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Armalite: "Go on, it's only an AR, it won't bite, hold it." Brandon: "Nope, you can't make me, I'm a big boy and I don't have to!" SIG: "What if we make it a bit more AK?" Brandon: "... Go on?"
As I was in the swiss military, we had a very similar gun, our stgw 90 or sig 550. It is very similar. The mechanics and insides are basicly the same. I personally shot several houndred rounds in a simulation without any jamming ever. Therefore I can say it is extremely reliable. The "weird" trigger thing is for accurate shooting, you pull until there ant if you pull a little more it will shoot, this is used in long distance shooting 300m or in extra long distance 600m with a scope. The gumm lips protect your fingers and also prevents dirt from entering, it will stay there for 1000ds of rounds, never had a problem with that. They decided for the sprivg on the piston thing mainly to reduce the number of parts. And SIG got ARs and AKs and other rifles and took the "best" from it when developng the sig550
"Why did SIG decide to do it this way?" Because putting the recoil spring on the gas piston makes the action silky buttery smooth, and allows the gun to be a little shorter, Brandon.
@@MajTom101 You'd think that by eliminating the need for a spring loaded guide rod would allow it to be a little cheaper... but they went and replaced the guide rod with something even more expensive to make.
The spring in the gas piston also exposes it to super hot gases from firing. Spring steal is delicately heat treated. I'm skeptical this spring system would be as reliable as the traditional AKM system. Would be interesting to see a torture test.
@@EliAngwin Well the "standart" Ak for the russian army is the same o better then Krink sooo it really depends on your point of view what you count as standart...
Brandon might be *saying* that this is an AK, but what really sells it is how he skips the foregrip and just holds the magwell, proving the he *thinks* it's an AK, too
Really cool to see the SIG 55x series represented! The gums are effectively there to prevent dirt and other things to get into the action as "loose tolerances" and swiss engineering and manufacturing are two opposite things.
It is worth noting that this platform was also available in 7.62x39. I've got one, as well as two 5.56x45 models, and it's even more AK-ish without losing almost any of the benefits Brandon noted.
@@nicholaspatton5590 He is the Unabomber. Google it. Kids these days. Also, Even if it was a CIA-backed program that made him insane, he shouldn't be free. He is a dangerous, deranged terrorist.
The trigger mechanism is for improved accuracy. You pull untill you feel the second resistance, and from there it only needs a little more pressure to fire so you exactly know when it will fire and dont jank the gun with the trigger finger
At first I was like “duh,” but then I suddenly felt old realizing that that this content is relevant and useful, because the old AK forums and AR forums of yester-decade (actually... it was the decade before that) taught a whole different generation that the Sig 55x series of rifles are really just Gucci AKs. There’s been a whole generation since I last had this conversation! Also, you can’t buy a WASR for $350, an SKS for $200 and a Mosin Nagant for $79.99 anymore. Sigh. Let’s go Brandon!
@@angrydragonslayer They aren't true Finns unless they pulled those mosins from the hands of frozen Russian soldiers at Raatteentie, as a Finn I would know, it is tradition among my people.
I had the SIG 550 (longer barrel Swiss army standart infantry rifle). Never thought of it as an AK, but I can see where Brandon comes from. Personaly I like the low recoil and accuracy, though the accuracy comes partially from the quality of the swiss ammunition not just the gun itself. Looking at the 55X Series as versatile guns granting high stats allaround. What I experienced as a downside is the tendency to being negatively affected by dirt and mud. Also in Comparison to other ARs it starts to have Problems reloading after about 300 rounds due to the hole transitioning gas from the barrel to the gasloader being cloacked up. Luckily you can twist the cap on the gasloader to the alternative gas inlet, this one is slightly bigger and as consequence of higher gas volume and pressure let through into the gasloader it brings rpm up from 600 to 900. In Reality this isn't really useful as soldiers usualy use single or impuls mode. Still the faster movement of the reload piston increases recoil and lowering accuracy. Still my weapon of choice, keep in mind that every swiss Soldier is able to hit a target at 300m. Under ideal conditions and using a scope really good shooters are able to hit targets from up to 800m distance. Honestly there is no practical appliance to use a 5.56 at this range, I still think it is really impressive for an AR to be able to do that.
I was Jungschütz when I started studying the mechanics of different guns and realized the 550 is exactly the same as an AK. It's ARs that confuse me for their weird useless things like forward assists and the rear pull thing. Why would anyone make a gun like that, that's stupid.
@@InternetStudiesGuy charging handle at the top makes it ambidextrous charging. Forward assist I almost never used, but on a few occasions it did help get the bolt back into battery after a brass check that I guess wasn't far enough rearward for the recoil spring to seat the bolt properly.
I’ve run a Sig556 since it was my duty rifle years ago. There are a couple small aftermarket upgrades that make a huge difference, a shootingsight match trigger and a push button captured take down pin are fantastic upgrades
That shootingsight trigger is a work of art, it’s still spongy with a little too much travel but there is a more noticeable wall and a very crisp break
You guys are aware that the trigger is adjustable with a 7mm wrench right? My 2 556's are near match grade in my opinion. And a Hogue pistol grip allows easy manipulation of all fire controls.
Wait until he discovers that when Sig updated this rifle line to the "XI" series, they also released a model called the Sig "556Xi-Russian" that is chambered in 7.62x39 and accepts standard AK mags! I used to own one, but unfortunately sold it to pay some important Bill's a year or two ago. It was an awesome rifle, and it sort of felt like a very refined, and exceptionally well built AK that is to standard lower end AK's, what a higher end luxury sports car like a Ferrari, or the newest model of Corvette is compared to maybe a 1990's or 2000's era Chevy S10 Blazer. The Chevy will certainly get you where you're going, nearly every time, and is perfectly adequate and enjoyable for most people. But the '21 Corvette or a Ferrari gives you a whole different driving experience, one that's tough to explain, but anyone who appreciates fine things will instantly understand when they FEEL it for themselves!
They discontinued the entire 556 series in 2017. Not even their Swiss made companions at Swiss Arms makes the 556 series as they now solely focus on their military rifles used by the Swiss Army.
@@chaoschaoforever while this is true, the sg553r still is chambered in x39, takes most AK mags, and is still in production. Furthermore, the 556 line was always made with compromises to bring the cost down for the US market. If you want a 'rolex AK', the 550, 551, 553... etc. are definitely the way to go.
@@MajTom101 It just sucks we cannot get the TRUE 550 series here in the US because of the law that required certain components to be made here. Think how much money SIG (or Swiss Arms) could make if that wasn't a thing. All the money I tell you, ALL OF IT.
@@chaoschaoforever That's... not the case. I have a 550, 751p, and 553rp. They can be imported as pistols. Just definitely don't attach a stock without 922(r) compliance
I almost feel honored that my first AR/AK purchase from nearly 10 years ago is being in a way up talked by you.$2,000 now guess I did good when I purchased it for a thousand back then.. fast forward to today have taken my gun knowledge much further with a honorable amount of purchases and Imo I have put thousands of rounds through this gun and it is unbelievably reliable it's quite heavy versus standard AR builds but it also doesn't feel cheap it feels well built everything about it cycles properly and I've never had to adjust my gas piston due to fail the fires- ejects. awesome seeing this keep it up dude
Videos like this make me thankfull to be a Swiss citizen, This is our service rifle (not exactly this one but the sig 550 which is more like a "Basic" version of this) and we get to keep it free of charge as a gift from the gouvernement after our mandatory military service.
you euros have a really fucked definition of "free" when it comes out of your taxes first and is then granted to you after years of work you were compelled to perform
I remember sitting in a train between Bern and Geneva, a regiment of anti air troops came in at one station, dumped their gear, including rifles and a few belt fed machine guns and all walked off down the train to the refreshments wagon, leaving me to drool over the hardware. 4 other Swiss guys in the carriage never batted an eyelid, most normal thing in the world…
@@jameskazd9951 I got the chance to shoot an MP-41/44 or as it is better known in Switzerland, the Furrer MP this summer. And boy is it a swiss meme in gun form. It is extremely well machined and it has a match grade two-stage trigger. Who the hell fits that on an SMG? XD
I wouldn't really call this the "adopted" cousin as it is the European cousin period. SIG (now Swiss Arms) were using a roller delayed blowback system in SG510 (similar to the HK G3 and the CETME rifle they copied) from the early 50s and when 5.56 became a NATO standard in the 60s, SIG needed to develop a rifle in that caliber. They tried a gas assisted roller delayed system that was too complicated and expensive to make (called the SG530-1). So they opted for the long stroke piston system the famous AK was using and created the SG540 in the early 70s (which ultimately was relegated to an export weapon instead of a main combat rifle). They revisited this design in the 90s when it was time to finally replace the SG510 they had been using since the 50s, updated it, and created the now famous SG550 family that became their main combat rifle (which has the 551, 552 (replaced by the 553) ,553 (carbine) and 550 Sniper with the now discontinued 556 series being their civilian line for the US). So this really is the AK's distant cousin from Switzerland, not exactly adopted but definitely distant!
