Your Privacy Choices
SIG SAUER has been doing a lot of big things recently, and their momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing. Their Custom Works division looks to be singing along nicely, with new offerings like the Nightmare and Equinox series’ recent releases along with the all-metal P320 AXG Scorpion, hot on the heels of the P320 FCU Collective program announced earlier this year. SIG has also won another new major defense contract for one of their optics, termed the Direct View Optic (DVO), which is intended to replace the aging ACOG currently employed by many US Soldiers and Marines on their M4s. These successes should make it no surprise that SIG has also recently announced an expansion, with growth requiring new facilities in Rochester, New Hampshire.
A map of the Epping Academy’s current layout.
On the training side of the house, the SIG SAUER Academy also seems to be benefiting from the company’s growth. SIG says of their training facility:
The SIG SAUER Academy, located on over 140 acres in Epping, NH – only an hour from Boston, MA – our facility features state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor ranges, tactical training areas, urban environments, multiple shoot houses, a maritime training area, and a force-on-force village area.
As great as the current facilities are, SIG is not satisfied. On November 13th, a local news outlet, the New Hampshire Union Leader, published a report on SIG’s proposal to add a new $13.5 million building described as a “showpiece” at the entrance to the Academy. This significant addition is planned to include retail and office spaces, classrooms, a 30-lane indoor shooting range, and a section that will serve as a SIG SAUER museum, showcasing the manufacturer’s long and distinguished history.
From complete neophytes to seasoned professionals, the Academy offers something for practically everyone.
The Union Leader’s article indicates that some New Hampshirites have expressed concern over noise from the active and growing training facility. The SIG Academy currently offers 16 different outdoor range areas, for everything from CQB to 1000 yard precision long range. At present, the complex houses only 20 indoor lanes, so the proposed new building would dramatically expand the Academy’s ability to use indoor shooting, thus helping to shield neighbors from the potentially worrisome noise issue. Although it could be argued that it’s laughable for someone to move near a firearms facility and then complain about loud sounds, the new project could nonetheless help assuage and mitigate the potential for relevant concerns or complaints from local residents. It will be interesting to see if the proposal is accepted by the Epping, NH Planning Board, as it is expected that they will revisit it next month. For shooters, it’s virtually always a good thing when firearms-related companies succeed and grow, so hopefully, this works out for SIG and they’re able to bring this new Academy showpiece project to fruition. See you at the range!
