SIG 550
| SIG 550 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| general information | |
| Civil name: | SIG 550 |
| Military designation: | Assault rifle 90 (Stgw 90) |
| Country of operation: | see usage |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | SIG Holding / Swiss Arms |
| Manufacturer country: | Switzerland |
| Production time: | since 1981 |
| Model variants: | see model variants |
| Weapon Category: | Assault rifle |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 1000 mm, folded: 772 mm |
| Total height: | 210 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.1 kg |
| Sight length : | 540 mm |
| Barrel length : | 528 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 5.56 × 45 mm (Gw Pat 90) |
| Possible magazine fillings : | 5, 10, 20, 30, 100 ( drum magazine ) cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Curve magazine |
| Cadence : | (depending on the position of the gas nozzle) 600 or 900 shots / min |
| Fire types: | Single shot , 3-shot burst , continuous fire |
| Number of trains : | 6th |
| Twist : | 178 mm (7 "), 254 mm (10") |
| Visor : | Rear sight |
| Mounting system: |
Picatinny rail (optional) |
| Closure : | Turret lock |
| Charging principle: | indirect gas pressure charger |
| Lists on the subject | |
The SG550 or SIG 550 , as a military version also assault rifle 90 , abbreviated Stgw 90 , is a light assault rifle in caliber 5.56 × 45 mm , which was developed and manufactured by the Swiss industrial society . It is the standard weapon of the Swiss Army . To date, around 450,000 assault rifles 90 have been delivered to the Swiss Army. The French name of the weapon is Fusil d'assaut 90 , the Italian Fucile d'assalto 90 , it is abbreviated in both languages as barrel 90 . The civil version SG 550 PE is also very popular with sport shooters and has been sold over 33,000 times in Switzerland alone.
history
In the early 1980s, the Swiss Army was looking for a replacement for the 57 assault rifle . In order to guarantee independence from abroad, only domestic companies were able to manufacture the new rifle.
After various previous models ( SIG 540 and model variants of this), a prototype series of the SIG 550 and the model C 42 of the federal government were simultaneously produced on behalf of the then GRD (Group for Armaments Service) . Waffenfabrik Bern (W + F) manufactured the 6.45 mm and 5.56 × 45 mm NATO calibers and also promoted the development of the two calibers in the Thun and Wimmis ammunition factories . Ultimately, the SIG 550 in caliber 5.56 mm was chosen as the winner and from 1981 the weapon was tested in troop trials. After numerous endurance tests, it was officially introduced in 1983 as " suitable for military service " with the designation Sturmgewehr 90 (Stgw 90) and gradually replaced its predecessor. The rifle is manufactured today by SAN Swiss Arms AG, the successor to SIG Arms AG. The name SIG 550 changed with the change to SG 550 .
properties
precision
In contrast to most assault rifles, the SG 550 does not work with a direct trigger, but with a pressure point trigger , which promotes precision shooting. Due to the low manufacturing tolerances, the forged, cold-hammered and hardened barrel and the Gw-Pat-90 ammunition, the SG 550 is one of the most precise assault rifles in the world. The heavy barrel is also responsible for the relatively high weight for an assault rifle. In order to be able to install a heavy barrel at all, plastic was used for many parts in order to reduce the weight again. Before delivery, all weapons are tested for precision by the manufacturer. The scattering circles with normal Swiss army ammunition (Gw Pat 90) must not exceed a diameter of 11 cm at a distance of 300 m in a series of 10, otherwise the rifle must be reworked. Accordingly, in principle every assault rifle in the Swiss Army can meet this requirement.
Obedience
In general, the models of the SG-550 line are very easy to handle, not front-heavy and easy to grasp. Big hands do not have enough space on the pistol grip, but this is a minor problem due to the rounded end. In tight spaces, such as in house-to-house warfare, the piston can be folded in without restricting its function.
Controllability
Bursts of fire can be controlled relatively well with all models of the SG-550 line; the rifle only has a slight throw, which is easy to control, even with the very short, lighter SG553 .
handling
Fuse
The SG 550 has a safety device that can be operated from both sides and also serves as a fire selector lever . In addition to single and continuous fire, the SG-550 line also has a burst setting which fires three shots when the trigger is pulled. The positions are marked as 1, 3 and 20. The fire selector lever can be prevented by a series fire lock from reaching positions 3 and 20, after which only the positions single fire and safe can be used. To activate / deactivate the series fire lock, the trigger housing must be separated from the barrel assembly. When the series fire lock is activated, a white point can be seen on the left side of the weapon.