@@vojtechkonvalina7115 Never heard of the 550 family suffering from that problem. I guess an arms manufacturer in switzerland in the 1980s had access to somewhat better materials and manufacturing techniques than one in 1920s soviet russia...
@@Bird_Dog00 No doubt about that. Also it's not supossed to be a light machinegun. I just mentioned it as potential issue, you need to work around if you don't shove the spring behind bolt carrier :) Also CZ BREN comes to my mind with the piston and its return spring around it.
@@fr4me.01 no they didn’t ban the ammo, they banned all Russian MADE ammunition. The problem is Americans have relied on Russian made ammo for decades now for AK’s/Mosin’s/SKS’s so there is no domestic manufacturing activity
@@chrisc2920 I can't imagine it would take much effort for existing companies in America to set up tooling for Russian calibers though. Especially regarding the low financial risk, considering the popularity of some of those calibers.
@@TheVaff3l you wildly underestimate the expense involved. It wouldn't just be new tooling, it would be new factories. American ammo manufacturers can't even keep up with demand for the cartridges they already make, they're not gonna switch their current operations to something new, they'd build new factories, if anything, which would cost millions. Even if they do so, it will take years for them to be fully operational and prices will be extremely high. Russian ammo was dirt cheap because those factories have been fully paid off for decades at this point.
You missed a couple of gucci items. 1. The trigger guard can be moved out of the way for gloved hands by using a 556 round to depress the captured pin. 2. There is a backup rear sight under the rear diopter sight, just in case. 3. The trigger plunger can be adjusted to give a nice crisp break with no overtravel. 4. The grip has a storage compartment in it.
Very happy I bought my 556 Classic SWAT in 2020 for $899. Criminally underrated rifle whose only problems are weight and complete and utter lack of replacement or aftermarket parts. I think about selling mine for an AR all the time as its my only rifle, but the damn thing runs like a sewing machine and never malfunctions!
Oh for $899 even in this market you could certainly find reliable AR’s. I’m sure the value is up on that sig as well. My first AR was a sig that I got at the biggest gun show in the world that happens in Tulsa Oklahoma each year and it has had 0 malfunction, that weren’t something like a bad primer on a bullet, in my use and I shoot a lot.
Don't do it, unless you're gotta sell it to me! First got the 16inch swat back in 2017. Got lucky finding the 10.5inch swat "pistol" with a extra lower. ARs are nice but the sig swat is definitely worth keeping!
I've had my 556 for 12 years. It does make me nervous not being able to get parts. I keep hoping that Sig will have a re-run someday on its parts/spring package. 12 years in, I have never had to clear a malfunction. It loves higher grain ammo.
The moment I heard you say "What the hell is this?" I had immediately noticed that Gandalf picture and burst out laughing. You sir are a man of culture.
5:15 from what I know from my military training with Sig 550 (556 is probably more a updated version than a reference to the caliber), it is done like that in order to feel exactly when the shot is fired. It adds confidence and precision
Hey Brandon! Beautiful gun! The trigger plunger is to help force reset and prevent icing. There are two nuts (heh) hidden by the pistol grip. If you remove the grip you can adjust its engagement point to your liking. Enjoy!
What this guy said. 👆 I have 2 and both triggers are near match grade in my opinion. A 7mm wrench should do it. Also the Hogue pistol grip makes the fire controls on par with the AR.
Having owned this gun for nearly a decade I was shocked to see a video on it. It's been a workhorse for me, thousands of rounds with zero functionality issues. The pin that holds the stock to the receiver sheared off at some point years ago, but otherwise it's still the same as when I bought it. Fun fact: if you're shooting for long periods of time with dirty ammo and it starts to get gunked up you can turn the end of the gas piston to allow more force for proper cycling. The Saiga 12 has a similar setup to compensate for different shotgun loads, another design feature from the AK family!
Hey Brandon! Just putting it out there that I actually really like it when you get into the technical elements of the guns about which you're passionate. I think it's really cool to show the knowledge and expertise you actually have on the subject of firearms design concepts, and enjoy it when you focus less on the macho and more on the technical and realistic. This was a really interesting video to watch, to appreciate how a rifle that doesn't look especially AK-esque from the outside, has enough AK-adjacent internals so as to be relevant to the AK platform. I'd definitely like to see more intellectually-focused content in your videos, and think this video is a great example of how good such material can be.
@@pigeon5726 ashely duggen was the guy in carnikcon, a prescurser to what modern guntubers are. he also is a very intelligent cat whos rants and ramblings have for sure enlightened a lot of people. He has MS and needs our help. And Jstark was a prominent member of the 3d printing gun community, and a big part of the FGC-9. He was killed by the state for supporting the rights of free speech and self preservation. watch plastic defense to get a window into who he was Both are huge figures in their communities and we need to support them.
8:17 The SG552 got the recoil spring in the back. Unfortunately there were issues with that design, it caused in some cases a malfunction which would disable the gun from firing. Thats why Sig choose with the SG553 to redesign the recoil spring position, which is now in the front. Problem solved.
@@Prizrak-hv6qk The Recoil-Spring is braided out of multiple strands. I'm no engineer nor inot metalurgy, but i assume that is a beneficial design, since the spring on my 550 has yet to show any damage after over 10'000 rounds.
That said, the original gun and basis for this whole 55X line, the SG550, had the recoil spring at the front from the beginning, they only changed it for the 552 and went back to front for the 553
@@Prizrak-hv6qk the 550 has a tendency to get the piston stuck to the cap of the gass tube. Wont stop it from firing, is just a pain when you try to clean it. it Will happily do full auto, and as far as i know the front plastic parts will start to melt before the metal geat any serious deformations.
@@RolandtheThompsonGunner The Germans make everything complicated and high quality, the Swiss make it simpler (at least recently) and super high quality.
Most of the components are actually quite similar to the SIG-550, which is the standard issue rifle used by the Swiss Army. The 'plunger' is actually a nut ("Stopmutter") and can be adjusted to change the trigger point (how far you pull back the trigger before the shot goes off).
Actually the swiss army uses StGw 90s whitch are basically the same. I'm totally with you the trigger is awkward but when you get used to it it quiet nice. Greeting from Switzerland
That's what I always think when I watch these kind of videos, you get good with what you use. RUclipsrs always say, it's not as good as an AR trigger (or anything else AR) but that's because they have grown up with them and anything different is problematic. If you are using something with a different feel to it but not bad, your training solves it and you become efficient with it. Sometimes even bad triggers can work good unless you're on a sharpshooting match, especially with equally good shooters.
You guys the trigger is an ADJUSTABLE 2 stage that can be near match grade with a 7mm wrench. I have 2 556's and they blow the stock m4 away (when adjusted.)
I'd like to add something to that. The swiss military gives the StGw 90 (SIG 550) as the basic equipment for their troops. Specialized units like the Grenadier units, be it Panzergrenadier (Tank Grenadier) MP Grenadier (Seems kind of obvious) or just the regular Grenadier troops, sometimes even the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) can recieve the SIG 553 as their main weapon, as these weapons are more modifiable. Of course there are other weapons aswell, but that's what I wanted to say :)
Yes, the biggest differences are the length, the modificacions and the magazine, wich is chlear, so you can see how many bullets ar in it. I dont think, that anyone here is intersted in the tecnic specs of the so called Sturmgewehr 90 but here are some: Overall length with stock: 1000 mm Length with folded stock: 772 mm Barrel length: 552 mm Exit speed of the bullet: around 900 m/s Normal combat distance: 300 m Combat distance with scope: up to 900 m Calliber: 5.56 mm Magacine capacity: 20 rounds Dont know, if thats true, but i heard that the long one is forbidden in the USA because it is too precise for an assault rifle. And for everyone who read until now: im a swiss guy, who learnd french in the military and is now sitting somwehre in South america to learn spanish, so dont blame me for my grammatics or writing
I love the fact that here in Switzerland the gouvernement offer you a SIG 550 (basically the same but green) to every men who did his military service. And since it’s mandatory everyone gets it
@@PerSon-xg3zr FNC is close, but its handling feels more like an AK with its rather hefty weight and strange ergonomics. I was given a Pindad SS-1 alongside an M16A1 (Indonesian license produced FNC) during Student's Regiment Basic Training and field stripped it, and i think the FNC tipped the scale more heavily towards an AK.
In my 16 years of existence I’ve shot Exactly 5 rounds and it was through one of these and I loved it. What I also love is that in 2 yrs i can go to the military and after one year i get to keep my rifle for about 170 Swiss francs. Ain’t that beautiful.
The perfect blend of AR & AK. Low recoil round and easy optics mounting of the AR with the reliable piston system and bolt of the AK. All in a blend of fantastic Sig craftsmanship. Man I wish I could afford it.
