Sig Sauer 716i Tread Semi-Automatic Rifle in .308 Review
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The Sig Sauer 716i Tread is perfect for deer and hog hunters. And it's a heckuva defensive tool as well.
Note: We wrote this review in 2020, and since then the .308 model has been discontinued. But you can still find the highly popular // Sig Sauer 716i Tread chambered in 7.62mm NATO // today. We also recommend reading our review of the Sig Sauer M400 Tread.
There is no question that Sig Sauer has been one of the most innovative, cool firearm companies over the last many years. There is a reason it has been profitable through some of the recent, comparatively lean times for the industry.
In 2018, they announced the Sig Sauer TREAD series of rifles and pistols intended to provide shooters with well-appointed Sig-quality guns at a very affordable price. One of these is the 716i AR-10 chambered in .308 Win. This rifle is the perfect tool for hunters like me who pursue feral hogs with a passion. Of course, it’s an MSR that is also great for deer and other similar-sized game.
I would be remiss not to talk about it as an ideal defensive rifle as well, where family circumstances permit. It’s been good for the shooting community to finally talk regularly about the obvious—the AR platform is ideally suited for home defense. This rifle chambered in the heavy-punching .308 Win would be a strong choice for those who want to help ensure a swift end to any criminal attack that may come.
The Rifle: Sig Sauer 716i Tread
Sig Sauer 716i TREAD AR-10 has a direct impingement operating system that proved perfectly reliable in my testing on the range. The free-floating M-LOK handguard offers a convenient way to attach accessories like a forward pistol grip, laser, or light without applying pressure to the barrel that may impact accuracy.
The two-stage Matchlite Duo trigger breaks crisply, and it felt great from the bench and while shooting steel targets off-hand as fast as I could engage them. The Magpul SL-K 6-position stock is simply solid. This stock was originally designed for much smaller guns, but I really liked using it on this beefier AR-10, and it adds to the tight, easy-to-handle nature of the 8.5-pound package.
Continuing with the nice array of features that usually don’t come on affordably priced rifles, we have the ambidextrous controls and the QD swivel cup on both sides of the backend of the receiver. One feature that is an absolute must for the modern pig hunter is the full-length Picatinny rail on top. This allows for the mounting of virtually any optic/thermal/night vision mix for nighttime fun, when the invasive beasts are most active.
The only thing I would personally change on this rifle would be removing the sexy three-prong flash hider and installing a muzzle brake. I avoided brakes for a long time because of the increased noise that is produced, but I finally got smart and decided to always wear hearing protection while hunting a few years ago so the noise is no longer an issue. Brakes allow for much quicker follow-up shots on multiple hogs with the AR-10s that buck significantly harder than the AR-15s.
Range Time
On the range, I used a mix of old .308 ammo to shoot steel silhouettes off-hand out to 200 yards. If I missed, I called it in my mind before the “ting-less” quiet ensued. The miss was on me, as the trigger broke while I momentarily wavered off target.
From the bench, I shot 168-grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertip at 100 yards using a front and back bag. I fired five five-shot groups that averaged 1.86 inches. The smallest was 1.08 inches. Considering the fact that I was only using a 6x scope (sold separately), I will confidently declare this rifle a 1 MoA performer.
That Sig Sauer can offer an AR-10 rifle of this quality with these features for such a reasonable price leaves me shaking my head. It is a fantastic gun for anyone, whether the purpose is home defense or hunting hogs with a rifle that offers serious knockdown power. Tracking pigs is for the birds with the Sig Sauer 716i TREAD AR-10!
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