Deduction
The trigger is a pressure point trigger, which breaks at about 35 N. The trigger guard can be rotated 90 ° to the right or left to gain unhindered access to the trigger. This is because the trigger guard does not leave enough space to pull the trigger with thick gloves .
Bolt catch
When the magazine is empty, the slide is held in the open position by the slide catch . This is pushed up by the magazine spring. If the slide moves backwards and over the slide catch, its forward movement is prevented. Now the magazine can be changed, the slide catch now being held by the slide, which is pushed forward by the slide spring. The force of the built-in spring in the slide catch is insufficient to overcome the friction between the slide catch and the slide. By operating the slide catch lever on the left side of the weapon, the slide catch is pressed down and releases the slide. Alternatively, the slide can be pushed back with the loading lever , so that it no longer holds the slide catch and thus also releases the slide, provided the slide catch is not pushed upwards by an empty magazine. For right-handed shooters (weapon shouldered on the right, right hand on the pistol grip), the slide catch lever can be operated with the left hand, which is also used to change the magazine. Left-handed shooters can reach the slide catch lever with the trigger finger, since the magazine is changed with the right hand and the slide catch lever is on the left.
Magazine ejection
The magazine eject lever is located in the middle of the rifle in front of the trigger guard. As a result, the magazine can be grasped by hand and the magazine eject lever can be operated at the same time. Alternatively, you can reach the magazine eject lever with the trigger finger.
technology
function
The SG 550 is an indirect gas pressure charger , which means that the gas pressure acts via the piston and piston rod and not directly on the lock as with the American M16 . The technique of reloading and the structure of the bolt and bolt carrier is very similar to an AKM . The gas pressure required for automatic reloading is fed from a barrel hole at the muzzle into the gas cylinder; the piston with the piston rod inside is accelerated backwards and transfers the movement to the bolt carrier. The forced cam in the bolt carrier first turns the rotary head bolt and unlocks it, then this is also pulled back by the bolt carrier. The case is pulled out of the turret lock and ejected by the case ejector.
Now the gas pressure in the gas cylinder has dropped and the spring around the piston rod moves it, the bolt carrier and the rotary head bolt forward again. The rotating head lock takes a new cartridge from the magazine, if available, and pushes it into the chamber . The bolt is now fully seated on the chamber and is locked via the forced cam in the bolt carrier while the latter ends its way up to the stop.
No hot combustion gases are directed back into the interior of the weapon through the piston rod. Soiling in the locking system through residues of the burned propellant charge and the associated loading jams can thus be prevented.
The difference to the Kalashnikov system is that the lock spring is not attached behind the lock, but surrounds the piston rod behind the gas piston.
In a series of tests by the Swiss Army, the Stgw 90 was tested under combat conditions. After firing five 20 magazines, pauses were taken to let the barrel cool down; around 15,000 rounds were fired with a single rifle without cleaning the rifle in between. There were no jams, material fatigue or loss of precision.
construction
The SG-550 series can be disassembled into its main components in less than a minute. To do this, the two ball lock pins that connect the trigger housing and barrel assembly must first be pulled out. After removing the trigger housing, the lower and upper handguards can be pulled out of the front sight holder. To dismantle the gas pipe and the gas rod, the loading lever must first be pulled out of the lock, because this connects the lock and the gas rod. Then a spring-loaded bolt is pressed down on the gas nozzle and the gas pipe is rotated 90 °. The gas pipe can now be removed together with the gas nozzle and gas rod.
Barrel assembly
The barrel and sights are firmly connected to each other so that the sights are always matched to the barrel and a good shot pattern is maintained (is checked at the factory).
Sights
The positions 1, 2, 3 and 4 can be set on the sight drum:
- Position 1 - open visor as an escape visor for close combat as well as with two tritium gas light sources attached to the side and the opened night front sight as a night sight.
- Position 2 - combat sight. Sight adjustment for 200 m.
- Position 3 - For the 300-meter shooting range, aiming at the center of the target (“Fleck” stop).
