Back in 2012, small arms innovator Jim Sullivan filed for a patent for the MGX, a 5.56mm box-fed Machine Gun designed as an improvement over the Ultimax, which he also designed.
Below is a drawing from the patent, depicting the MGX from various points of view. It seems to have a bit of a Stoner 63 flair to it. Considering Sullivan contributed to that weapon system as well, it comes as no surprise.
The MGX, along with its associated 60 and 100 round High Capacity Magazines, was later purchased by SureFire from ArmsWest, LLC. The MGX is designed to operate from the closed bolt during semi-automatic fire and from the open bolt on full-auto.
The weapon weighs 9 lbs and is just 17″ with the barrel removed and stock folded. Recoil is managed so well, that like the Ultimax, it can be fired continuously on full-auto with just one hand. Barrels are 11.5″, 16″ and 20″ and the gun is convertible from 5.56mm to 6.8 SPC in seconds with a barrel change. You have to consider when the gun was designed to appreciate the 6.8 SPC option. The rate of fire is 550-650 RPM with an increase of 100 rpm when used with the SureFire SOCOM556-MG Suppressor.
Here you can see the folding stock and foregrip as well as its intended use with the 100 rd HCM.
During last week’s SHOT Show, the MGX showed up in SureFire’s massive booth, celebrating their 40th Anniversary. You’ll notice something interesting. Although the receiver is marked MG 10, it goes by the name MGX. Although the controls are similar to the AR-15, and a Stoner 63 pistol grip, it features a side charging handle and a quick change barrel.
Image by Ho-Tac Tactical
Considering SureFire has kept the design under wraps for years, it was not only amazing to see it there, but to see it with a 2019 placard. Naturally, we wanted to know if that meant the MGX was finally going into production.
Unfortunately, we found out that SureFire is not getting into the Machine Gun business. Instead, they wanted to showcase a relatively unknown bit of history and hopefully raise interest in licensing the technology.
Hopefully, the MGX will find its way into production.
With that nomenclature it would seem to be a natural fit for SIG-SAUER. and with a MagPul D-60 drum mag it would be most moist making…
The MGX is a very cool design, hopefully someone licenses it.
Here’s a video it in action:
https://www.youtube.Com/watch?v=PE2UrwPdlks
No belt, no bueno. Hi cap mags are garbage, I guess no one gets in the prone anymore.
The Marine Corps disagrees. They dumped scores of SAWs for IARs.
GO PRONE OR GO HOME!!!
True, but I think the Marine Corps is pretty much in line with the concept that a long, 100rd magazine just isn’t worth the squeeze. The MGX also appears to have potentially more weight than the M27.
The MGX also has a quick change barrel and open bolt.
Right, so the MGX is a light machine gun (aside from the fact that they made it box rather than belt fed) and the M27 is exactly what its called, an automatic rifle. I think its clear that a LMG rates a belt while an IAR rates a box.
I tried to purchase 60rnd Surefire mags for a military application several years ago and the rep would not sell them to me due to reliability reasons. Maybe they worked it out. The SAW needs to be replaced, but a box magazine fed weapon cannot do it.
If only I had a Type 1/Class 3 or Type 7/Class 2… One of the only full-autos I’d like to own.
Amazing. I hope someone picks it up. As for going prone, it still takes regular AR mags as I understand it. Also the 60rd mags should be able to still go prone as they are shorter than a 40rd mag.
Impressive. This is what the USMC should have bought as IAR.
sooo a modern take on the m63 ?
Modernized Ultimax-100, a weapon that’s been around since the late 1970’s. The M63 had far more modularity than the Ultimax, the feed system could be changed completely from belt fed to box magazine fed.
The original Ultimax used a proprietary 100 round spring loaded drum (hence the weapon name), as well as smaller 60 round drums, and compatibility with AR mags. The Ultimax also had a shallower mag well than an AR so the drums didn’t hang as low as current AR drum mags. The original mags are rarer than the weapon itself in the US (I’m told), last I heard pre-ban Ultimax numbers in the wild in the US were 6.
The real modernized M63 would be KAC’s LAMG. Link: https://www.knightarmco.com/12627/shop/military/lamg
Ultimax data: http://modernfirearms.net/en/machineguns/singapore-machineguns/stk-ultimax-100-eng/