I am interested in getting an AR-15, although I haven't spent much time with them yet. I assumed I should get a mil-spec(ish) Colt, Armalite, DPMS, etc., but I recently came across the Sig Sauer 556 Classic for sale. I was wondering what pros and cons would be involved with the Sig version, e.g. interchangability of parts, accessories, reliability, repairs, etc.? Thanks!
Opinions on Sig Sauer 556 Classic
- Thread starter arcsound
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The Sig 556 classic shares nothing with an AR other than the mags and flashhiders.
Although 556 classics can be had now for ~$1000, I say get an AR first. A good basic AR, like a S&W M&P-15, Stag, or other M4gery. I have both and really like the 556 but the ARs are lighter, endlessly more flexable and customizable, with parts at a cheaper price, and almost anyone can repair/replace parts on them. After that then go for a 556 if you'd like. That's my opinion.
ETA: if I had known then what I know now, I'd skip buying my 556 and bought my MSAR E4. Now after the huge price drops I'd pick up the 556.
Although 556 classics can be had now for ~$1000, I say get an AR first. A good basic AR, like a S&W M&P-15, Stag, or other M4gery. I have both and really like the 556 but the ARs are lighter, endlessly more flexable and customizable, with parts at a cheaper price, and almost anyone can repair/replace parts on them. After that then go for a 556 if you'd like. That's my opinion.
ETA: if I had known then what I know now, I'd skip buying my 556 and bought my MSAR E4. Now after the huge price drops I'd pick up the 556.
rangerruck
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The sig is great, I mean just fantastic; it feels great, is super smooth, comes with all the bells/whistles, fantastic fit and finish. however , above dude is right as well; though it will proly never break down, it shares very little with other ar's, except mags of course as well. But my boss has one, and a 22 lr version, and we have run both of them extensively, and they certainly perform up to expectations.
Dionysusigma
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Aren't the trigger guards the same, too?
I have built my ultimate AR. Now, I'm looking quite heavily at either the 556 Classic or the MSAR E4, but the AR came first.
kimberkid
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Yep, the trigger guards are the same too and some models you can use AR stocks.
I have several of both the AR and SiG ... if I had to go with one or the other it would be the SiG.
How much customizing do you want to do?
Smooth/ribbed or railed hand-guard, the SiG has it.
Folding irons; the SiG has it.
Different stocks; the SiG has more options than the AR as there are 2 different lowers, one for straight (which you can also put an ACE folder on) or you can have the factory folder, which also collapses unlike the AR.
The SiG was designed to be a piston system ... runs cooler and cleaner.
Out of the box trigger is not a creepy-gritty 9pound mil-spec but a nice smooth 2stage 4.5 - 5 pound trigger that you do not pay extra for.
Sure, you can turn a sows ear into a silk purse ... or you can just buy a silk purse.
I have several of both the AR and SiG ... if I had to go with one or the other it would be the SiG.
How much customizing do you want to do?
Smooth/ribbed or railed hand-guard, the SiG has it.
Folding irons; the SiG has it.
Different stocks; the SiG has more options than the AR as there are 2 different lowers, one for straight (which you can also put an ACE folder on) or you can have the factory folder, which also collapses unlike the AR.
The SiG was designed to be a piston system ... runs cooler and cleaner.
Out of the box trigger is not a creepy-gritty 9pound mil-spec but a nice smooth 2stage 4.5 - 5 pound trigger that you do not pay extra for.
Sure, you can turn a sows ear into a silk purse ... or you can just buy a silk purse.
Tommygunn
Member
I have both. There are more accesories on the market for the AR.
In addition; although the Sig 556 is a nice rifle, some of the Sig accesories are not that great. I have a Sig Patrol, which is a nice rifle, rangerruck is right about the gun and I agree with him. However, my Sig came with the diopter rear sight. A nice sight, in theory, in reality I have yet to get it to function consistantly. It is made for Sig by a company called !tac and they make some other Sig-marked accesories. Some Sig owners complain about these accesories and will often uprate their guns with other brands of sights --- Eotac, and other high end sights, and other top name stuff.
My 556 will be wearing Aurora sights if I can't straighten out the dumb diopter.
My M4orgery is a nice, lighter weight gun ... more accurate (the Sig is accurate and more so than a AK but I don't think it will match the AR) and, yeah, more modular.
The Sig doesn't get dirty in the receiver like the AR but you DO have to clean out the pistongas system.
In addition; although the Sig 556 is a nice rifle, some of the Sig accesories are not that great. I have a Sig Patrol, which is a nice rifle, rangerruck is right about the gun and I agree with him. However, my Sig came with the diopter rear sight. A nice sight, in theory, in reality I have yet to get it to function consistantly. It is made for Sig by a company called !tac and they make some other Sig-marked accesories. Some Sig owners complain about these accesories and will often uprate their guns with other brands of sights --- Eotac, and other high end sights, and other top name stuff.
My 556 will be wearing Aurora sights if I can't straighten out the dumb diopter.
My M4orgery is a nice, lighter weight gun ... more accurate (the Sig is accurate and more so than a AK but I don't think it will match the AR) and, yeah, more modular.
The Sig doesn't get dirty in the receiver like the AR but you DO have to clean out the pistongas system.
I tried using the diopter when I first zeroed the Sig, but the 200 yard sight shot lower than the 100 yard setting at 100 yards after I zeroed the 100 yard setting to POA=POI at 25m. Shouldn't the 200 yard setting make my shot group higher at 100 yards than the 100 yard setting?