- Position 4 - “Red 3 / White 4” for the 300-meter shooting range with a stop at the lower edge of the target (stop “black six”). A grub screw is screwed into a hole in this rear sight hole. If this is removed, this position can be used as an alternative close combat sight up to 100 m. In addition, when the threaded pin is unscrewed, an iris diaphragm can be fitted for shooting when the gun is out of service. At the “Fleck” stop, this sight position is designed for 400 meters.
A night grain can be opened on the block grain, which, like the sight position 1, is provided with a tritium gas light source.
Gas nozzle
With the SG-550 line, the amount of gas required to ensure proper functioning can be controlled by switching the gas nozzle from a smaller to a larger through-hole. The gas nozzle is located at the front end of the gas cylinder under the front sight and can be adjusted by hand. Basically, shooting is done in the "vertical" position so as not to unnecessarily strain the rifle and not to increase the recoil. If it is very dirty or iced up, the gas nozzle is moved to the second position in order to prevent feed or ejection problems. With a clean rifle under normal conditions, changing the gas nozzle increases the rate of fire to up to 1000 rounds / min, but can also cause feed or ejection problems.
Trigger housing and buttstock
The trigger mechanism and the hammer are housed in the trigger housing and are attached to the barrel assembly by means of two ball lock pins. It is also used to hold the magazine and attach the shoulder rest to it. The buttstock can be folded to the right (looking from the buttock towards the muzzle) and locked with a clamp, which makes the weapon 226 mm shorter. So the weapon can be comfortably carried on the chest or back for non-combat-related shifting. Since this does not result in any functional restrictions (however, coupled magazines can no longer be used), this is often used in confined spaces.
Magazines
The magazines are made of impact-resistant, transparent plastic . This makes them 30% lighter than metal magazines , and the charge status is visible with inserted magazines with nine or more cartridges. 20-round magazines are produced with cams on one side and with receptacles for the cams on the opposite side. This means that magazines can theoretically be linked without limits for a quick change in the so-called “jungle style” (although more than three pieces are not practical). 5- and 10-round magazines without cams as well as 30-round magazines with and without cams and 100-round Beta-C magazines are also available.
ammunition
The Swiss Army uses the Rifle Cartridge 90, Gw Pat 90 for short, in caliber 5.6x45 Swiss GP 90 , rounded up by the Army to 5.6 mm. It differs only minimally from the NATO M193 ammunition, which weighs 55 grains in contrast to the Gw Pat 90 with 4 g or 62 grains. In combination with the Gw Pat 90, the SG 550-1 with a twist length of 254 mm (10 inches ) is used in the Swiss Army as well as in the Swiss rifle clubs . Versions with a twist length of 178 mm (7 inches) are also produced for export, as this is more common for the mostly lighter caliber 5.56 bullets.
Model variants
SG 550
The SG 550 is the standard, regular size model. The SG 550-1 was introduced into the Swiss Army under the designation Sturmgewehr 90 ( Stgw 90 for short ) and is sold as a personal weapon. The lower hand guard is equipped with a bipod .
SG 550-1 sniper
The sniper version is no longer in production. It was one of the few sniper rifles in caliber 5.56 × 45 mm .
SG 551
The SG 551 is the shortened version, which are manufactured as Long Barrel (LB) and Short Barrel (SB) . It is particularly suitable for use in the maritime environment. The GL 5140 grenade launcher can be mounted on both versions , but the bayonet only on the LB version. The SG 551 is used by the GSG 9 , among others .
SG 553
With almost the dimensions of a submachine gun, the SG 553 is the most compact version. The predecessor SG 552 was the only model in the series that featured a shortened gas rod with the closing spring behind the lock. This must be held when opening. The SG 552 has not been produced since 2008. It was replaced by the externally structurally identical SG 553 . The throttle rod and the closing spring have been changed, which now form a unit like the larger models. A uniform loading lever has now also been used. This means that the SG 553 no longer has a spring behind the lock, but on the gas rod as with all models. There is also a Long Barrel (LB) and Short Barrel (SB) version, whereby GL 5340 grenade launcher and bayonet can only be mounted on the LB version .
