Sig M400 Tread - We all know Sig Sauer, especially from their pistols. But his rifles are an entirely different animal. I let his big guns fly under my radar for a long time. That was until one of my friends asked me about the Sig Sauer M400 Tread, a pre-built AR-15 designed to introduce gun owners to the platform, as well as provide a basic price point. It's got a cool name and it looks a little weird, but is it everything Sig Sauer said it would be? Read on to find out.

The Tread is a nice looking rifle for the most part. I'm still on the fence about the handguard which only has MLOK slots in the front half. The M400 is super modular so the swap is trivial, but I think it should be included rather than separated. It also doesn't include sights out of the box, which has always been a disappointment with any company you buy from. The Tread is an entry level rifle, it should be out of the box.

Sig M400 Tread

Sig M400 Tread

Good news for lefties: The M400 tread is fully ambidextrous with a safety, magazine lock, and QD tips on both sides of the rifle.

Review] Sig Sauer M400 Tread Ar 15: A Cut Above

I will say that the tread is remarkably accurate right out of the box. I threw one of my red dots at it, zeroed it out and, sitting on the bench, began to hammer in cleats. Standing separated the group a bit, but the shots were still easy to aim.

To test the longer ranges, I put the LPVO on and went to work. I got similar results, but it looks like my rifle shooting could use some practice at 100 yards. I found the groups to be only an inch and shifted except for the ruffles. Including the outliers, it opens up shot groups at 2-3 inches, which I'd say is still pretty solid.

I'm hesitant to say the tread is reliable as I'm not 100% sure. I had some problems with some of the cheaper ammo, but the higher quality brass ammo worked just fine. After several hundred rounds, the M400 started running smoothly, regardless of ammunition type.

It's also worth noting that there are a number of accessories available for the M400 tread. It's very modular and definitely set up for people learning the AR-15 or just getting started on them.

Sig Sauer M400 Tread Pistol

The Sig Sauer M400 Tread is a pretty solid rifle. The right one that can be found for less than $800. The only thing is that it is not particularly noticeable. It's definitely for someone looking to get their first AR-15 for under a thousand dollars. It's not perfect, but it's cheap, easy to learn/understand, and it works. At this price, I don't know what else you would really want. Personally, I'd build my own to try it out and better learn how my rifle works, but that's not for everyone. And that's where the Sig Sauer M400 Tread comes into play.

Richard Douglas is a longtime shooter, outdoor enthusiast, and technologist. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field and a columnist for The National Interest, Cheaper Than Dirt, Daily Caller and other publications.