First pics of SIG 553-US carbine. Time to get excited?

[scottryan]

I'd still rather have swiss mags and the stamped lower.

I don't see how this is 922r compliant with just a new lower, so it would be a SBR dealer sample.

[Silvanus]

I had that same rifle in my hands this weekend It`s from the IWA in Nürnberg.

I kinda prefer the look of the standard Sig 55X rifles, but if this is what they have to do to get them into the USA AND they take AR magazines, I´d say that´s a pretty interesting rifle


PS: I also met Rob Leatham at the IWA and bothered him for an autograph. He told me he was going to the local SEK (SWAT) to teach some firearms training after the IWA.

[JDW67]

If it's made by the NH group, then no, absolutely no interest...

[rubberneck]

I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat.

[variablebinary]

I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat.

I'd be all over it, but odds are it will never drop stateside.

I am sorta hoping the release of the SCAR 16S and HK MR556 will make Swiss Arms rethink their position on USA sales and how SIG USA conducts business.

Wishful thinking on my part.

[JoshNC]

I don't see how this is 922r compliant with just a new lower, so it would be a SBR dealer sample.

That is a fullauto rifle.

[kmrtnsn]

That crap lower rail and bipod grip have to go. Must be more of that iTac Israeli/Chinese shit.

[Silvanus]

That is a fullauto rifle

I'm pretty sure it's not... I asked an H&K sales rep if I could have a look at the "real" 416 (they only had the civilian version on display) and he told me that's impossible since "it's illegal to exhibit "weapons of war" at the IWA".

[JoshNC]

I'm pretty sure it's not... I asked an H&K sales rep if I could have a look at the "real" 416 (they only had the civilian version on display) and he told me that's impossible since "it's illegal to exhibit "weapons of war" at the IWA".

Hmmm....studying the photo it really appears to be a fullauto rifle. But I was not at the show and am merely basing this on studying enlarged photos of the 553-US photo.

The upper receiver appears to be a fullauto as it lacks the tell-tale several spot welds for the automatic sear release lever block on the right side of the receiver just below the rear of the ejection port where the upper and lower meet. This covers up the slot cut in the right bolt guide rail and is what makes the receiver semiauto. Also, the lower has the axle for the automatic sear release lever present on the right side of the lower receiver. This is the slot-head screw just aft of the hammer axle pin. On the original Swiss lower this is the welded "hump" in the same location.

Also the receiver is marked SG 553-1, which corresponds to a fullauto receiver. Current semiauto receivers are usually marked with "SP" suffix.....ie SG 553-1 SP.

[JoshNC]

Anyone else notice that the lower is EXACTLY the same as a 556 Classic lower with several exceptions?

The differences are:
1. Lightening cuts along top aspect of mag well
2. Ambi mag release
3. Rear "tang" of the trigger guard has been chamfered so as to make it ergonomically compatible with the standard Swiss pistol grip
4. Use of standard Swiss push-button front and rear takedown pins

I suspect SAN/SwissArms used the 556 Classic lower as the basis for their -US line. Whether it will be this way in production is unclear. Interesting nonetheless.