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SIG SG 550

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SG 550
SG 550
TypAssault rifle
Place of originSchweiz
Service history
In service1986–
Used bySwitzerland, Chile, some federal agencies in United States
Production history
Designed1970s
ManufacturerSwiss Arms AG (formerly SIG Arms AG
Specifications
Mass4.05 kg (without magazine)
Length
  • 998 mm (stock open)
  • 772 mm (stock folded)
Barrel length528 mm (20.8 in)
CartridgeGw Pat.90 5.6 mm, 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
ActionGas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire700 round/min
Muzzle velocity905 m/s
Effective firing range450 m (490 yd)
Maximum firing range600 m
Feed system20/30-round detachable box magazine
Sightsrotating drum with four ranges (300 m, 200 m, close combat and night), built-in tritium sight for night aiming

The SG 550 (Sturmgewehr 90) is an assault rifle manufactured by Swiss Arms AG (formerly SIG Arms AG) of Switzerland. It is considered to be one of the most accurate mass-produced assault rifles available. Standard features include an integral folding bipod and a folding stock. The rifle has an AK-47-type action, and is also known as Fass 90 (Fusil d'Assaut Standard Suisse 90) in French or as Stgw 90 in German (Sturmgewehr 90).

As of 2006, the SG 550 is the standard service rifle of the Swiss Armed Forces and it is also offered for export.

The Chilean Army's main assault rifle is the SG 550 (also with the M-16 rifle and Heckler & Koch G3). The G3 will be replaced by the Heckler & Koch G36 rifle in 2007.

The SG 551 carbine variant of this rifle has been adopted by various U.S. federal agencies because of its reliability and accuracy, as well as by Special Forces all over the world.

An interesting feature of all SG 550/551/552 rifles are that they are all equipped with semi-transparent plastic magazines, which are shaped so they may be locked together in order to facilitate faster reloading. The muzzle also features a metallic piece whose purpose is to retain rifle grenades prior to firing.

Development

It was developed as a competitor for the Swiss Army assault rifle contest of 1979 to 1980 and was derived from the previous SIG 540 and SIG 541 models. The SG 550 won the competition in 1983 and was renamed the Sturmgewehr 90 in German ("Stgw 90") and F ass 90 (for Fusil d'assaut) in French among the Swiss Army service. However, due to financial constraints, large scale production only began in 1986. From then on, it gradually replaced the older SIG 510 ("F ass 57" or "Stgw 57"), which is now no longer in active service.


Cartridge

The SG 550 uses the Gw Pat.90 5.6 mm ammunition designed for nominal use at 300 metres [1]. Although this calibre is designated as 5.6 mm, it is actually interchangeable with standard 5.56 x 45 mm NATO ammunition. The Gw Pat.90 ammunition is however optimized for the SG 550's rifling twist rate of 1 in 10 as opposed to the 1 in 7 for which the 5.56 NATO calibre is optimised and as such provides better performance in the SG 550. The rifle uses 20-round or 30-round magazines. The SG 550 is accurate out to 400 metres without optics (600 metres with optics).

Variants

  • SG 500 SP - A civilian semi-automatic export version of the SG 550 (called the Sturmgewehr 90 PE when it is sold in Switzerland).
  • SG 550 Sniper - A sniper variant, for use by military marksmen and police/anti-terrorist units. The SG 550-1 Sniper is being delivered with a scope by default.
  • SG 551 - A carbine version with a shorter barrel; it cannot fire rifle grenades.
  • SG 551 SP - A civilian semi-automatic export version of the SG 551.
  • SG 551 SWAT - A version of the SG 551 intended for law enforcement purposes; it is equipped with accessory rails on the forestock and comes with a Trijicon ACOG optical sight and a cheekpad on the buttstock.
  • SG 551 LB - A version of the SG 551 with a longer barrel intended for firing rifle grenades.
  • SIG 552 - A commando version (an even shorter version than the SG 551 with a shorter handguard and an even shorter barrel).



  • with bipod extended
    with bipod extended
  • With bayonet.
    With bayonet.
  • stock folded
    stock folded
  • Loaded semi-transparent plastic magazines. The two round protuberences are male parts of the system which allows to locks several magazines together (female parts are on the other side).
    Loaded semi-transparent plastic magazines. The two round protuberences are male parts of the system which allows to locks several magazines together (female parts are on the other side).


See also

References

  • règlement 53.96 Fusil d'assault 5,6 mm 1990
Wikimedia Commons has media related to F ass 90.
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