Not a huge deal for me, I'm used to AR sights so I just leave it on the 100 yard setting and use the hold under and hold over technique.
The diopter came on the rifle for $1500 in Oct 09, I wouldn't recommend paying extra for the diopter if it didn't come with the rifle.
The AK 74 I just got 2 months ago for $370 has a sight that adjusts for distance and works.
Not a huge deal for me, I'm used to AR sights so I just leave it on the 100 yard setting and use the hold under and hold over technique.
The diopter came on the rifle for $1500 in Oct 09, I wouldn't recommend paying extra for the diopter if it didn't come with the rifle.
The AK 74 I just got 2 months ago for $370 has a sight that adjusts for distance and works.
LemmyCaution
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No.
If you look at the ballistic table for M855, you'll see that setting the POA=POI at 25m with the 200m aperture would be the more correct thing to do, but still not great. The trajectory of the M855 is going to cross line of sight at around 25m and 200m. If you are sighting in to cross line of sight for the 100m notch at 25m, you're going to throw everything off.
Of course, it would be much better to sight in the 100m notch at 100m (not yards), as the sight was designed for this. You'd then have an appropriate BZ from 0-200m on the notch, with the apertures dialed in for extended ranges.
Mikee Loxxer
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A couple of the guys in the Swiss Rifle Club I shoot with have them. They tried shooting them at 300 meter Feldstich targets and decided they were not adequately accurate. They switched back to their diopter sight equippped K-31s. I got the impression these rifles are disappointing in the accuracy department.
nwilliams
Member
The Sig 556 shares much more in common with an AK pattern rifle than it does an AR.
The fact is that the Sig 55x series of rifles (550, 551, 552, 556) is never going to be as inherently accurate as the AR platform, if you can live with this then you will probably be very happy with the Sig 556.
The Sig 55x models are very nice and has been around for decades and proven itself to be a good battle rifle platform. However it meant to achieve battle rifle accuracy not precision rifle accuracy. The AR platform lends itself to being both a precision rifle and battle rifle, whereas the AK and Sig 55x platform pretty much stays in the realm of battle rifle accuracy.
The fact is that the Sig 55x series of rifles (550, 551, 552, 556) is never going to be as inherently accurate as the AR platform, if you can live with this then you will probably be very happy with the Sig 556.
The Sig 55x models are very nice and has been around for decades and proven itself to be a good battle rifle platform. However it meant to achieve battle rifle accuracy not precision rifle accuracy. The AR platform lends itself to being both a precision rifle and battle rifle, whereas the AK and Sig 55x platform pretty much stays in the realm of battle rifle accuracy.
The way I've got it zeroed now I just leave it on the 100 yard setting. It's on at 200 to 250 yards and I just aim low at 100 yards. The range I go to only goes out to 200 yards anyways, so. I may have to try zeroing the 200 yard setting for POA=POI at 25m later though.
Hatterasguy
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Fantastic rifles I love mine, its the most reliable semi I own. They are accurate enough for what they are. No such thing as a sub MOA military rack rifle, and its not needed. Mine had zero trouble keeping up at an Appleseed, and while my friend with his M1A had two stoppages I had zero.
I like all Swiss rifles, I think they make some of the best rifles in the world. If I lived in a none communist state I would own a 550, and AMT as well.
I like all Swiss rifles, I think they make some of the best rifles in the world. If I lived in a none communist state I would own a 550, and AMT as well.
krinko
Member
" A couple of the guys in the Swiss Rifle Club I shoot with have them. They tried shooting them at 300 meter Feldstich targets and decided they were not adequately accurate. They switched back to their diopter sight equippped K-31s. I got the impression these rifles are disappointing in the accuracy department."
That would be me and the Doctor----neither of our rifles would group when the time came to perform at 300m.
All 556s are not created equal it would seem---at least as applies to the US made item---many people seem to like them and claim fantastic results, yet there are frequent reports from unhappy owners.
After the failure at the match, I slapped an AR butt onto the thing for it's Last Chance Trial---figuring the shaky folder might be to blame.
Wasn't the buttstock.
Auf wiedersehn, Dreckwaffe.
-----krinko
That would be me and the Doctor----neither of our rifles would group when the time came to perform at 300m.
All 556s are not created equal it would seem---at least as applies to the US made item---many people seem to like them and claim fantastic results, yet there are frequent reports from unhappy owners.
After the failure at the match, I slapped an AR butt onto the thing for it's Last Chance Trial---figuring the shaky folder might be to blame.
Wasn't the buttstock.
Auf wiedersehn, Dreckwaffe.
-----krinko
They are very close to an AR trigger guard but not quite exactly the same.... I put a Magpul trigger guard on mine and it required a little bit of modification to fit on the rifle. I was a little worried about things but it ended up fitting alright enough.
Dionysusigma
Member
You know, that looks really, really cool.After the failure at the match, I slapped an AR butt onto the thing...
Possibly even moreso if the colors matched, but...Even with your negative review, that still makes me want one even more.
kimberkid
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I've got a set of Aurora's on my carbine ... the diopter is sloppy ... I've cleaned it up to where you can feel the detents but it still doesn't click into the detents, its more like slides into them. I bought a set of factoy sights a week or two ago but haven't gotten to the range to try them out yet ... they feel much more solid but we'll see.
The sights I like best are the MI flip up front and GGG BUIS for the back that I have on my 556P/SBR ... I really don't know why I even bother with irons though, my eyesight is so poor I seldom use them.
Was shooting 62 grain Silver Bear at 100yds off the bench ... not AR accuracy but good enough for me.
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