Sig 556xi Russian

Status
Not open for further replies.

Balrog

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
3,149
Does anyone have experience with the Sig 556xi Russian in 7.62x39?

It sounds like a neat rifle, but I am having hard time finding anyone who has fired one. The few reports I have found on the internet sound like the rifle may be a little iffy.
 
Yep - MAC's problems with the 556/556xi are enough to dissuade me from spending my hard-earned money on one. If I'm not mistaken, he's had significant problems with 4 out of 4 rifles he's owned or tested.
 
I have one of the early 556R guns and other than some Failure To Fire with the last of the Golden Tiger ammo I had (they all went on a second try). Its been perfect with Wolf and Monarch steel cased ammo. Its really sweet shooting it suppressed.
 
I have a lot of respect for Mac. He's a thoughtful, objective and reliable guy. But I've had a Sig 556 (original) in pistol/brace form and it's been perfect. Quite literally. Now that's shooting 5.56 but since the action on the Sig is based on the AK, I'd be confident.
Statistically, it could be that Mac just got a bad one. Or I just got a good one :)
GL,
B
 
I would get one if, for some reason you like 7.62x39 but just really dont like AKs, and then only if you are willing to risk a fair chance that it will need some type of factory repair right out of the box. IME one 556R was GTG though no more accurate than a good AK while the other had a factory flaw and also was no more accurate than a good AK. I view them as a nifty range toy with some utilitarian value, though they do not have a chromed bore and piston like the AK. They DO offer a solid top rail for optics which is a plus.
 
I've had one for about six years and haven't had any problems out of it. That said, it take a few additions to get it the way I think it should have come from the factory. They have the folding rear sight but now front sight, so I had to order one from the factory, also it came with a solid side folder while the 5.56 version has an adjustable folding version which I lucked out a a customer traded me straight across for.

75 round drums will not lock in, but I haven't had any problems with any twenty, thirty, or fourty round mags.
 
Statistically, it could be that Mac just got a bad one.

Except he got a bad 4. Out of 4. (Counting all the 556/556R/556xi versions I've seen him review. Maybe the 5th one works well, based on his videos?)

He apparently (based on his videos) has a 552 that works reliably, but with horrible accuracy.
 
Use the search function here and read about my experiences with the
Sig556R.
I don't think I could have had a worse experience.
That was the replacement for the Sig Swat Patrol that had the barrel installed incorrectly by the way.
That was 2 out of 2 for me, never again.

It makes no difference if a manufacturer turns out 90% of their products correctly if the 10% that slide through are so bad that they are dangerous to the user.
Also if the Customer Service hasn't improved dramatically, you're in for a treat when you call them.
 
There are a ton of bad reviews on them, maybe if they were a few bills cheaper I'd feel a little better about making the gamble. I did have the opportunity to try out a fellow shooters 556R a while back, it shot fine, and he claimed it never had any issues.
 
Who would have thought 10 years ago that Century would be producing more functional rifles than Sig....:uhoh: (Speaking generally of course, every company drops a turd now and then) Sigs polymer handguns have had some growing pains as well. Just seems Sigs QC has dipped over the last few years across the board. Hope they get back to the quality standard they used to be known for.
 
Just seems Sigs QC has dipped over the last few years across the board. Hope they get back to the quality standard they used to be known for.

The quality on their German & Swiss-made firearms never dropped. Too bad we can't seem to get those here anymore.
 
f you want something that shoots AK bullets but isn't an AK, buy a PTR-32
The PTR-32 is a sweet shooter, but a bit on the heavy side, the SIG 556R is much easier to mount optics to.

Is the PTR-32 still being made? I haven't seen another since I got mine a few years ago. I've regretted not also getting the pistol version to SBR, but at the time I didn't know if it would be difficult to add a stock or not and didn't want to take a chance until I learned more -- again haven't ran across another since.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top