The SG 553 LB without a diopter visor, but with a Picatinny rail , was introduced into the Swiss Army as the assault rifle 04 (Stgw 04) . Since 2013 it has been called the Sturmgewehr 07 (Stgw 07). It is KSK units such as the parascouts , Grenadier , MP Spec Det and the AAD 10 output as Corps weapon. It is therefore not a personal weapon that is taken home after work, but it is withdrawn again. The Stgw 04 is in an official gun case with five 30-shot magazines , additional hand protection with Picatinny rails, a front handle, a white light lamp, a Trijicon ACOG -Zieloptik, a aimpoint - reflex sight , an infrared -Zielbeleuchter for use with night vision equipment and packed in an NGST strap.
Model overview
All versions are optionally available with a diopter visor or Picatinny rail as well as semi-automatic civil versions (PE) in accordance with the Swiss Weapons Act . Soldiers in the Swiss Army have the opportunity to take over their personal Stgw 90 after their service with a valid weapons acquisition certificate for a fee in private property. These weapons are then modified so that they can no longer be operated in the 3-shot automatic and series fire, but only fire semi-automatically.
| designation | length | Barrel length | Sight length | Gun weight | Muzzle energy | Grenade launcher | bayonet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG 550 (Stgw 90) | 998 mm / 772 mm | 528 mm | 540 mm | 4.1 kg | 1700 joules | GL 5040 | mountable |
| SG 550-1 sniper | 1128 mm / 912 mm | 658 mm | 670 mm | 7 kg | k. A. | not mountable | not mountable |
| SG 551 long barrel | 924 mm / 698 mm | 454 mm | 466 mm | 3.6 kg | 1600 joules | GL 5140 | mountable |
| SG 551 short barrel | 833 mm / 607 mm | 363 mm | 466 mm | 3.4 kg | 1460 joules | GL 5140 | not mountable |
| SG 553 Long Barrel (Stgw 04/07) | 822 mm / 592 mm | 347 mm | 360 mm | 3.4 kg | 1345 joules | GL 5340 | mountable |
| SG 553 short barrel | 733 mm / 503 mm | 258 mm | 340 mm | 3.2 kg | 1240 joules | not mountable | not mountable |
| SG 553 R LB (Russian) 7.62x39 | 810 mm | 303 mm | 339 mm | 3.0 kg | 1900 joules | mountable | mountable |
equipment
The Picatinny 4-rail handguard milled from aluminum enables the simultaneous installation of optical aiming aids / night vision devices and tactical lights such as laser and white light. The lower rail allows a vertical handle and / or a bipod to be mounted at the front. The Picatinny handguard can be attached or removed in seconds without tools and is available for all versions.
Instead of the lower hand guard, the SG 550 (Stgw 90) variants can be fitted with the GL 5040 grenade launcher , the GL 5140 with the SG 551 LB and the GL 5340 with the SG 553 LB (Stgw 04) . It cannot be mounted on SG versions without a bayonet bracket (e.g. US versions). The grenade launcher is also suitable for police operations as a primary intervention weapon. It weighs 2.5 kg without the grenade, and its operational range is between 25 and 200 meters. There are different types of projectile available (stun grenade, CN irritants, high explosive / fragmentation grenades, etc.).
Rifles of the SG-550 series, which with the diopter are equipped -Visierung, different can scope carrier and Picatinny and Weaver accommodate rail carrier. These are equipped with a pin that is inserted into a hole in the rear sight mount. With the quick-release system, the pin is spring-loaded and thus presses the carrier onto the counter holder; with the screw clamping, the pin is connected to the carrier via a thread and is unscrewed during assembly and thus driven into the mounting hole until the carrier is pressed firmly against the counter holder . In the shooting range, a case deflector is also mounted through this carrier holder, which is intended to prevent the cartridge cases from flying to the shooter lying next to them and thus prevent their irritation.
The trigger housing made of steel can be replaced by one made of aluminum , this brings a weight saving of about 100 g. Also made of aluminum the trigger housing for the US was developed -Markt and STANAG - magazines from as M16 can hold.
The collapsible shoulder rest can be fitted with a cheek rest, which makes long-term aiming more comfortable. A shoulder rest that can be retracted and folded in two steps by 20 mm can also be used, but this makes it impossible to use a cheek rest.
