Anyone have any experience with a Sig 556?

[Guest nofearracer]

I was thinking about picking one up, and was wondering if anyone had any experience with one(good points/bad points etc.) that they would care to share?

[Guest gcrookston]

Too many people are comparing the 556 to an AR. It's not. The gas operating system is more accurately described as coming from the AK side of the EBR family tree with all the benefits and refinements and none of the flaws.

I've had one about a year. It was the Holo sight optioned model. Great Trigger, very accurate and reliable. But...

In my opinion they built this gun from the inside out to meet a certain price target. The further you get from the Sig-Swiss Watch quality of the basic assembly (Bolt, carrier, receiver, barrel, trigger), the cheaper the thing gets. The final finish is a rather fragile one-step-lower than krylon (a couple of mags worth of spent brass deflecting off the receiver's side and there's the patch of bare metal).

I think the stocks that came on mine were subcontracted to Hasbro. The optical sight that came with it was a cheap chinese job and generally the rifle has an initial chinsey feel. The emergency backup iron sights - well all I can say is if you have to rely on them, must be one heck of an emergency and I believe the rear sight could be easily torn off by a three year old high on sugar, while the front sight flops around just enough to make holding on a target impossible, unless it's the size of a mountainside.

The one thing they did do right with the stocks was with the foregrip by adding heat fins. Anyone that's shot a 551, including myself, notes that it rapidily gets hot in the area just foreward of the receiver.

I noted on the folding stock versions of this rifle I have examined that while they made the catch in the forestock to latch the rear in place when folded, no provision was made in the rear stock to receive the catch... just an annouying detail and evidence of the engineers shifting gears to meet the price target.

That's all the bad I have to say about it.

The good news is, Sig is making a limited number with 551 style stocks (I think they call it the "commando"). These stocks are now becoming available through some vendors. A company is making a reliable front iron sight for it now and diopter rear sights are available from various sources. It takes AR mags, so extras are cheap. The M13 type top railed receiver is rock solid.

I opted to keep the original forestock, but replaced the rear stock assembly with a Magpul PRS. I also stuck an IOR 10x on it using ARMS #22's. The 1:7 twist rate is my perferred and it throws 62gr wonderfully. The two stage trigger is another personal preference and the trigger is near match quality. I would judge it to be a 1 MOA rifle, maybe less, but I've not had an opportunity to really get on it and see.

I have read and heard Sig may be coming out with a sniper version, based on the 550-1 sniper. Put me down for one of those.

All in all, I think it's a fine rifle and fairly priced. It's flaws are easily corrected. 4 out of 5

[Guest VolDaddy]

Im drooling over the pistol verson. It screams to be SBRed.

[Guest Dean_JC78]

My brother in law has it. Its an awesome gun, I have been debating hard about trading up my AR for it. But then again I think.... SCAR baby!!! In a perfect world I could have both... in my world though I can only afford 1.

[Guest HexHead]

I've got one too. I got the optics ready model with the BUIS shortly after they first came available. I put Trijicon Tri-Power optics on it and it's a joy to shoot. The front feels a little heavy, but that really controls muzzle rise.

Being based on an AK, I put really cheap Russian ammo through it and it ate it like candy. An AR would have had a filthy chamber. It's very accurate, but it prefers ammo heavier than 55gr which is what you usually find.

I only had two complaints about it, the stupid screw assembly in the front take down, which I replaced with an Aurora pin and the adjustable butt stock seems a little loose to me. I'll probably replace it with a Mag-Pul CTR.

I've put hundreds of rounds through it with no hiccups or FTAnythings.

I have a couple of AR lowers I was originally thinking about building out. I went to the range with my 556 and a friend brought his AR. I like my 556 so much, I'm not so sure I'm going to bother building those lowers out.

[Guest nofearracer]

Thanks Guys, I think Im gonna pick one up, even if I have to gun broker it. Thanks again for the replys.

[GLOCKMEISTER]

we got some of the Sig 556 pistols coming... they are sweeeeeeet!!!!

[Guest gcrookston]

Im drooling over the pistol verson. It screams to be SBRed.

There's one that's been SBR'd hanging on the wall at HeroGear