No it's called 556 because it's the sixth design of the SIG 550. All the Sig 550 are chambered in 5.56. The 550 is the base gun with an 528mm (rougly 20") barrel and an AK style magazine catch. The 551 is basically the 550 but intendet for police use. It comes with an added top rail on the upper and two variants. The LB comes with a 454mm (~17.5") barrel and the SB with a 363.5mm (~14.5") barrel. Also both have a by about 2" shorter handguard. There is technically a 551-1 with an even longer barrel, used as DMR but it's like they don't exist anymore. The 552 is basically the carbine version of the 550 ad had a 240mm (~9.5") but this variant is out of production since 2008 and replaced by the 553. The 553 is as mentioned before, the successor of the 552. It's basically an optimization Has an even shorter hand guard (~4" less than the 551) and has now three barrel variants. The SB has either a 227mm (~9") or a 271.5 (~11") barrel wich differentiate by one have a fixed muzzle device and the other with threads and the LB with a 347mm (~11.5") The 554 and 555 doesn't exist And the 556 is basically the crayon eater edition with an AR15 style magazine well so that no one has to be overburdened with an AK style magazine catch. And there also is a version specifically for you. The 556R this is a very special variant that takes most AKM magazines and also is chambered in 7.62x39.
A got a SWAT years ago, I think 2010, now discontinued version. It was my first foray into military style firearms and its still in my top 3 of what I own. The stock iron sights are very nice if you get a chance to use them.
As a swiss shooter, I can say in behalf of my community that we are quite proud of this gun and its AK roots. That said, what a shame you can't get the 550, 551 and 553 in the US. And, you would fall in love with the 553 R (the 7.62x39 variant). Actually, the 556 is a SIG USA manufactured rifle and accepts STANAG magazines. While the other ones above are produced in Switzerland by SwissArms, formerly SIG Schweiz, with proprietary G36 like magazines. Basically, the lowers are different.
nowadays you can get the US Lower straight from sig. Its cool if you got plenty of AR mags but otherwise, in terms of reliability, the AK type mag release is superior imo
Thank you Brandon. For all the amazing content, all the laughs you brought and all the mind numbing knowledge you passed on. Sadly i do not know you personally but from what i can tell you are an amazing person and an even more amazing Gunsmith. You’re awesome and i wish you the very best life has to offer.
the SIG-556 was mad more AR-like to accept AR mags, compared to the 550 wich takes proprietary mags and has an AK style mag release. You should take a look at the SIG-510. If the 550 is the rolex of AKs, the 510 is the Omega of G3s
Small addition, the double trigger is for precision shooting, you pull to the gard point and then slowly pull more till it goes and so you can hit targets till 600 meters
I really like my SG552 Commando. Truly a rolex. Even better, they make a variant chambered for 7.62x39 that uses 7.62 AK Magazines, the SG553R. Would love to see your reaction to it. lol
I was intrigued by your comment about the trigger. What you have there, is a Two-Stage trigger; first pull, second pull. My Lee Enfield No 4 (T) WW2 Sniper Rifle, has a two-stage trigger and I have always liked it. Shame about the lack of a two-stage trigger on my L1A1, but that was my only complaint about it. Some people like them; some don't.
I had the SIG550 as a service weapon and shot it as a young shooter at the age of 16. As a former artilleryman, I didn't have much contact with infantry matters in the service, but at the shooting range at 300m we were also well trained and with the Stgw90, the SIG550 and the original rotating sights you could shoot accurately and without interference. An ingenious invention, easy to handle, disassemble without tools and precise, with damn little recoil. Folding stock and on the SIG550 I know a barrel that is virtually indestructible. I loved the Stgw :-)
Well if we're accepting it into the family, you're just going to have to make a new AK using their operating system. Shouldn't be too much of a challenge to just convert the slots upper into a singular functioning rifle. Right?? Maybe the Ak57-SWAT
Dust "excluder"?? Two bits of rubber? Have a look at the system on the M_249 / Minimi. Something similar also appears on Swedish AK-5 which is essentially a Scandinavian FNC.
I play Rainbow 6 Siege a lot, and watching Brandon and others pick up weapons from the game make me appreciate the puns and stuff the developers put in. (Thermite's gun is the "XI 556" rather than the "SIG 556" )
@@droganovic6879 the G8A1 is an actual firearm. G8 is the designation given to the 7.62 HK11 magazine fed, machine gun by the German military. However, Ubisoft did screw up the proportions causing it to somewhat resemble the 5.56 HK13.
I fully understand you, as a Swiss rifle guy I'm like "What the hell is this?" too... SIG-Sauer USA took some creative liberties with the 550 design, completely ruining it with a cast lower receiver. This is not a Swiss made gun, this one is made in Exeter. About the trigger: It seems like Americans don't get the concept of two-stage triggers. After the first "wall" when the trigger hits the plunger, the trigger should break crisply... that is, if it is properly adjusted which can be done by removing the pistol grip and adjusting the plunger behind the trigger. Also, the trigger should have a fairly short reset. You don't have to leave the first stage of the trigger between shots. Another key difference to an AK: The gas tube is braced against the receiver and not against the barrel, the gas block is a sliding fit on the gas tube which results in no resulting force flexing down the barrel while firing. Also, your gas plug is in the "dirty/cold"position @11:04, which is unnecessary.
Actually the first production run the upper receivers was 100% Swiss manufactured from their old 550s. The upper receivers are the registered item and you can easily acquire a fully manufactured Swiss lower, but then you have to fin and pay for the ultra rare 550 magazines
I worked in retail firearms for several years and bought the original “fish gills” SIG 556. I sold it for a lightweight AR because the 556 is heavy. I then bought one of the first run of 556 SBRs, which were stupid expensive but were supposed to be limited to 500. (Don’t *ever* trust Sig if they tell you something is a limited run, unless the guns are actually numbered. BTW.) The next year they were a catalog item and half the price. But I digress… I love the SBR, even more so after I snagged a Swiss lower and a bunch of the Swiss mags -which really completes the AK feel w/ the rock-in mags-from our Sig rep.
@@Stoy981 oh I fully agree if Sig says it’s a limited run; don’t trust it. If Sig Arms know they will make money they will produce it to the max and cut the quality of the firearm. The original fish gill 556s had the original Swiss upper which made them more desirable even though the fish gill was ugly. Just purchase the 552 hand guards and the Swiss lower receiver which has no serial number because the upper receiver is the registered firearms. Form one the gun and purchase a shorter barrel and you have a Sig 552.
99% of Americans who are gun enthusiasts understand two Stage triggers, that's why we love geissele ar triggers so much. Evidently Brandon is part of the 1%
the recoil spring i'm going to point out SIG might of done it to take off weight as with the AK platform I think the recoil spring extends the systems length witch could in turn mean more metal required in keeping the whole thing covered (unless you don't give a shit about dust covers), witch in turn let's them use a smaller selector witch in turn makes the weapon lighter.
I agree, it might be to help reduce overall length, it might also be for balance reasons (it looked well balanced ehile he was firing) and lastly, it might be to allow the piticanny rail to go to the end.
I think it reduces the non-stock length behind the end the of the bolt carrier travel, thus making it more compact folded compared to an ak of the same barrel length.
Brandon, I feel that you could do an entire episode of cursed gun images based off the gunsmith feature in Call of Duty Vanguard. Some of the things I have seen is downright cruel and an insult to the history of these WWII firearms.
@@Racko94 at least the ones in tarkov can theoretically function i don't see how a rifle caliber thompson can work without a bolt as heavy as a whole other thompson
Hey Brandon! I had the 550 during my service time grate someone to see overseas pays respect to it 😊 and no, the number 556 is just the model number, in swiss army we use the 550, the basic version, 551 is short 552 is machine pistol size 553 ist the barrel length of the 551 with the handguard of the 552 😅 aaaand on the basic 550 the mags get inserted the same way as the ak 😊 the gas system is a litte bit different to the 556 😅 and we have 6 threads instead of 4 i believe the 556 have. We use only 64 grain match ammo with more powder the standard 5.56, i shot it at 650 meters 😊 have a nice day 😊
I would have appreciated if you had dig into the firearms' history, because then you would have found out that it's basically a Swiss Army Stgw90 made for americans. You would have found out that the trigger is a leftover of a specification of the Swiss Army for precision shooting, which is basically a national sport here in Switzerland... Brandon! I love your videos, but this doesn't do justice to the SIG 550, which is really the Rolls-Royce between service rifles...
Thank you Seymour! He fails to mention how the 556 is made in New Hampshire USA, not Switzerland. A proper Swiss-made variant goes for $4-5kUSD here. Fabulous rifles nonetheless!
He can't really get a 550 or a 551 in the US tho. They are illegal because SIG made some shortcut in manufacturing and the 550(1)s got banned. That's why they did the 556...
I have the SIG 556 Classic and I love it. One of my best rifles in my collection. Hated the iron sights on it though, but they were easily replaced once I found a compatible set.
I have a 556 ER as well.. it was my first AR purchase (of a ton more now) and I love it. It was a bit heavy the first time I picked it up compared to a buddy’s DD AR but when I shot it, it was a thing of beauty! I still enjoy shooting my Sig 556 ER.
It kinda reminds me of a pistol recoil guide rod or almost an SKS. Cool design, a few little extra features that you didn't know you needed, but now you want on everything else.
Formerly known as the 556xi, it's the best of both worlds. I would take this rifle into battle if I could only choose one! Also another feature (not sure yours had it) is the charging handle can be installed on both sides of the bolt carrier, which makes it easier to rack, in my opinion.
