While pistol-caliber carbines are clearly the new hotness at SHOT 2019, SIG Sauer has been bringing some heat of their own with the company's MPX andMCX modular rifles. The compact MCX family, in particular, has some funnew additions in the Rattler and Rattler CaneBrake.
The SIG MCX platform was originally created to meet the demands of theUS Special Operations community, including the ability to tailor weaponsconfigurations to mission-specific requirements. That flexible designthinking is obvious in the civilian-market MCX guns, setting the stagefor the introduction of the ultra-compact Rattler and Rattler CaneBrakeguns.
The ridiculously short Rattler is available in both SBR (short-barreled rifle) and “pistol” configuration, with just barely enough room on thehand guard for my size-L hands. Looking at my hand position vs theflash hider on this wee beastie made me wish for an integral hand stopon the guard, because it seems like it would be all too easy to end upwith a nice flash or contact burn.
There’s an easy solution to this, if you’re willing to give up theshort-bus length of the Rattler: the Rattler CaneBrake, which comes witha longer hand guard and a definitely-not-a-suppressor “inert trainingdevice." Whether you live in a suppressor-friendly state or not, theCaneBrake seems like a winner, especially where blast/concussion andtinnitus are concerned.
If you’re shooting a rifle-caliber gun with a barrel as short as that inthe Rattler, it’s time to think seriously about choosing a gun chambered300 Blackout, and fortunately that’s an option for the Rattler andCaneBrake. The alternative is getting a free mini flashbang a foot fromyour face with every 5.56 round fired, which isn’t my idea of fun.
The MCX Rattler is available now in both SBR rifle and “pistol” formusing the new SIG PCV brace starting at about $2700 MSRP. Pricing forthe MCX Rattler CaneBrake has not been announced officially but is expected to bemodestly more than the base Rattler guns.