SIG Sauer SIGM400

     SIG describes the SIGM400 as “the first SIG to earn the M4 name.”  The SIGM400 was designed by SGM Kyle Lamb, noted firearms expert and war hero.  Though the barrel is of legal length for most civilian rifles of the world (especially in the US, where most of them are expected to be sold).  The SIGM400 is also known as the M400.  Operation is by Stoner-type direct gas impingement.

     There aren’t really any base rifles of the SIGM400; each is highly evolved, diverging greatly from the M4 base. The SIGM400 Elite is sort of a middle of the road products, price-wise, though the RL price is now small.  It features a SIG-designed telescoping stock similar to the Magpul CTR in design.  The pistol grip is also SIG-designed, and has a slight flare to increase grip.  The upper receiver is an A3-type, with a monolithic upper MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The entire rifle has match-quality components throughout the rifle, from the match barrel to the 2-stage match trigger, to the free-float eight-sided SIG-designed M-LOK handguard, with M-LOK holes on four sides and wide cooling slots on the other four.  The handguard is aluminum, and under the end of the handguard is SIG’s Micro-Light Gas Block.  The 16-inch barrel is nitrided and is a high-precision-type barrel, as noted above.  (Originally, the SGM400 series came in 18-inch-barrel versions, but these are no longer found on SIG’s site. I have included below as a point of interest.) The controls are ambidextrous. The SIGM400 Elite comes with a SIG ROMEO5 red dot sight.

     The SIGM400 Elite Ti is essentially the same as the SIGM400 Elite, but the receivers, handguards, and MIL-STD-1913 rails are finished in a titanium coating.  (They are not made of titanium themselves.) This makes the coated areas tougher, and more weatherproof than anodizing, and in general gives SIGM Elite Ti a good look.  For game purposes, the two Elites are identical.  Like the SIGM400 Elite, the polymer parts and other metal parts are either molded in black or metalwork finished black anodized.

     The VTAC received the most input from Kyle Lamb; it is his conception of what he would like an AR-15/M4 rifle should be.  The handguard, and may of the components, are of a standard that SIG calls “VTAC.”  The handguards, for example, are VTAC handguards; they are eight-sided and the sides and underside of the handguard have M-LOK rails, while the top of the handguard has a MIL-STD-1913 rail, which connects to the monolithic rail on top of the A3-derived upper receiver.  They are also a free-float tube. BUIS are not provided, in favor of a ROMEO5 red dot sight. The VTAC uses a carbine-length gas system, and the low-profile gas block is well under the end of the handguard.  The 16” stainless steel DLC barrel is of military profile and is tipped with a Taper-Lok flash suppressor; this has threads behind the flash suppressor for a suppressor, and the flash suppressor is itself removable to allow the attachment of other muzzle devices.  The pistol grip is a BCM Gunfighter grip, and the stock, while smaller than usual, is telescoping and works better when wearing heavy body armor.  The controls are ambidextrous, and the rifle comes with an VTAC Alpha Rail-13 sling and sling swivels.

     I have not been able to determine whether the Predator is something coming up or no longer carried by SIG; it does not appear on SIG’s web site, but there is plenty of recent information and reviews on the Predator.  It was apparently introduced at the 2013 SHOT Show, then reintroduced at the 2016 SHOT Show, but as I said, does not appear on their site. Physically, it looks a lot like the Elite, and has many of the same components, but has an 18-inch stainless steel heavy-profile barrel.  The barrel is not tipped with any sort of muzzle device, but it does have a target crown, and has a muzzle cap that has threads under it for a muzzle device. The SIG-designed handguards have been swapped out for ALG Defense’s Ergonomic Modular Rail handguards.  They are quite slim and have gripping surfaces on them. The stock looks a lot like the telescoping Magpul MOE stock, but is in fact fixed.  The sides and undersides of the handguard have M-LOK slots, and the top has a medium-length MIL-STD-1913 rail attached to M-LOK slots.  The new handguard is a free-float tube.  The trigger pack is two-stage and match-quality.  The pistol grip is a Hogue grip overmolded in rubber and has a pebble texture.  The upper receiver is an A3-type, with a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  It does not have the ROMEO5 sight, allowing the user to choose his own sight; it does have a set of BUISs.