I have an XI, been sent to sig 4x due to quality control issues. I would not recommend an xi series. Sig took the series off of the market fairly quickly when they decided to focus on the AR15 clones.
Larry Vickers called the SIG-550-series the best AK. So there's that. Also, the advantage of putting the recoil system to the front is having a solid rear upper receiver. Which makes mounting sights and sighting supports easier :)
To me this is actually a properly made Modernization attempt for the AK. A 2-piece receiver, adjustable gas system, probably a revamped front trunnion, thumb safety (that's ambidextrous!), AR-style mags and mag release, solid top for easy optics mounting, etc. It's IMMENSELY better and more modern in my eyes. The only thing I would add to it is putting the charging handle on the left side if possible, and redesigning the bolt from the ground up (the large AK style lugs are wasteful, cause durability issues, and was done to facilitate Soviet manufacturing which was stuck in the 19th century. We have precision machining now, lots of smaller lugs is the way to go.)
AR-style mags are kind of a step back from AK or SG550 mags for 5.56x45mm, and KAC has the patent on rounded lugs so everybody else is stuck driving on square wheels.
Советский Союз провёл индустриализацию в 30-е годы двадцатого века и был самым крупным импортёром станков и промышленного оборудования в МИРЕ в те годы. Он не мог застрять в девятнадцатом веке, у Российской империи почти не было промышленности, она была аграрной страной.
Traded an old tired M1A for a like-new 556 and never looked back. This is one of the smoothest shooting guns I own. Yes, the trigger is kind of "weird," but easy to get used to.
"If you mix fuel, metal oxide, and metal powder in the right amount, it burns at 2000 degrees Celsius, through some C4 in there, and you got one hell of a combination"
Psh that was ezpz especially if you spawned in the spot closest to long doors. You could literally beat the Awper into position and spam smoke when they think they’re hidden. What was more fun was getting the mid pick when your scouts and awps both miss and you tag/ headshot 3/5 through mid doors.
got a sig 510 (will have to get a 550 soon). it is just a beautiful gun to shoot. not to carry though 😅 It even has character while shooting and most of the times we go to a range, it gets lots and lots of love. good luck from switzerland 😁
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for watching guys! Hopefully you guys enjoyed this breakdown. If you have any other gun deep dives you’d like to see, let me know here in the comments!
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Hi
Wazzup AKG noti squad
Hi
N i c e
#AKGnotificationsquad
I am once again reminded of how fragile my financial stability is when Brandon uploads a new video.
Same
Same
What's financial stability? Is it something you can get at the grocery store?
@@shred1894 that comment is gold.
@@shred1894 lol
"Biden Adventures The Movie"
ruclips.net/video/uxRa7lxH6es/видео.html
The swiss just wanted to remain neutral in the AR vs AK debate. Classic Switzerland
Neutral Neutralizing
akrenized ar
Brandon just wanted an excuse to get into 556 since the Usurper put the kibosh on Russian steel ammunition.
As a swiss i aprove
oh lord im gonna buuuust
Armalite: "Go on, it's only an AR, it won't bite, hold it."
Brandon: "Nope, you can't make me, I'm a big boy and I don't have to!"
SIG: "What if we make it a bit more AK?"
Brandon: "... Go on?"
SiG: "but we did the recoil spring in front"
Brandon: "You sick bustards.... you know how to seduce me!"
SiG: We also made the cam-grooves the same as an AKM for you
Brandon: *sweats profusely*
Lets not forget the XL version that has a 7.62 convertible kit that can take ak mags
@@trazzi143 and even then you can have either in 7,62x51 or for Brendan in 7,62x39.
Who ever liked this after it had 556 likes should be arrested
As I was in the swiss military, we had a very similar gun, our stgw 90 or sig 550. It is very similar. The mechanics and insides are basicly the same. I personally shot several houndred rounds in a simulation without any jamming ever. Therefore I can say it is extremely reliable.
The "weird" trigger thing is for accurate shooting, you pull until there ant if you pull a little more it will shoot, this is used in long distance shooting 300m or in extra long distance 600m with a scope.
The gumm lips protect your fingers and also prevents dirt from entering, it will stay there for 1000ds of rounds, never had a problem with that.
They decided for the sprivg on the piston thing mainly to reduce the number of parts. And SIG got ARs and AKs and other rifles and took the "best" from it when developng the sig550
What you mean "in a simulation"?
@@alexm566 Probably war sim using blanks
@@alexm566Training, like rescuing a hostage and shooting on targets instead of humans. We do this a lot here in switzerland
Thanks for insights
I agree, best of both worlds. Very smooth shooting, and I've had zero malfunctions.
"Why did SIG decide to do it this way?"
Because putting the recoil spring on the gas piston makes the action silky buttery smooth, and allows the gun to be a little shorter, Brandon.
Why? Because it's better! What? No don't look at the price tag, only the engineering.
@@MajTom101 You'd think that by eliminating the need for a spring loaded guide rod would allow it to be a little cheaper... but they went and replaced the guide rod with something even more expensive to make.
Swiss moment.
The spring in the gas piston also exposes it to super hot gases from firing. Spring steal is delicately heat treated. I'm skeptical this spring system would be as reliable as the traditional AKM system. Would be interesting to see a torture test.
Eliminates the need for a removable top cover. Better optics platform.
"On a standard AK..." *Pulls out the Krink* Ah I see, he's flexing on me.
If only that was “ standard “ ak .
@@EliAngwin Well the "standart" Ak for the russian army is the same o better then Krink sooo it really depends on your point of view what you count as standart...
Brandon might be *saying* that this is an AK, but what really sells it is how he skips the foregrip and just holds the magwell, proving the he *thinks* it's an AK, too
I had that same thought after he said he liked the grip, then proceeded to completely ignore it the next time he shows us himself firing it.
Really cool to see the SIG 55x series represented!
The gums are effectively there to prevent dirt and other things to get into the action as "loose tolerances" and swiss engineering and manufacturing are two opposite things.
It is worth noting that this platform was also available in 7.62x39. I've got one, as well as two 5.56x45 models, and it's even more AK-ish without losing almost any of the benefits Brandon noted.
7.62 variant good?
@@thisisit3737 it had a LOT of issues with reliability on the 7.62
@@Yeroc357 makes sense as to why he has 2 of the 5.56
@@redrider7730 just the Russian (7.62x39)
@@thisisit3737 very. Uses ak mags to boot.
Yeah, might as well do the AK 5.56 Hybrid Reviews. Even if there weren’t a Ban, the Supply Chain Crisis would probably limit Imports anyway.
Yeah! What these guys said! And do some crossover content with Robski!!
Gun designer: “How tf are we going to make this dust cover?”
*Sees door repair leaving building*
“Him! Grab him now, go!”
Free Ted Kaczynski
Lol, and also, are you related by any chance? Patton?
I don’t believe so.
Andrew King, NEVER! (Who is that idk)
@@nicholaspatton5590 He is the Unabomber. Google it. Kids these days.
Also, Even if it was a CIA-backed program that made him insane, he shouldn't be free. He is a dangerous, deranged terrorist.
The trigger mechanism is for improved accuracy. You pull untill you feel the second resistance, and from there it only needs a little more pressure to fire so you exactly know when it will fire and dont jank the gun with the trigger finger
Brandon: "Trunion."
AC: "Oooooooh, Brandon. He said it. TRUNION!!!!!"
You beat me to it.
At first I was like “duh,” but then I suddenly felt old realizing that that this content is relevant and useful, because the old AK forums and AR forums of yester-decade (actually... it was the decade before that) taught a whole different generation that the Sig 55x series of rifles are really just Gucci AKs. There’s been a whole generation since I last had this conversation! Also, you can’t buy a WASR for $350, an SKS for $200 and a Mosin Nagant for $79.99 anymore. Sigh. Let’s go Brandon!
Free Ted Kaczynski
The finnish side of my family still have ~15 mosins per person
Let’s go Brandon! 😆 FJB
@@angrydragonslayer They aren't true Finns unless they pulled those mosins from the hands of frozen Russian soldiers at Raatteentie, as a Finn I would know, it is tradition among my people.
@@angrydragonslayer looking to adopt?
Yes, Sig 550 series is one of my favorites.
Too plus tree fiddy.
The SG 556 is the version for foreign sales especially to the USA. The 550/551/552 are proper rock&lock rifles with 20", 14.3", and 8.9" barrels.
Now this is a man of culture
Oung.
do wher e the di more farming w3ith fud
you.......the great gun farmer....its an honor...
@Gen Scinmore Have you seen the new ghost load video from arm and gun
how to grow sig556 plants when
"Why did sig do it"
Sig wanted to keep more garand in their ak.
No, because sig wanted a more reliable rifle
“The backup iron sights that I don’t use”
Let’s be honest Brandon you don’t even use optics in general 😂😂😂😂😂❤️
Oh he uses optics alright, He just doesn't zero them optics...
Lmao fr, he just pretends to aim 😂😂
Enjoy a fresh crispy Biden meme.
