Like many small arms innovations, the M10X was not developed overnight. It took many years of research and testing to reach the design we are at today. The M10X is an all-American-produced rifle manufactured and designed in the USA. However, like many other successful firearm designs around the globe, the M10X had its fair share of design inspiration.
Most people see the inspiration from the AKM and AK47 in the M10X which is certainly there, however, most people do not know the M10X has many design elements inspired by the SIG Switzerland SG 55X series. The designer of the M10X is actually from Switzerland so it is no secret that the M10X has some Swiss influence.
Looking side by side, the M10X and SIG 550 both use a split upper and lower receiver design that can be hinged for maintenance.
A major inspiration for the M10X from the SG 550 is the adjustable gas system. The gas key can be adjusted by hand or with the bullet from a cartridge when the gun is too hot to handle. The adjustable gas system is a major upgrade from the traditional AK design and allows the firearm to be tuned to specific loadings and even cycle reliably with a suppressor. Adjustable gas has also successfully reduced wear on internal parts as the gun can run on as much gas as it needs rather than over-gassing it to ensure reliable function.
SIG Switzerland SG550 field stripped.
M+M Industries Inc. M10X field stripped.
Side by side the field stripping of both firearms is fairly similar. Like on the AK47, both the M10X and the SG-550 use a long-stroke gas piston with a two-lug rotating bolt. Both rifles went down the route that the Beretta AR-70 took and moved the recoil spring to the front of the gun, directly attaching it to the piston. This significantly changes the balance in the rifle and gives the user a shorter and softer feeling of recoil impulse.
The SG-55X series of firearms use a stamped sheet metal receiver set that must have its trunnion welded into the receiver. The M10X made this step significantly easier from a manufacturing standpoint and improved the receiver design significantly. The M10X uses a 4150-steel receiver that is milled from billet. This step ensures that the locking portion and the rails are even and skip the step of welding. This also allows for more material giving the receiver more strength and consistency. The 55X rifles are loved for being very smooth, especially for a stamped gun, however, the M10X is even smoother and stronger.
The SIG-55X series uses a two-piece clam shell style polymer handguard that is retained by the front receiver pin, along with the gas block. This is a design similar to early AR pattern rifles in the early 1970’s and while the polymer handguard is nice and light it leaves much to be desired in the modern era. The M10X again approved this aspect significantly. The M10X uses a monolithic handguard machined from lightweight aerospace-grade T-6 aluminum. The handguard has a full-length Picatinny rail with M-Lok slots around the grip section. This allows for a rugged system to mount optics that will hold zero, along with a plethora of aftermarket grips, lights, lasers, and other accessories to fit the user specifically. It is a much more efficient system and is still quite lightweight. Two additional differences are in the charging handle system and the bolt itself. The M10X has an ambidextrous charging handle allowing it to be tailored for left or right-handed shooters. This also helps when using scopes with large mounting rings. The M10X bolt differs from the SG 55X bolt by utilizing a spring-loaded ejector. This is probably the only similarity aside from the modularity that the M10X has with Stoner’s AR family of rifles. The 55X like older traditional rifles uses a fixed ejector that’s built into the rail of the receiver. It is not a high-wear part but if that component is damaged it renders the rifle inoperable. The M10X’s ejector is easy to service which avoids that risk completely especially because fixed ejectors are located on the serialized receivers of the firearm.
Both rifles utilize a side folding stock design to make the rifle compact for transportation and storage. M+M teamed up with Magpul industries to pair the M10X with the Zhukov stock which also gives the ability to adjust length of pull and add cheek risers. Magpul’s stock also allows for QD sling mounting.
The SIG 55X uses a very unique trigger system that has a spring-loaded plunger to soften some of the take-up. These are very complex fire control groups and very proprietary in design. The M10X is a much simpler design. Although it is also proprietary, the M10X fire control group is very similar to that of an AK. This gives the M10X a nice smooth trigger system with crisp precise trigger breaks allowing for well-placed accurate shots.
The M10X also accepts standard AK pistol grips giving it a bit better after market support so users can custom tailor their rifle for their needs.
Both rifles feed some rock and lock style magazines. The SG 55X utilizes proprietary Swiss manufactured translucent polymer magazines. The M10X utilizes Ak47 magazines, the most common magazine type in the world and can feed from polymer, steel, and bakelite constructed magazines.
Both the M10X and SG 55X rifle series serve an important role in firearm history and innovation. The SG 550 took many good things that the AK had going and improved upon them. We at M+M Industries wanted to take this another step further when we conceived the M10X.
