two loads will initially be available. Elite Match Grade features a 137-grain match bullet with a proprietary powder mix. The Elite Hunter Tipped loads wear a 140-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing .
Drop at 1,000 yards is 6 to 9 feet less than that experienced with 6.5 Creedmoor cartridges, according to the catalog. Test barrels were 16- and 24-inches in the comparison, with 140-grain (.277 Fury) and 143-grain (6.5 Creedmoor) bullets.
The .277 Fury loads deliver somewhere between 20 to 25 percent more energy on target. The difference is most significant within 600 yards, according to the chart published in its catalog. Using the same loads and barrel lengths, the gap does narrow with distance, but even at 1,000 yards the new cartridge from SIG Sauer comes out clearly the winner.
As for firearms that digest the .277 Fury, the catalog indicates SIG Sauer will offer it in its new bolt-action Cross Rifle family. If you’re wondering, these rifles come with a two-stage match trigger, fully adjustable and foldable SIG Precision Stock, 16-inch barrel (for the .277 Fury, anyway), M-LOK handguard and more.
Stay tuned for more details as we get them.