The joint US-German-Swiss group SIG Sauer (a part of SIG Sauer GmbH & Co "and Swiss Arms AG and a North American subsidiary SIG Sauer Inc.) acts as one of the largest manufacturers of small arms weapons. The weapons produced by this group have proven themselves well in various countries of the world: from civil to military and law enforcement, the website reports all4shooters.com.
One of the most popular types of weapons from SIG Sauer - semi-automatic pistols, which are in service with the army and police from around the world. They are used by various types of private security companies, sports shooting clubs, and accurate shooting schools.
The SIG Sauer sports and tactical rifle lines, based on the American super popular AR-15, are well known. As a European addition to this model, technical projects SIG-540 / 550 were used. Professional shooters of Western Europe appreciated small arms of this type.
In 2014, the SIG Sauer group was marked by a new reliable construction series of modular rifles SIG556xi.
By and large, this is still the same SIG-550, but has undergone changes in design and modularity. Distributed the updated weapons to the American branch of the industrial group, and therefore the greatest interest in the new rifle originated in the United States and Canada. The main feature of this rifle is its increased versatility and the novelties of the modular principle, which lead to the convenience of its use.
The new system "Sig Sauer SIG556xi" basically has upper and lower parts of the receiver, made of blued steel, effectively resisting corrosion. The unity of design in this case is provided by the upper part of the receiver, which made it possible to combine the rifles into one series. Rifles may differ in the lower part of the receiver, which provides the possibility of universalization of small arms and, in particular, its use in different countries of the world, in which professional shooters prefer their own standardization of the weapon set. Thanks to this production approach, civilians will not have any problems with the acquisition of "Sig Sauer SIG556xi".
For shooters, a modified platform variation will be available - the SBR, which is distinguished by a constant butt and barrel with a length of 25,4.
The SIG556xi platform for small arms is distinguished by a three-position gas regulator that ensures reliable use of the weapon in various types of ammunition. The platform allows the addition of weapons such elements as a silencer and a device for leveling gas leaks. Rotating shutter can be easily disconnected from the slide frame. It is one of the components of the change in caliber used.
Replaceable components of this series of weapons is the barrel. It is produced by cold forging steel containing a certain percentage of chromium and molybdenum. The standard length of the barrel, if expressed in inches, is 16 d., But there is also a shortened version, which was already mentioned above - 10 inches (25,4 cm). For special needs, the company has established the release of interchangeable trunks midi-format: 14,5 inches.
Replaceable lower receiver allows you to use the following types of ammunition: 5.56x45mm (.223 Remington), 7.62xXNNUMXmm or .39 AAC "Blackout". Calibers of all types are capable of “servicing” the lower part of the receiver with the receiver STANAG 300 store for standard types of AR-4179 rifle magazine. Such universality has already received high marks from professional shooters. There is another option - the use of the Kalashnikov assault rifle magazine of the 15xXNNUMXmm caliber. This option even received the special name "SIG7.62xi Russian".
The “Russian” version of SIG556xi makes it possible to build bridges between old-style ammunition and new-type small arms. Many units that did not have time to part with large volumes of cartridges of caliber 7.62x39mm, in principle, with enthusiasm can take a new rifle. In fact, its appearance makes it possible to save quite well by refusing to dispose of old ammunition, if such ammunition meets the security parameters for the statute of limitations. The use of various variants of ammunition will allow you to use the enemy’s captured stores and cartridges - a very convenient option, because you will not have to change weapons for their use.
Small arms SIG556xi has a 2-sided magazine latch, a fuse and a slide delay. This equipment is made with the aim of enabling the convenient use of weapons. Modularity and interchangeability of weapon components are important parameters.
The factory version of the configuration is a folding stock, made by Swiss technology. It is made from polymeric materials, which reduces the overall weight of the weapon. The stock at the request of the owner can be easily replaced with a telescopic version with the main guide M1913 or a butt of a fixed type rifle AR-15.
Guides, made of aluminum, are located along the entire length of the upper part of the receiver. This is a variant of the Picatinny type MIL-STD-1913, which includes aiming devices and is ready to take over the installation of optical elements for aiming and more accurate firing. For the forearm of the weapon, three types of materials are provided: in addition to the above-mentioned aluminum and polymer compounds, such material as carbon fiber is used. Picatinny rail can also be used to install additional accessories.
The configuration of the trigger mechanism allows the shooter to easily switch to the fast-fire version mode and return to the semi-automatic version. This will effectively solve the problems faced by the owners of rifles. Manufacturers note that civilian rifle lines are completed in such a way that they could not be modularly converted into military versions. But at the disposal of civilian owners, there will be a fully automatic 10-inch rifle barrel. Such weapons will be equipped with a stabilization system to ensure the quality control of the weapon in the process of firing from different positions.
According to preliminary data, civilians will be able to purchase a SIG556xi rifle in the US market. Its price will be about $ 2000, although this is the price of the base model, which does not take into account the cost of a number of components. Sports and hunting clubs in the United States have already expressed a desire to purchase a series of rifles of this type for their needs.
But the entry of the European versions of this weapon from the "Sig Sauer" group will take about half a year to come. If you believe the data that became available to journalists during the exhibition "IWA 2014", held in Germany, then sales of European rifles will start in January 2015.
