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Sig 556
- Thread starter JeepinGA
- Start date
it takes m16 mags so that shouldn't be a problem. as for the folding stock, the reason it doesn't have one is wichever side you folded it it would be in the way of something when trying to fire it while folded. but I think it's designed to take ar15 stocks too, not that it would do much good because it probly already has a colapsable stock.
You can get an ACE folding stock for it. www.riflestocks.com
Billy Sparks
New member
The Sig 556 comes standard with a AR15ish collapseable stock.
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS
New member
I'll be getting a SIG 556 in just a few days, so after a trial run, I'll give you all a full report. I'm a traditional collector, more partial to WWII German rifles and machineguns, and got the SIG 556 as a plinker toy to compare with the Polytech Legend AK-47. I field tripped one at a local Sportsman's Warehouse and, being mechanically inclined, liked what I saw. It seems most of the best features of the AK-47 and AR-15 were merged rather well into this little carbine. Some don't like the plastic furniture, but I bought a used SIG 556 with an Trijicon ACOG scope and ACE folding stock for hundreds less than new. That sort of made up my mind in deciding to get the either the SIG 556, Robinson XCR (very innovative but spendy), or the Magpul Masada (Now Bushmaster ACR, not yet available but very desireable).
The features I liked were:
- Three massive lugs on the bolt, easier to clean than any AR-15, and almost identical to the AK-47, so lockup is strong.
- Bolt rides on rails, like an AK, so that the surface area of the bolt touching the receiver is reduced, making it less likely to jam from sand than an AR-15.
- Ejector is part of the left rail. No spring loaded weak button style ejector to fail like in the AR.
- Really wide extractor, like the AK, for strong case extraction.
- Gas piston assembly, bolt carrier, and bolt are all relatively light, not as light as an AR-15, but much lighter than an AK-47, so that recoil is low.
- Gas piston design and recoil spring is forward of the chamber, so you can use a folding stock on the gun, unlike an unmodified AR-15. However, this worsens the already front heavy balance of the gun. The added ACE stock will add some weight to the back, and balance the gun out better.
- The rifle disassembles easily and not clumsily such that the bolt and carrier occasionally drop onto the ground like the ACR. It folds open farther for easier cleaning, and the gas system comes out the front easily and cleaning that portion of the rifle is a LOT easier than cleaning the gas assembly of a German k43 rifle, despite the functional similarities.
- I hear from EVERYONE how nice the SIG 556 trigger is, and playing with it dry, it seems very nice. I'll have to try it with ammo to fully gage it's quality. It appeared very crisp after the long primary take-up. They say this is the SIG 556's greatest feature beside it's accuracy.
Things I didn't like at first glance:
- Front handguard lower rail not comfortable on the hand, and the perforated fishgill pattern departs from earlier tapered and elegant Swiss 55X designs. I kind of like the fishgill pattern's looks a little, but the front guard is a bit wide and not all that comfortable.
- The buttstock is a simple extendable stock found on AR-15 patrolman's carbines, which I never liked. It's too light to balance the rifle. I prefer neutral or slightly rear heavy firearms. Personal preferance. Glad Mine came with the ACE stock.
- No backup iron sights. My ACOG comes with a Doctor red dot scope on top for close quarters, but that sight is too high for a proper cheekweld. Lucky it's only used if the ACOG quits. I can live with this arrangement but it's not optimum.
- Barrel length is only 16". 5.56mm ammo was designed for and works best in 20" barrels, but I prefer shorter a barrel for compactness. You can't have it all.
- No capability to change barrels/calibers like the Bushy ACR or RobArms XCR. Not that these other guns are available in 7.62x39 yet, which would be my second caliber of choice for a carbine. If I need power, I'll grab the trusty German k98 or increase firing rate using my beltfed original MG-42.
After reading almost ALL the XCR vs. SIG 556 rants, and there are plenty, I feel that for the most part, the choice is personal preference. I'd tired of waiting for new XCR barrel calibers, and the Bushy ACR is delayed, so when a cheap SIG 556 complete with scope came my way, I grabbed it, and am grateful to the former owner for giving me the opportunity to plink now and not 8-10 months from now. (8mm ammo is getting too pricey/unavailable now to use the old war relics as often as I used to, so I have to play with something). Soon better guns with more features that I want will be around, after RobArms finally starts shipping new barrels in new calibres and Bushmaster ACR's start showing up on shelves, but for now, the SIG is a decent choice. Who knows... maybe the FN SCAR rifle will be available in semi-auto form to civilians someday. All of these guns are in the same familiy feature-wise and all of them are good.
The features I liked were:
- Three massive lugs on the bolt, easier to clean than any AR-15, and almost identical to the AK-47, so lockup is strong.
- Bolt rides on rails, like an AK, so that the surface area of the bolt touching the receiver is reduced, making it less likely to jam from sand than an AR-15.
- Ejector is part of the left rail. No spring loaded weak button style ejector to fail like in the AR.
- Really wide extractor, like the AK, for strong case extraction.