     The Hunter is designed to shoot medium to small game, up to the size of a coyote.  The barrel is a long 20 inches tipped by a target crown/thread protector, and with a heavy profile and match-quality.  It is 20 phosphated. The Hunter uses a low-profile gas block, with an upper receiver and handguard having a MIL-STD-1913 rail. (There are also short rails at the ends on the other three sides.)  The handguard is a Magpul MOE design, with a free-float tube and the gas block under the end of the handguard.  The handguard is mostly aluminum, but over-coated with polymer.  Though the controls are not ambidextrous, they can be reversed.  Standard finish and molding is in various camo designs, but it can also be had in black.  The stock, like the Predator, is fixed.  The Hunter is not sold with a ROMEO5 sight, as most hunters prefer to mount their own optics.  It does come with a set of BUIS.

     SIG has always hoped for military and police sales for its SIGM400 Elite, and its first target customers were in fact military units and police SWAT/SRT teams.  Though it has been tested by the US military amongst other countries, and is still being tested by some countries, most sales have been made to law enforcement and bodyguard concerns.  The SIGM400 Patrol is made for military and police, and not sold to civilians.  The Patrol is very similar to the Elite, but comes in longer and shorter barrels, may have suppressors, muzzle brakes, and flash suppressors of different types mounted by the shooter.  (A flash suppressor-equipped version is listed below.)  Instead of gas impingement, the Patrol uses a short-stroke gas piston operation.  The gas block has a four-position gas regulator, allowing for continued use in dirty environments as well as use with rifle grenades.  The Patrol has MIL-STD-1913 rails on four sides of the handguards as well as above the receiver.  The barrels come in several lengths and are stainless steel, nitrided, match-quality, and of military profile.  Military/LE versions are sold with a ROMEO5 red dot sight, and BUIS are provided.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

SIGM400 Elite (16” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.31 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$752

SIGM400 Elite (18” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.43 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$774

SIGM400 VTAC

5.56mm NATO

3.31 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$748

SIGM400 Predator

5.56mm NATO

3.45 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$602

SIGM400 Hunter

5.56mm NATO

3.54 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$626

SIGM400 Hunter

.300 Blackout

3.54 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$807

SIGM400 Patrol (9.5” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

2.97 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$678

SIGM400 Patrol (9.5” Barrel)

.300 Blackout

2.97 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$859

SIGM400 Patrol (11.5” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.1 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$701

SIGM400 Patrol (11.5” Barrel)

.300 Blackout

3.1 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$881

SIGM400 Patrol (14.5” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.27 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$733

SIGM400 Patrol (14.5” Barrel)

.300 Blackout

3.27 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$914

SIGM400 Patrol (16” Barrel)

5.56mm NATO

3.36 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$750

SIGM400 Patrol (16” Barrel)

.300 Blackout

3.36 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$1021

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

SIGM400 Elite (16” Barrel)

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

Nil

43

SIGM400 Elite (18” Barrel)

SA

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

Nil

53

SIGM400 VTAC

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

Nil

42

SIGM400 Predator

SA

3

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

51

SIGM400 Hunter (5.56mm)

SA

3

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

57

SIGM400 Hunter (.300)

SA

4

2-3-Nil

6

4

Nil

61

SIGM400 Patrol (9.5”, 5.56mm)

5

2

1-Nil

3/4

2

6

18

SIGM400 Patrol (9.5”, .300)

5

3

2-Nil

3/4

3

7

21

SIGM400 Patrol (11.5”, 5.56mm)

5

2

1-Nil

3/5

2

6

25

SIGM400 Patrol (11.5”, .300)

5

3

2-Nil

3/5

3

7

29

SIGM400 Patrol (14.5”, 5.56mm)

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

6

36

SIGM400 Patrol (14.5”, .300)

5

3

2-Nil

4/5

4

9

40

SIGM400 Patrol (16”, 5.56mm)

5

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

6

42

SIGM400 Patrol (16”, .300)

5

3

2-Nil

4/6

4

9

47

 

SiG-Sauer SG540/543

     Notes: This is a family of rifles including the SG540 assault rifle and the SG543 carbine. (The other rifle is the SG-542 battle rifle, not produced in quantity except in Chile.)  The weapons come in fixed and folding-butt versions. The SG540 has an integral bipod. The SG543 cannot use a bayonet or rifle grenades. This weapon was not adopted by the Swiss military, but has found employment with a number of African nations.   In 1988, the license for the SG540 series was sold to INDEP of Portugal, who sold it to FAMAE of Chile shortly later.  Chile is now the only country that produces the SG540 series. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

