View Full Version : Question for TOrrock or StyerAUG: SIG 552 parts kit - What am I missing?
Found a SIG 552-2P parts kit online and I'm not sure what I'm looking at. Curious as to what I'm missing to make it a functional gun. Any idea as to what I need to make this thing run?
http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn395/GI_Jew_913/552pk.jpg
Thanks for the info, gents.
Honor First
H
The reciever has been demilled by cutting out a central segment. Very common with SIG 55x kits. It was a post-86 machinegun receiver, thus not transferable to civilians. In theory it could be rewelded into a functioning semiauto receiver if to had multiple reciever pieces, but I've not seen this done with a demilled SIG 55x receiver.
SIG 55x parts kits are really only good for a few scenarios:
- If you own a Swiss 55x and want spare parts
- If you want to use the compatible parts on a 556. The barrel and bolt carrier of the 552 are not cross compatible with those of 556.
Well that's no freaking good. Is it worth the purchase to hold onto until I come across another receiver?
Honor First
H
Well that's no freaking good. Is it worth the purchase to hold onto until I come across another receiver?
Honor First
H
No. Larry Gaglio at CCF in Richmond, VA brought in a handful of 551-1SP long barrel kits and receivers back around 2001. IF you can find one, it will cost you about $4k. Your other option is to buy a pre-89 550 and convert it, but I would not do this either, as you have to mill open the trunion to clear the 552 piston.
If you want a 552, you should look for one of the title-1 552s that Midwest Distributors was previously selling. They are now going for $5-7k.
Well that sucks. My biggest hang up is spending that kind of money on something I fully intend to shoot the hell out of. Know what I'm saying?
I know people had worked some Swiss parts into the 556s, so would I be able to do something like that with a 551 kit instead of the 552?
Also, I've found some 551 Repair/Replacement "upper" receivers for sale. Would they mate to the "lower" here so I could use that for the kit? Talking a total build with the 552 kit plus the R/R receiver would run me about 2900, plus the tax stamp and transfer fees...
Honor First
H
I haven't seen A 550/551 replacement receiver for sale for years. If there was it would sell fast for big $. Something is missing here?
I haven't seen A 550/551 replacement receiver for sale for years. If there was it would sell fast for big $. Something is missing here?
Local guy bought a few a couple years back in the hopes he'd get his hands on some demilled kits. He gave up looking after his son, a good friend of mine, was killed in Iraq. I had mentioned I have been trying to find a SG 551 or 552 for years, and he let slip he had a pair of R/R receivers sitting he had intended to use on builds for him and his son. Offered to sell me one, otherwise he'll just hold onto them and find the kits someday down the road.
Honor First
H
Local guy bought a few a couple years back in the hopes he'd get his hands on some demilled kits. He gave up looking after his son, a good friend of mine, was killed in Iraq. I had mentioned I have been trying to find a SG 551 or 552 for years, and he let slip he had a pair of R/R receivers sitting he had intended to use on builds for him and his son. Offered to sell me one, otherwise he'll just hold onto them and find the kits someday down the road.
Honor First
H
What price will he give you? Depending on price, I recommend you immediately buy it.
Do NOT turn it into a 552. You will irreversibly change the 551 reciever to 552 spec. If you want to have the short 8.9 inch barrel,buy an excellent condition 552 kit, use everything but the bolt group, buy a 553 gas piston from Mike at CO Gun Sales, and have a competent gunsmith install the barrel.
If you buy the reciever and need it assembled, my local gunsmith is great at doing barrel installs on Swiss 55x rifles. He has done one for me and one for a friend. I loan him my SIG 55x armorers tools to do these. Email me at joshuasurowitz [at] gmail [dot] com if you want his contact info.
The lower from the kit will fit on the R/R reciever. Those receivers are rare birds. I have had a total of six come through my hands (not all mine) and know the whereabouts of at least three others. Buy it if the price is right. Feel free to email me if you have questions about these receivers, they are definitely an interesting chapter in the US pool of 55x imports.
If you want to make that thing operational again, the easiest way would be to get a donor SIG556 rifle and sell off everything except the receiver. The good news is that even the junk US parts typically have a lot of value. It's just a matter of finding someone to rebarrel the rifle, put the rest of it together, weld the rail, and make sure everything headspaces OK, then do the sbr paperwork, etc.
Remember though, there are two tragedies in life, not getting what you want, and getting what you want.
I wouldn't consider the shorty SIG's to be demonstrably better than a good SBR AR, Galil, AK, etc. In fact some of the earlier ones had major problems with parts breakages.
If you want to make that thing operational again, the easiest way would be to get a donor SIG556 rifle and sell off everything except the receiver. The good news is that even the junk US parts typically have a lot of value. It's just a matter of finding someone to rebarrel the rifle, put the rest of it together, weld the rail, and make sure everything headspaces OK, then do the sbr paperwork, etc..
Swiss barrels cannot be installed on the 556 reciever...different thread pitch. The only way to accomplish this is to have Turner Fabrications swap the trunion on your 556 for a Swiss trunion.
Swiss barrels cannot be installed on the 556 reciever...different thread pitch. The only way to accomplish this is to have Turner Fabrications swap the trunion on your 556 for a Swiss trunion.
Yep, but I'd imagine it would still run half as expensive as any other option.
GIJew766 JoshNC advise is right on.
There is no easy answer and if you go down this road it will take time and more $ than you think. There are good reasons why original transferable 550/551 sell for $8000-$12000 and pre-samples for half that. There are NFA issues, import issues and supply and demand pressures all driving the cost of these firearms. I went down the same road you are on 10-12 years ago. There is not enough room here to Type all the lessons learned. Back in the day this guy posted alot of info about conversions. I cannot access the website from work(blocked) so I am not sure it is still active.
http://alpinetek.netfirms.com
As I said this is a compex area. I would be more than happy to discuss some of these issues off line if you want to PM me contact information.
Well shit, guys. Not very encouraging. That's kind of a shame.
As for why I want this as opposed to another SBR AR: I have enough of those. I want something different and this is one of the firearms I'd always had a love of.
In the immortal words of King Arthur: "You make me sad..." But thanks for the info all the same, gentlemen. This is why I come here.
Honor First
H
Well shit, guys. Not very encouraging. That's kind of a shame.
As for why I want this as opposed to another SBR AR: I have enough of those. I want something different and this is one of the firearms I'd always had a love of.
H
I am not trying to discourage you at all. Buy the reciever and SBR it. Buy the 552 parts kit, sell the 552 bolt carrier, keep the bolt as a spare, buy a 553 piston from CO Gun Sales, and have a good gunsmith put it all together for you. The Swiss 55x has very specific tools needed for barrel install and removal. Don't let anyone touch your reciever if they don't have these tools.
And here is a better price on some 551-2 and 552-2 kits:
http://www.sturmgewehr.com/webBBS/parts.cgi?read=306154
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