- Gas piston assembly, bolt carrier, and bolt are all relatively light, not as light as an AR-15, but much lighter than an AK-47, so that recoil is low.
- Gas piston design and recoil spring is forward of the chamber, so you can use a folding stock on the gun, unlike an unmodified AR-15. However, this worsens the already front heavy balance of the gun. The added ACE stock will add some weight to the back, and balance the gun out better.
- The rifle disassembles easily and not clumsily such that the bolt and carrier occasionally drop onto the ground like the ACR. It folds open farther for easier cleaning, and the gas system comes out the front easily and cleaning that portion of the rifle is a LOT easier than cleaning the gas assembly of a German k43 rifle, despite the functional similarities.
- I hear from EVERYONE how nice the SIG 556 trigger is, and playing with it dry, it seems very nice. I'll have to try it with ammo to fully gage it's quality. It appeared very crisp after the long primary take-up. They say this is the SIG 556's greatest feature beside it's accuracy.
Things I didn't like at first glance:
- Front handguard lower rail not comfortable on the hand, and the perforated fishgill pattern departs from earlier tapered and elegant Swiss 55X designs. I kind of like the fishgill pattern's looks a little, but the front guard is a bit wide and not all that comfortable.
- The buttstock is a simple extendable stock found on AR-15 patrolman's carbines, which I never liked. It's too light to balance the rifle. I prefer neutral or slightly rear heavy firearms. Personal preferance. Glad Mine came with the ACE stock.
- No backup iron sights. My ACOG comes with a Doctor red dot scope on top for close quarters, but that sight is too high for a proper cheekweld. Lucky it's only used if the ACOG quits. I can live with this arrangement but it's not optimum.
- Barrel length is only 16". 5.56mm ammo was designed for and works best in 20" barrels, but I prefer shorter a barrel for compactness. You can't have it all.
- No capability to change barrels/calibers like the Bushy ACR or RobArms XCR. Not that these other guns are available in 7.62x39 yet, which would be my second caliber of choice for a carbine. If I need power, I'll grab the trusty German k98 or increase firing rate using my beltfed original MG-42.
After reading almost ALL the XCR vs. SIG 556 rants, and there are plenty, I feel that for the most part, the choice is personal preference. I'd tired of waiting for new XCR barrel calibers, and the Bushy ACR is delayed, so when a cheap SIG 556 complete with scope came my way, I grabbed it, and am grateful to the former owner for giving me the opportunity to plink now and not 8-10 months from now. (8mm ammo is getting too pricey/unavailable now to use the old war relics as often as I used to, so I have to play with something). Soon better guns with more features that I want will be around, after RobArms finally starts shipping new barrels in new calibres and Bushmaster ACR's start showing up on shelves, but for now, the SIG is a decent choice. Who knows... maybe the FN SCAR rifle will be available in semi-auto form to civilians someday. All of these guns are in the same familiy feature-wise and all of them are good.
Last edited:
HorseSoldier
New member
- I hear from EVERYONE how nice the SIG 556 trigger is, and playing with it dry, it seems very nice. I'll have to try it with ammo to fully gage it's quality. It appeared very crisp after the long primary take-up. They say this is the SIG 556's greatest feature beside it's accuracy.
+1. Best feature of the rifle, in my opinion. The trigger is simply superb for a factory-stock sort of deal.
- No backup iron sights. My ACOG comes with a Doctor red dot scope on top for close quarters, but that sight is too high for a proper cheekweld. Lucky it's only used if the ACOG quits. I can live with this arrangement but it's not optimum.
I think you'll find you can do pretty good close range shooting, pretty fast, just using the magnified portion of the ACOG with both eyes open. It's not quite as fast as something like an EOTech, but it will get the job done.
- Barrel length is only 16". 5.56mm ammo was designed for and works best in 20" barrels, but I prefer shorter a barrel for compactness. You can't have it all.
If in doubt on terminal ballistics, use stuff like 77 grain Mk 262 or similar heavier loads (Hornady TAP 75 grain, etc.).
The past weekend I had the opportunity to fire a friend's new Sig 556. The trigger on this weapon is one of the worst I've ever had the displeasure of using. The first stage pull was very long and it was difficult to tell when the rifle was about to fire.
I'm no noobie to battle or assault rifles either and have used or owned everything from the M1 Garand, , M1A, FAL, AK, AR15, to even the SKS.
All of those older rifles have a better trigger than the Sig 556, including a 60 year old Russian SKS. Sad really considering the very high price demanded for the Sig.
$1,500 for a new rifle with a lousy trigger? Makes me wonder about the Sig fans out there...
I'm no noobie to battle or assault rifles either and have used or owned everything from the M1 Garand, , M1A, FAL, AK, AR15, to even the SKS.
All of those older rifles have a better trigger than the Sig 556, including a 60 year old Russian SKS. Sad really considering the very high price demanded for the Sig.
$1,500 for a new rifle with a lousy trigger? Makes me wonder about the Sig fans out there...