"Biden Adventures The Movie"
ruclips.net/video/uxRa7lxH6es/видео.html
@@SkankbumJerry nice video
I had the SIG 550 (longer barrel Swiss army standart infantry rifle). Never thought of it as an AK, but I can see where Brandon comes from. Personaly I like the low recoil and accuracy, though the accuracy comes partially from the quality of the swiss ammunition not just the gun itself. Looking at the 55X Series as versatile guns granting high stats allaround. What I experienced as a downside is the tendency to being negatively affected by dirt and mud. Also in Comparison to other ARs it starts to have Problems reloading after about 300 rounds due to the hole transitioning gas from the barrel to the gasloader being cloacked up. Luckily you can twist the cap on the gasloader to the alternative gas inlet, this one is slightly bigger and as consequence of higher gas volume and pressure let through into the gasloader it brings rpm up from 600 to 900. In Reality this isn't really useful as soldiers usualy use single or impuls mode. Still the faster movement of the reload piston increases recoil and lowering accuracy.
Still my weapon of choice, keep in mind that every swiss Soldier is able to hit a target at 300m. Under ideal conditions and using a scope really good shooters are able to hit targets from up to 800m distance. Honestly there is no practical appliance to use a 5.56 at this range, I still think it is really impressive for an AR to be able to do that.
I was Jungschütz when I started studying the mechanics of different guns and realized the 550 is exactly the same as an AK. It's ARs that confuse me for their weird useless things like forward assists and the rear pull thing. Why would anyone make a gun like that, that's stupid.
@@InternetStudiesGuy charging handle at the top makes it ambidextrous charging. Forward assist I almost never used, but on a few occasions it did help get the bolt back into battery after a brass check that I guess wasn't far enough rearward for the recoil spring to seat the bolt properly.
Every swiss soldier SHOULD be able to hit at 300m XD
@@victorivanov7013 we are, you have an annual test, if you can't you have to repeat the test again.
I’ve run a Sig556 since it was my duty rifle years ago. There are a couple small aftermarket upgrades that make a huge difference, a shootingsight match trigger and a push button captured take down pin are fantastic upgrades
That shootingsight trigger is a work of art, it’s still spongy with a little too much travel but there is a more noticeable wall and a very crisp break
Honestly I've never fingered a sig556 but I own the sig 550 and the trigger is amazing...
You guys are aware that the trigger is adjustable with a 7mm wrench right? My 2 556's are near match grade in my opinion. And a Hogue pistol grip allows easy manipulation of all fire controls.
I was eating pizza and heard Brandon said,"Shut your mouth when you chew" I lost my shit and thought someone yelled at me to
Same here bud...... that was freaky
Well, shut ur mouth when u chew then... 😂🤣
"Biden Adventures The Movie"
ruclips.net/video/uxRa7lxH6es/видео.html
Literally the same. I was eating pizza when I heard him say it and had to rewind the video just to make sure.
All you Pizza eaters need to eat better 😂
Wait until he discovers that when Sig updated this rifle line to the "XI" series, they also released a model called the Sig "556Xi-Russian" that is chambered in 7.62x39 and accepts standard AK mags! I used to own one, but unfortunately sold it to pay some important Bill's a year or two ago. It was an awesome rifle, and it sort of felt like a very refined, and exceptionally well built AK that is to standard lower end AK's, what a higher end luxury sports car like a Ferrari, or the newest model of Corvette is compared to maybe a 1990's or 2000's era Chevy S10 Blazer. The Chevy will certainly get you where you're going, nearly every time, and is perfectly adequate and enjoyable for most people. But the '21 Corvette or a Ferrari gives you a whole different driving experience, one that's tough to explain, but anyone who appreciates fine things will instantly understand when they FEEL it for themselves!
They discontinued the entire 556 series in 2017. Not even their Swiss made companions at Swiss Arms makes the 556 series as they now solely focus on their military rifles used by the Swiss Army.
@@chaoschaoforever while this is true, the sg553r still is chambered in x39, takes most AK mags, and is still in production. Furthermore, the 556 line was always made with compromises to bring the cost down for the US market. If you want a 'rolex AK', the 550, 551, 553... etc. are definitely the way to go.
@@MajTom101 It just sucks we cannot get the TRUE 550 series here in the US because of the law that required certain components to be made here. Think how much money SIG (or Swiss Arms) could make if that wasn't a thing. All the money I tell you, ALL OF IT.
@@chaoschaoforever That's... not the case. I have a 550, 751p, and 553rp. They can be imported as pistols. Just definitely don't attach a stock without 922(r) compliance
@@MajTom101 REALLY?! Well shit, I don't know anything about a 751, but HELL YEAH SWISS MADE GUNS FOR THE WIN BABY!!!!
I almost feel honored that my first AR/AK purchase from nearly 10 years ago is being in a way up talked by you.$2,000 now guess I did good when I purchased it for a thousand back then.. fast forward to today have taken my gun knowledge much further with a honorable amount of purchases and Imo I have put thousands of rounds through this gun and it is unbelievably reliable it's quite heavy versus standard AR builds but it also doesn't feel cheap it feels well built everything about it cycles properly and I've never had to adjust my gas piston due to fail the fires- ejects. awesome seeing this keep it up dude
Gun guys: "An addition to the reference library..."
Media: "He continued to stockpile an arsenal..."
Videos like this make me thankfull to be a Swiss citizen, This is our service rifle (not exactly this one but the sig 550 which is more like a "Basic" version of this) and we get to keep it free of charge as a gift from the gouvernement after our mandatory military service.
and even if you didn't do service (like me) they don't cost as much as in the states :D 550 is around 1500-2000 bucks and a 510 just above 500
@@melvinsuter984 yup! Fair point mate!
you euros have a really fucked definition of "free" when it comes out of your taxes first and is then granted to you after years of work you were compelled to perform
I love Switzerland, one of the last free places in Europe
Is there any plans by the military to replace it
The Swiss always have their own unique way of doing things, don't question it, just enjoy the experience.
They have made a lot of cool firearms over the past 120-30 years. one of my favorites is the MP-41/44, a toggle lock SMG.
@@jameskazd9951 Love the Swiss. They know their firearms.
I remember sitting in a train between Bern and Geneva, a regiment of anti air troops came in at one station, dumped their gear, including rifles and a few belt fed machine guns and all walked off down the train to the refreshments wagon, leaving me to drool over the hardware. 4 other Swiss guys in the carriage never batted an eyelid, most normal thing in the world…
@@jameskazd9951 I got the chance to shoot an MP-41/44 or as it is better known in Switzerland, the Furrer MP this summer. And boy is it a swiss meme in gun form. It is extremely well machined and it has a match grade two-stage trigger. Who the hell fits that on an SMG? XD
I wouldn't really call this the "adopted" cousin as it is the European cousin period.
SIG (now Swiss Arms) were using a roller delayed blowback system in SG510 (similar to the HK G3 and the CETME rifle they copied) from the early 50s and when 5.56 became a NATO standard in the 60s, SIG needed to develop a rifle in that caliber. They tried a gas assisted roller delayed system that was too complicated and expensive to make (called the SG530-1). So they opted for the long stroke piston system the famous AK was using and created the SG540 in the early 70s (which ultimately was relegated to an export weapon instead of a main combat rifle). They revisited this design in the 90s when it was time to finally replace the SG510 they had been using since the 50s, updated it, and created the now famous SG550 family that became their main combat rifle (which has the 551, 552 (replaced by the 553) ,553 (carbine) and 550 Sniper with the now discontinued 556 series being their civilian line for the US).
So this really is the AK's distant cousin from Switzerland, not exactly adopted but definitely distant!
Recoil spring ahead of chamber...
"Why did SIG do this?"
Where is the recoil spring on your
Pistol?
Ahead of the chamber…😶
Mi Pistola en fronte
DP 27 also had spring around gas piston, but it did suffer from overheating. So DPM moved it to the back
@@vojtechkonvalina7115 Never heard of the 550 family suffering from that problem.
I guess an arms manufacturer in switzerland in the 1980s had access to somewhat better materials and manufacturing techniques than one in 1920s soviet russia...
@@Bird_Dog00 No doubt about that. Also it's not supossed to be a light machinegun. I just mentioned it as potential issue, you need to work around if you don't shove the spring behind bolt carrier :)
Also CZ BREN comes to my mind with the piston and its return spring around it.
Brandon: This is the Rolex of AKs
Also Brandon: immediately starts feeding it steel case ammo
I like it
LETS GO BRANDON!!!
rolex or not the steel test needs to be done
In the words of Brandon; "If it can't handle the cheap stuff, it doesn't deserve the good stuff"
The FBI hates me...
"Biden Adventures The Movie"
ruclips.net/video/uxRa7lxH6es/видео.html
If it doesn't handle the steel, it doesn't deserve the brass...
Brandon: "Now that we're accepting the Russian ammo ban ..."
Well, that's painfully depressing.
Why can't American companies produce Russian calibers in the US for sale? Did the government ban the calibers from the US or something?
@@fr4me.01 no they didn’t ban the ammo, they banned all Russian MADE ammunition. The problem is Americans have relied on Russian made ammo for decades now for AK’s/Mosin’s/SKS’s so there is no domestic manufacturing activity
@@chrisc2920 I can't imagine it would take much effort for existing companies in America to set up tooling for Russian calibers though. Especially regarding the low financial risk, considering the popularity of some of those calibers.