On the models SG 550 (Stgw 90) , SG 551 LB and SG 553 LB (Stgw 04) , the bayonet 90 are mounted. This has a total length of 310 mm and a blade length of 180 mm. The blade is single-edged and has no fuller . The bayonets are manufactured exclusively for the Swiss Army by Victorinox and in the past by Wenger until Victorinox took over Wenger in 2005. With a suitable adapter, the M-9 of the M16 and the M4 can also be used.
Every soldier in the Swiss Army who is equipped with the Stgw 90 also receives the associated bayonet , cleaning kit and a shoulder strap.
use
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Switzerland - The SG 550 is the assault rifle 90 (Stgw 90) issued the standard rifle of the Swiss Army and as a personal weapon, the SG 553 LB is the assault rifle 04 (Stgw 04) in the CH KSK used -
Germany - The GSG 9 uses the SG 551
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France - The French army uses the SG 551
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India - The National Security Guard uses the SG 551
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United States - The Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI use the SG 551 and SG 553
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Vatican City - The Swiss Guard uses the Stgw 90
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Egypt - various elements of the Egyptian security forces use different versions of the Stgw 90
Picture gallery
Grenadier of the Swiss Army , equipped with a SG 550
Soldier armed with the SG 550 .
SG 550 with bayonet and shoulder strap
SG 551 SB with attached GL 5140
Sharpened 20-round magazine
Rotatable diopter visor drum
Sight drum in position 1 and opened night grain with tritium gas light sources
literature
- SIG (Swiss Industrial Association): SIG assault rifle SG 550 and SG 551, caliber 5.56 mm , technical manufacturer documentation and operating instructions. ( online at archive.org )
- Swiss Confederation; Swiss Army: 5.6 mm assault rifle 1990 (5.6 mm Stgw 90). Documentation 53.096.01 d, as of November 1, 2011
- Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun, Wilfried Copenhagen : Rifle weapons (1945–1985) . In: Illustrated encyclopedia of rifles from around the world . 5th edition. tape 1 + 2 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-89488-057-0 , p. 384-388 .
- Armin Seremek: Condition increased - SG 552/553 conversion. In: Deutsches Waffen-Journal . 06/2014, pp. 60-65.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ SG 550 / PE 90 assault rifle. Retrieved September 26, 2017 .
- ↑ Andrea Micheli: SIG 55X STGW90. (PDF; 1.4 MiB) In: K-ISOM “International Special Operations Magazine”. Katrin Schulz, November 2009, pp. 46–52 , accessed April 1, 2015 .
- ↑ SIG SG 550 Assault Rifle. In: military-today.com. Retrieved March 31, 2015 .
- ↑ The STG.90 Page. In: swissrifles.com. Retrieved March 31, 2015 .
- ^ Russell C. Tilstra: The Battle Rifle. Development and Use Since World War II. In: books.google.de. Pp. 63–70 , accessed on March 31, 2015 (English).
- ↑ Regulations for Assault Rifle 90 (PDF), p. 75.
- ↑ RUAG Ammotec data sheet ( Memento from June 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ cf. Data sheet M193 ( Memento from June 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ SIG 55X STGW90. (PDF; 1.4 MiB) Retrieved December 21, 2012 .
- ↑ Personal equipment: armament. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013 ; Retrieved December 21, 2012 .
- ↑ SIG 55X STGW90. (PDF; 1.4 MiB) Retrieved December 21, 2012 .
- ↑ The secret heroes of the Rhine. (PDF) In: caliber. 2006, p. 17 , archived from the original on July 16, 2011 ; Retrieved October 6, 2012 .
- ^ SIG 551 July 7, 2010, accessed October 6, 2012 (French).
- ↑ Shishir Gupta: Post 26/11, NSG aims for corner shot weapons, 'through-the-wall' radars. In: The Indian Express. November 6, 2009, archived from the original on November 11, 2009 ; accessed on October 6, 2012 (English).
- ↑ TERRY DATE: Exeter's Sigarms gets $ 115 million federal rifle contract. In: Foster's Online. July 11, 2003, archived from the original on July 11, 2011 ; accessed on October 6, 2012 (English).
- ↑ The assault rifle. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. January 30, 2011, accessed October 6, 2012 .
- ^ With-Swiss-rifles-in-the-fight-against-Islamists. In: Tagesanzeiger. November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2013 .
- ↑ The white adhesive strips on the weapons are used to seal weapons that are aimed at people for training purposes. They are thus marked as uncharged.