To begin this little story, I have to back up to our NASGW Show. After doing a LIVE broadcast, Ryan leaned in and asked if I’d talked with Sig Sauer. His eyes widened, and that’s when my loafers blazed a fiery trail to a booth that literally had no guns on the outside. It’s what was on the inside that mattered. Before I knew it, I was sworn in under a super-secret oath not to disclose what I was about to see. Set before me was the Sig Sauer CROSS, a gun that was surely built just for me.
I’ve had this reaction, and I know you have as well. We get super excited for a gun that we’ve never shot and know that gun has a reserved spot in the gun safe. Before we get too far down in the weeds, I must tell you that I have no groups to show, no fancy pictures, no epic slow-motion shots. All I have to offer is my perspective on a gun that I’ve only held for 5 minutes.
I’m an on-the-go hunter. Many of you know I built a custom 6.5 Creedmoor, which I adore, that is lightweight and constructed to handle hard hunts. Honestly, the gun I built was one-year ahead of its time. At the time, not many companies were building a gun that I wanted to lug all over the countryside.
One of the first companies I saw making an impact was the Montana Rifle Company. They produce some amazing rifles, but I dropped some serious coin on a custom job to cut as much weight as possible. Turn the page to 2019, and you have companies producing solid lightweight rifles for hunters. Guns like the Kimber Mountain Ascent, Weatherby Mark V Backcountry TI, Nosler M48 Mountain Carbon and Howa Mini Action all weigh less than the gun I built years ago, only by a small percentage. They’re all shooters too.
I’d love to own any of those guns, but the Sig Sauer CROSS is the gun I’d build today. If you’re wondering, here’s a quick rundown of what the CROSS features. The CROSS comes equipped with a stainless-steel rifled barrel with a free-float M-LOK handguard, a 2-stage match-grade trigger externally adjustable from 2.5 – 4 lbs., ambi-safety, a three-lug bolt design with a 60-degree throw and interchangeable bolt handle. The precision stock is spring-loaded for one-handed operation and can be fully adjusted in the field for length of pull and comb height with no tools.
The rifle has a full-length replaceable Picatinny rail that allows for direct optics mounts. I for one plan on topping the CROSS with the Sig Sauer BDX optic. Word on the street is that the CROSS and BDX will be offered as a combo and comes sighted in and ready to shoot right out of the box.
The CROSS is available in 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 WIN, and the soon-to-be-released 277 SIG Fury Hybrid Ammunition with a black anodized or First Lite camo finish. I plan on getting another 6.5 Creedmoor, but the 277 SIG Fury does have some intrigue.
Does it perform? Well, I can’t help you there. However, I have complete trust in SIG to get it right. The in-field use is where I’m most excited about this launch. I’m currently running a McMillan A3 Sporter stock, which is fixed. The folding capability of the CROSS is big time when you look at hiking further distances to reach the hunting grounds. Plus, it should collapse down to practically nothing in the truck.
My mindset in every hunting scenario is how to trim weight and clutter. I truly believe the CROSS saves in both those areas.
Am I going to delay getting this gun to see how it shoots? No. Ask my wife. I’ve been penny pinching my way to lay the money down as soon as this gun drops. I’ve been obsessing about this gun for months, and I’ve had nobody to talk with about it. That might be the biggest frustration. It’s like holding onto a secret that is so big in your world, but you have nobody to share it with.
If you’re wondering, I have another secret gun that is about to drop, and I can’t tell anyone. This time of the year just kills me and my bank account! ~ KJ
Kevin Jarnagin
Kevin Jarnagin (KJ) hails from Oklahoma but quickly established Louisiana roots after joining the Gun Talk team. KJ grew up as a big game hunter and often finds himself in a bass boat. Whether it’s making his way to British Columbia for elk or training with pistols, Jarnagin always seems to find a gun in his hands and adventure on his mind.
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