@@TheVaff3l I agree. But new plants and lines take time, so that’s why right *now* the prices are increasing
@@TheVaff3l you wildly underestimate the expense involved. It wouldn't just be new tooling, it would be new factories. American ammo manufacturers can't even keep up with demand for the cartridges they already make, they're not gonna switch their current operations to something new, they'd build new factories, if anything, which would cost millions.
Even if they do so, it will take years for them to be fully operational and prices will be extremely high. Russian ammo was dirt cheap because those factories have been fully paid off for decades at this point.
You missed a couple of gucci items. 1. The trigger guard can be moved out of the way for gloved hands by using a 556 round to depress the captured pin. 2. There is a backup rear sight under the rear diopter sight, just in case. 3. The trigger plunger can be adjusted to give a nice crisp break with no overtravel. 4. The grip has a storage compartment in it.
That thing was my dream weapon since 2012, she still lives in my heart
I get one for free... Cause I'm Swiss!
Pls buy mine 😐
@@gentilmandra please tell me how to do this, can I become a Swiss citizen then enlist? Or will enlistment not be possible, I live in the US.
Well, save your pennies I guess.
@@bush2239 I mean, it takes time to become a full Swiss citizen, and after 25 you won't be able to enlist anymore...
Very happy I bought my 556 Classic SWAT in 2020 for $899. Criminally underrated rifle whose only problems are weight and complete and utter lack of replacement or aftermarket parts. I think about selling mine for an AR all the time as its my only rifle, but the damn thing runs like a sewing machine and never malfunctions!
Try the Hogue pistol grip and adjust the trigger with a 7mm wrench. You will never desire an ak or an AR again. 😉
Oh for $899 even in this market you could certainly find reliable AR’s. I’m sure the value is up on that sig as well. My first AR was a sig that I got at the biggest gun show in the world that happens in Tulsa Oklahoma each year and it has had 0 malfunction, that weren’t something like a bad primer on a bullet, in my use and I shoot a lot.
Don't do it, unless you're gotta sell it to me! First got the 16inch swat back in 2017. Got lucky finding the 10.5inch swat "pistol" with a extra lower. ARs are nice but the sig swat is definitely worth keeping!
I've had my 556 for 12 years. It does make me nervous not being able to get parts. I keep hoping that Sig will have a re-run someday on its parts/spring package.
12 years in, I have never had to clear a malfunction. It loves higher grain ammo.
And now people on GB want $3000 for one... I'm happy for your good decisions
The moment I heard you say "What the hell is this?" I had immediately noticed that Gandalf picture and burst out laughing. You sir are a man of culture.
I was wondering if only I noticed it😆
5:15 from what I know from my military training with Sig 550 (556 is probably more a updated version than a reference to the caliber), it is done like that in order to feel exactly when the shot is fired. It adds confidence and precision
*stock folds*
AFT: “suit up boys, we’re killing his dog”
@@turnbotter famous AFT sport: dog hunt
I love the purposely misspelled ATF XD
This better get top comment
@@turnbotter to AFT/ATF it does
@@Cipkanikolaj why
Hey Brandon! Beautiful gun! The trigger plunger is to help force reset and prevent icing. There are two nuts (heh) hidden by the pistol grip. If you remove the grip you can adjust its engagement point to your liking. Enjoy!
What this guy said. 👆 I have 2 and both triggers are near match grade in my opinion. A 7mm wrench should do it. Also the Hogue pistol grip makes the fire controls on par with the AR.
I own a 556r and had no idea. Time to break out the tools!
sweet tip
@@huntmatthewd I second the Hogue grip. Totally worth it.
Having owned this gun for nearly a decade I was shocked to see a video on it. It's been a workhorse for me, thousands of rounds with zero functionality issues. The pin that holds the stock to the receiver sheared off at some point years ago, but otherwise it's still the same as when I bought it.
Fun fact: if you're shooting for long periods of time with dirty ammo and it starts to get gunked up you can turn the end of the gas piston to allow more force for proper cycling. The Saiga 12 has a similar setup to compensate for different shotgun loads, another design feature from the AK family!
Hey Brandon! Just putting it out there that I actually really like it when you get into the technical elements of the guns about which you're passionate. I think it's really cool to show the knowledge and expertise you actually have on the subject of firearms design concepts, and enjoy it when you focus less on the macho and more on the technical and realistic. This was a really interesting video to watch, to appreciate how a rifle that doesn't look especially AK-esque from the outside, has enough AK-adjacent internals so as to be relevant to the AK platform. I'd definitely like to see more intellectually-focused content in your videos, and think this video is a great example of how good such material can be.
brandon you need to shout out dugan, he needs our help.
and RIP Jstark. youll never be forgotten.
Who
@@pigeon5726 ashely duggen was the guy in carnikcon, a prescurser to what modern guntubers are. he also is a very intelligent cat whos rants and ramblings have for sure enlightened a lot of people. He has MS and needs our help.
And Jstark was a prominent member of the 3d printing gun community, and a big part of the FGC-9. He was killed by the state for supporting the rights of free speech and self preservation. watch plastic defense to get a window into who he was
Both are huge figures in their communities and we need to support them.
@@rustyshackelford6372
Died from "heart failure" after a raid...
@@weege5.45 the guy had significant heart issues that he was open about beforehand, the stress probably put him over the edge rather than any scheme
@@weege5.45 they raided his home and found nothing. he died of heart issues because they raided his house. The state is responsible for his death.
8:17
The SG552 got the recoil spring in the back. Unfortunately there were issues with that design, it caused in some cases a malfunction which would disable the gun from firing.
Thats why Sig choose with the SG553 to redesign the recoil spring position, which is now in the front.
Problem solved.
@@Prizrak-hv6qk The Recoil-Spring is braided out of multiple strands. I'm no engineer nor inot metalurgy, but i assume that is a beneficial design, since the spring on my 550 has yet to show any damage after over 10'000 rounds.
That said, the original gun and basis for this whole 55X line, the SG550, had the recoil spring at the front from the beginning, they only changed it for the 552 and went back to front for the 553
@@Prizrak-hv6qk the 550 has a tendency to get the piston stuck to the cap of the gass tube. Wont stop it from firing, is just a pain when you try to clean it.
it Will happily do full auto, and as far as i know the front plastic parts will start to melt before the metal geat any serious deformations.
Well can’t be Swiss without being extra, every little detail is thoughtfully planned and need it to be weirdly fixed
The Germans: "hold our beers."
@@RolandtheThompsonGunner the swiss: nah stay down Fritz
@@RolandtheThompsonGunner The Germans make everything complicated and high quality, the Swiss make it simpler (at least recently) and super high quality.
@@RolandtheThompsonGunner Yes but that‘s not sig sauer.. it‘s just SIG. A swiss weapon manufacturer
Not swiss, a shitty US clone
Most of the components are actually quite similar to the SIG-550, which is the standard issue rifle used by the Swiss Army. The 'plunger' is actually a nut ("Stopmutter") and can be adjusted to change the trigger point (how far you pull back the trigger before the shot goes off).
Actually the swiss army uses StGw 90s whitch are basically the same. I'm totally with you the trigger is awkward but when you get used to it it quiet nice. Greeting from Switzerland
That's what I always think when I watch these kind of videos, you get good with what you use.
RUclipsrs always say, it's not as good as an AR trigger (or anything else AR) but that's because they have grown up with them and anything different is problematic.
If you are using something with a different feel to it but not bad, your training solves it and you become efficient with it.
Sometimes even bad triggers can work good unless you're on a sharpshooting match, especially with equally good shooters.
yeah its a special trigger but is extreme consistant i was in the swiss military its a good gun
You guys the trigger is an ADJUSTABLE 2 stage that can be near match grade with a 7mm wrench. I have 2 556's and they blow the stock m4 away (when adjusted.)
I'd like to add something to that. The swiss military gives the StGw 90 (SIG 550) as the basic equipment for their troops. Specialized units like the Grenadier units, be it Panzergrenadier (Tank Grenadier) MP Grenadier (Seems kind of obvious) or just the regular Grenadier troops, sometimes even the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers) can recieve the SIG 553 as their main weapon, as these weapons are more modifiable. Of course there are other weapons aswell, but that's what I wanted to say :)
Yes, the biggest differences are the length, the modificacions and the magazine, wich is chlear, so you can see how many bullets ar in it.
I dont think, that anyone here is intersted in the tecnic specs of the so called Sturmgewehr 90 but here are some:
Overall length with stock: 1000 mm
Length with folded stock: 772 mm
Barrel length: 552 mm
Exit speed of the bullet: around 900 m/s
Normal combat distance: 300 m
Combat distance with scope: up to 900 m
Calliber: 5.56 mm
Magacine capacity: 20 rounds
Dont know, if thats true, but i heard that the long one is forbidden in the USA because it is too precise for an assault rifle.
And for everyone who read until now: im a swiss guy, who learnd french in the military and is now sitting somwehre in South america to learn spanish, so dont blame me for my grammatics or writing
Let’s go Brandon!
Let fucking go Brandon!
Let’s go Brandon!
lets go Brandon
FJB
Let's Go Brandon!
Me: watching this on my lunch break while eating a sandwich
Brandon: “keep your mouth shut when you chew”
Damn, you got me.
Free Ted Kaczynski
Same
The more you use it and the smoother the springs will be! Learned it the hard way on the field with its older brother SIG 550
I love the fact that here in Switzerland the gouvernement offer you a SIG 550 (basically the same but green) to every men who did his military service. And since it’s mandatory everyone gets it
You can choose to keep it. And you need to pay a 100 dollar fee
100 seems worth it to me
AK: ("I bet he's thinking about how superior he is compared to us")
SIG: ("My floppy mud flaps don't look weird, right?")
Honestly, this this is more of an AR-AK combo than the Mutant, ARAK, or any other combos
Imho it's the Daewoo K2 that are the closest ARAK rifle.
@@arya31ful What about FNC?
@@PerSon-xg3zr FNC is close, but its handling feels more like an AK with its rather hefty weight and strange ergonomics. I was given a Pindad SS-1 alongside an M16A1 (Indonesian license produced FNC) during Student's Regiment Basic Training and field stripped it, and i think the FNC tipped the scale more heavily towards an AK.
In my 16 years of existence I’ve shot Exactly 5 rounds and it was through one of these and I loved it. What I also love is that in 2 yrs i can go to the military and after one year i get to keep my rifle for about 170 Swiss francs. Ain’t that beautiful.
Recoil spring on the piston sounds like the front half of the recoilless modern AK rifles. Actually not a bad idea.
The perfect blend of AR & AK. Low recoil round and easy optics mounting of the AR with the reliable piston system and bolt of the AK. All in a blend of fantastic Sig craftsmanship. Man I wish I could afford it.
Damn bro!! Those outtakes at the end were getting seriously hard to watch. The struggle is real, bro!! LET’S GO BRANDON!!
No it's called 556 because it's the sixth design of the SIG 550.
All the Sig 550 are chambered in 5.56.
The 550 is the base gun with an 528mm (rougly 20") barrel and an AK style magazine catch.
The 551 is basically the 550 but intendet for police use. It comes with an added top rail on the upper and two variants. The LB comes with a 454mm (~17.5") barrel and the SB with a 363.5mm (~14.5") barrel. Also both have a by about 2" shorter handguard.
There is technically a 551-1 with an even longer barrel, used as DMR but it's like they don't exist anymore.
The 552 is basically the carbine version of the 550 ad had a 240mm (~9.5") but this variant is out of production since 2008 and replaced by the 553.
The 553 is as mentioned before, the successor of the 552. It's basically an optimization
Has an even shorter hand guard (~4" less than the 551) and has now three barrel variants.
The SB has either a 227mm (~9") or a 271.5 (~11") barrel wich differentiate by one have a fixed muzzle device and the other with threads and the LB with a 347mm (~11.5")
The 554 and 555 doesn't exist
And the 556 is basically the crayon eater edition with an AR15 style magazine well so that no one has to be overburdened with an AK style magazine catch.
And there also is a version specifically for you. The 556R this is a very special variant that takes most AKM magazines and also is chambered in 7.62x39.
Now I know the reason why I was attracted to this gun in games when AK wasn't a viable option!
A got a SWAT years ago, I think 2010, now discontinued version. It was my first foray into military style firearms and its still in my top 3 of what I own. The stock iron sights are very nice if you get a chance to use them.
Yep the stock irons are fantastic. Mine has the MP5 drum rear site version ... and man its quality.
@@RandoTark same deal here, stamped sig.
As a swiss shooter, I can say in behalf of my community that we are quite proud of this gun and its AK roots. That said, what a shame you can't get the 550, 551 and 553 in the US. And, you would fall in love with the 553 R (the 7.62x39 variant).
Actually, the 556 is a SIG USA manufactured rifle and accepts STANAG magazines. While the other ones above are produced in Switzerland by SwissArms, formerly SIG Schweiz, with proprietary G36 like magazines. Basically, the lowers are different.
nowadays you can get the US Lower straight from sig. Its cool if you got plenty of AR mags but otherwise, in terms of reliability, the AK type mag release is superior imo
@@Polarbear-nq9nd AK type mag release is much slower for reloads.
@@jsquared1013 Just grow longer fingers lmao.
US should adopt this and trash our M16s
Thank you Brandon. For all the amazing content, all the laughs you brought and all the mind numbing knowledge you passed on. Sadly i do not know you personally but from what i can tell you are an amazing person and an even more amazing Gunsmith. You’re awesome and i wish you the very best life has to offer.
SIG: "Hey, AK! Can I borrow your homework?"
AK: "Sure, but make it look different enough so it doesn't look like you copied it."
The 550 is improved, that’s for sure
the SIG-556 was mad more AR-like to accept AR mags, compared to the 550 wich takes proprietary mags and has an AK style mag release.
You should take a look at the SIG-510. If the 550 is the rolex of AKs, the 510 is the Omega of G3s
It is a chonky boi though, and I still prefer the stock iron sights over the 2003 sporting modification that was made available by the army.
best part about the sig-510 is that it isn't that expensive
(here in switzerland)
@@jojosk8r it's a boat anchor. But that's the price when you want a combat rifle that can actually shoot full auto.
This straight up looks like a baller version of the Daewoo K1A.
Small addition, the double trigger is for precision shooting, you pull to the gard point and then slowly pull more till it goes and so you can hit targets till 600 meters
"Hey Ivan, we upgraded the AK for you"
"NYET RIFLE IS FI-- oh my its beautiful"
SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
I really like my SG552 Commando. Truly a rolex. Even better, they make a variant chambered for 7.62x39 that uses 7.62 AK Magazines, the SG553R. Would love to see your reaction to it. lol
That sounds curiously awesome, but would it work after you drown it in mud?
Yes, it would.
I knew I wasn’t the only one thinking it.
they're so hard to find - been looking forever
Yes i have one, would love to have it in full auto
I was intrigued by your comment about the trigger. What you have there, is a Two-Stage trigger; first pull, second pull. My Lee Enfield No 4 (T) WW2 Sniper Rifle, has a two-stage trigger and I have always liked it. Shame about the lack of a two-stage trigger on my L1A1, but that was my only complaint about it. Some people like them; some don't.
I had the SIG550 as a service weapon and shot it as a young shooter at the age of 16. As a former artilleryman, I didn't have much contact with infantry matters in the service, but at the shooting range at 300m we were also well trained and with the Stgw90, the SIG550 and the original rotating sights you could shoot accurately and without interference. An ingenious invention, easy to handle, disassemble without tools and precise, with damn little recoil. Folding stock and on the SIG550 I know a barrel that is virtually indestructible. I loved the Stgw :-)
It's my favorite rifle by far that I own, was super happy to see you do a video on how it's just a really well made Swiss AK and not a ar15! Lol
Well if we're accepting it into the family, you're just going to have to make a new AK using their operating system. Shouldn't be too much of a challenge to just convert the slots upper into a singular functioning rifle. Right?? Maybe the Ak57-SWAT
Yes agreed
Dust "excluder"?? Two bits of rubber?
Have a look at the system on the M_249 / Minimi. Something similar also appears on Swedish AK-5 which is essentially a Scandinavian FNC.
I play Rainbow 6 Siege a lot, and watching Brandon and others pick up weapons from the game make me appreciate the puns and stuff the developers put in. (Thermite's gun is the "XI 556" rather than the "SIG 556" )
He’s running angled grip in the video too all he needs is an acog 😂
So just ignore IQ’s gun then
@@coonan9764 That is the OG 550, gods weapon.
@@steventyson8355 oh i thought Coonan was responding to "Ubisoft doesn't really make up guns" and referenced the G8 lmg thingy?
@@droganovic6879 the G8A1 is an actual firearm. G8 is the designation given to the 7.62 HK11 magazine fed, machine gun by the German military. However, Ubisoft did screw up the proportions causing it to somewhat resemble the 5.56 HK13.
I fully understand you, as a Swiss rifle guy I'm like "What the hell is this?" too...
SIG-Sauer USA took some creative liberties with the 550 design, completely ruining it with a cast lower receiver. This is not a Swiss made gun, this one is made in Exeter.
About the trigger: It seems like Americans don't get the concept of two-stage triggers. After the first "wall" when the trigger hits the plunger, the trigger should break crisply... that is, if it is properly adjusted which can be done by removing the pistol grip and adjusting the plunger behind the trigger. Also, the trigger should have a fairly short reset. You don't have to leave the first stage of the trigger between shots.
Another key difference to an AK: The gas tube is braced against the receiver and not against the barrel, the gas block is a sliding fit on the gas tube which results in no resulting force flexing down the barrel while firing.
Also, your gas plug is in the "dirty/cold"position @11:04, which is unnecessary.
Actually the first production run the upper receivers was 100% Swiss manufactured from their old 550s. The upper receivers are the registered item and you can easily acquire a fully manufactured Swiss lower, but then you have to fin and pay for the ultra rare 550 magazines
I worked in retail firearms for several years and bought the original “fish gills” SIG 556. I sold it for a lightweight AR because the 556 is heavy.
I then bought one of the first run of 556 SBRs, which were stupid expensive but were supposed to be limited to 500. (Don’t *ever* trust Sig if they tell you something is a limited run, unless the guns are actually numbered. BTW.) The next year they were a catalog item and half the price. But I digress…
I love the SBR, even more so after I snagged a Swiss lower and a bunch of the Swiss mags -which really completes the AK feel w/ the rock-in mags-from our Sig rep.
@@Stoy981 oh I fully agree if Sig says it’s a limited run; don’t trust it. If Sig Arms know they will make money they will produce it to the max and cut the quality of the firearm.
The original fish gill 556s had the original Swiss upper which made them more desirable even though the fish gill was ugly. Just purchase the 552 hand guards and the Swiss lower receiver which has no serial number because the upper receiver is the registered firearms.
Form one the gun and purchase a shorter barrel and you have a Sig 552.
99% of Americans who are gun enthusiasts understand two Stage triggers, that's why we love geissele ar triggers so much. Evidently Brandon is part of the 1%
the recoil spring i'm going to point out SIG might of done it to take off weight as with the AK platform I think the recoil spring extends the systems length witch could in turn mean more metal required in keeping the whole thing covered (unless you don't give a shit about dust covers), witch in turn let's them use a smaller selector witch in turn makes the weapon lighter.
I agree, it might be to help reduce overall length, it might also be for balance reasons (it looked well balanced ehile he was firing) and lastly, it might be to allow the piticanny rail to go to the end.
I think it reduces the non-stock length behind the end the of the bolt carrier travel, thus making it more compact folded compared to an ak of the same barrel length.
Brandon, I feel that you could do an entire episode of cursed gun images based off the gunsmith feature in Call of Duty Vanguard. Some of the things I have seen is downright cruel and an insult to the history of these WWII firearms.
He mentioned doing it in the last CGI episode
He could probably do a cursed gun images on half the call of duty franchise
There were some 'cursed' stuff that came out of the Tarkov gunsmith. But this cod makes those look take and normal.
@@Racko94 at least the ones in tarkov can theoretically function
i don't see how a rifle caliber thompson can work without a bolt as heavy as a whole other thompson
That game said the MP-40 was chambered in 9mm Makarov…
Brandon in bloopers:
>messes up
>spanks gun out of frustration
Don’t see many videos on this gun but it’s a sweet unique blend of an AR and an AK. Lovely content as usual
Hey Brandon! I had the 550 during my service time grate someone to see overseas pays respect to it 😊 and no, the number 556 is just the model number, in swiss army we use the 550, the basic version, 551 is short 552 is machine pistol size 553 ist the barrel length of the 551 with the handguard of the 552 😅 aaaand on the basic 550 the mags get inserted the same way as the ak 😊 the gas system is a litte bit different to the 556 😅 and we have 6 threads instead of 4 i believe the 556 have. We use only 64 grain match ammo with more powder the standard 5.56, i shot it at 650 meters 😊 have a nice day 😊
Thank you for your input always great to know the experience from the professionals
Let the calculator and I'll answer you.
I would have appreciated if you had dig into the firearms' history, because then you would have found out that it's basically a Swiss Army Stgw90 made for americans. You would have found out that the trigger is a leftover of a specification of the Swiss Army for precision shooting, which is basically a national sport here in Switzerland... Brandon! I love your videos, but this doesn't do justice to the SIG 550, which is really the Rolls-Royce between service rifles...
Thank you Seymour! He fails to mention how the 556 is made in New Hampshire USA, not Switzerland. A proper Swiss-made variant goes for $4-5kUSD here. Fabulous rifles nonetheless!
@@coreykononchuk yeah the first thing i thought when he said it's 2'000$ for the 556 was "damn where'd he get it that cheap?"
was about to write the same thing, thanks Seymour
@@Amoryheart the first thing i thought was "wtf is a Sig 556, it looks like a 551 with a Picatinny rail and handguard and why is it so cheap?"
He can't really get a 550 or a 551 in the US tho. They are illegal because SIG made some shortcut in manufacturing and the 550(1)s got banned.
That's why they did the 556...
Always stay through the end for the bloopers. Favorite part of just about every video.
#AKGNotificationSquad
Free Ted Kaczynski
I have the SIG 556 Classic and I love it. One of my best rifles in my collection. Hated the iron sights on it though, but they were easily replaced once I found a compatible set.
I bought a 556 ER and that's still to this day my favorite piece after 10 years.
I have a 556 ER as well.. it was my first AR purchase (of a ton more now) and I love it. It was a bit heavy the first time I picked it up compared to a buddy’s DD AR but when I shot it, it was a thing of beauty! I still enjoy shooting my Sig 556 ER.
12 years. Haven't had to clear a malfunction. Not once. Loves 70gr. ammo.
Brandon seeing all these small parts and random "enhancements".
"Where my simple AK go?"
Loving the style of video, reminds me of the ol’ days of the white board of knowledge; keep up the great work Brandon!
It kinda reminds me of a pistol recoil guide rod or almost an SKS. Cool design, a few little extra features that you didn't know you needed, but now you want on everything else.
I've always wanted one of those but theyre always out ofmy price range.
All guns are out of my price range......
@@Machin3Jamm3r must be because your broke
Yeah...one way. Be swiss and get the 550 when joining the military. Do your time, get the permits and 100bucks and its yours to keep
@@Rschaltegger Do I have to be a Swiss citizen before joining?
@@bush2239Yep. I've got mine sitting on my bedside table.
i love how Brandon has an Angled grip on this thing and uses it at 4:00 but not 10 seconds later he just goes "Nah, I'll just use the Magwell."
This looks like the AK equivalent of what an FN SCAR is to an AR-15
3:00 Can't you just push on the handguard with your thumb as you pull away? Pretty sure that's how that was meant to be done.
Formerly known as the 556xi, it's the best of both worlds. I would take this rifle into battle if I could only choose one! Also another feature (not sure yours had it) is the charging handle can be installed on both sides of the bolt carrier, which makes it easier to rack, in my opinion.
I have an XI, been sent to sig 4x due to quality control issues. I would not recommend an xi series. Sig took the series off of the market fairly quickly when they decided to focus on the AR15 clones.
Larry Vickers called the SIG-550-series the best AK. So there's that.
Also, the advantage of putting the recoil system to the front is having a solid rear upper receiver. Which makes mounting sights and sighting supports easier :)
When you said "Keep your mouth shut when you chew." I had literally just taken my first bite of food.
I have a 556 Swat pistol with a sba4 & LAW tactical folder that I love. Never thought I’d see this beauty on a major reviewers channel!!
To me this is actually a properly made Modernization attempt for the AK. A 2-piece receiver, adjustable gas system, probably a revamped front trunnion, thumb safety (that's ambidextrous!), AR-style mags and mag release, solid top for easy optics mounting, etc. It's IMMENSELY better and more modern in my eyes. The only thing I would add to it is putting the charging handle on the left side if possible, and redesigning the bolt from the ground up (the large AK style lugs are wasteful, cause durability issues, and was done to facilitate Soviet manufacturing which was stuck in the 19th century. We have precision machining now, lots of smaller lugs is the way to go.)
So basically just make it an ar. Yea that makes sense
AR-style mags are kind of a step back from AK or SG550 mags for 5.56x45mm, and KAC has the patent on rounded lugs so everybody else is stuck driving on square wheels.
Even the smaller lugs on the AR bolt break...
Советский Союз провёл индустриализацию в 30-е годы двадцатого века и был самым крупным импортёром станков и промышленного оборудования в МИРЕ в те годы. Он не мог застрять в девятнадцатом веке, у Российской империи почти не было промышленности, она была аграрной страной.
Nyet. Rifle is fine.
As an owner of the SIG 550 / Stgw90 service rifle I'd love to see more content on the 550 series!
Traded an old tired M1A for a like-new 556 and never looked back. This is one of the smoothest shooting guns I own. Yes, the trigger is kind of "weird," but easy to get used to.
@@westhompson574 Actually, there's an adjustment "knob" behind the trigger
"If you mix fuel, metal oxide, and metal powder in the right amount, it burns at 2000 degrees Celsius, through some C4 in there, and you got one hell of a combination"
Ah, I remember trying to out play AWP players with this down mid on Dust 2... good times.
Psh that was ezpz especially if you spawned in the spot closest to long doors. You could literally beat the Awper into position and spam smoke when they think they’re hidden.
What was more fun was getting the mid pick when your scouts and awps both miss and you tag/ headshot 3/5 through mid doors.
Free Ted Kaczynski
It was the Sig 550 and 552 in CS 1.6
God, I want to get one of these things, but my true dream gun would be a Sig 510/ PE-57, just so much character
got a sig 510 (will have to get a 550 soon). it is just a beautiful gun to shoot. not to carry though 😅
It even has character while shooting and most of the times we go to a range, it gets lots and lots of love.
good luck from switzerland 😁
The Papal battle rifle.
"...if you need to lay down some hate in a vehicle..."
You say that like it's something you've done before 🤣🤣🤣🤣