SG540 (Fixed Stock)

5.56mm NATO

3.26 kg

20, 30

$1138

SG540 (Folding Stock)

5.56mm NATO

3.31 kg

20, 30

$1158

SG543 (Fixed Stock)

5.56mm NATO

2.95 kg

20, 30

$704

SG543 (Folding Stock)

5.56mm NATO

3 kg

20, 30

$724

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

SG540 (Fixed Stock)

3/5

3

1-Nil

6

2

4/6

48

SG540 (Fixed Stock, Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

6

1

2/3

62

SG540 (Folding Stock)

3/5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

4/6

48

SG540 (Folding Stock, Bipod)

3/5

3

1-Nil

5/6

1

2/3

62

SG543 (Fixed Stock)

3/5

2

1-Nil

5

2

4/6

25

SG543 (Folding Stock)

3/5

2

1-Nil

4/5

2

4/6

25

 

SiG-Sauer SG550 Series

     Notes: This weapon was developed in response to a Swiss need for a new service rifle to replace the STGW-57; in Swiss service, this assault rifle is called the StG-90.  It was adopted in 1984.  The weapon was designed for light weight, balance, and accuracy, using plastics for the buttstock, handguard, and pistol grip, as well as the magazines.  The stock is folding and skeletonized to reduce weight.  The magazines are clear so ammunition levels can be checked, and are equipped with studs and lugs so that up to three of them can be clipped together for rapid changing.  The sights consist of day and illuminated night rear sights (one flips the sights to change between the two), and a hooded post-type front sight (also with a tritium inlay).  The sights are adjusted for elevation and windage from the rear sight only, and when either the day or night sight is adjusted, the other sight is simultaneously adjusted.  There is a STANAG-compatible sight mount for optics of the NATO sort, and this mount can also accept a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The SG550 is notable for its long 20.8-inch barrel; in addition, a bipod is standard equipment.  Various Western-type 40mm underbarrel grenade launchers may be mounted.

     The SG551 is a carbine version of the SG550, with a shorter 14.6-inch barrel, no bipod, and a rudimentary cheekpiece on the stock, but otherwise identical to the SG550.  A variant of the SG551, the SG551 SWAT, is identical except for a redesigned stock and the addition of a permanently-mounted MIL-STD-1913 rail to allow a greater range of sights to be mounted.  The SG551A1 is a civilianized version produced in SiG-Sauer’s US facilities; it is identical to the SG551, except being semiautomatic only and having no bayonet lug.

     The SG552 is a short-barreled carbine for use by special operations personnel; it also has a permanently-mounted MIL-STD-1913 rail, and can still mount an underbarrel grenade launcher or fire rifle grenades, despite the 10.7-inch barrel.  A three-round burst mechanism has been added to the normal selector modes.  The barrel is equipped with a muzzle brake instead of a simple flash suppressor.  It also has a folding stock, and is known as the Commando.  This version was not introduced until 1998.

     In addition to these variants, semiautomatic versions of the SG550 and SG551 also exist for civilian sales. They are called the SG550SP and SG551SP; the SG551SP version is rarely found outside of Switzerland, however, due to the short length of its barrel and the plethora of government regulations in various countries.  The SG550SP is often found outside Switzerland minus its flash suppressor and sold with 10-round magazines (particularly in the US prior to the sunset of the Assault Weapon Bans). 

     Finally, the SG556 is a version of the SG550 designed for sales in the US, and built in SiGArms’ facilities in the US.  Internally, the SG556 is virtually identical to the civilian versions of the SG550; however, they have some changes both to suit US firearms regulations and to suit the tastes of American shooters.  The cold-forged barrel is 16 inches long, and it is tipped with a flash suppressor which is similar (but not exactly the same) as that of an M-16A2.  The fore-end is coated with ribbed, non-slip rubber.  The receiver is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and three more are on the front of the weapon.  Both the front and rear iron sights are military-type and flip down if other optics are mounted.  (They can also be removed entirely.)  The SG556 is designed to use standard AR-15/M-16 magazines (the standard SG550 series uses proprietary magazines).  Law enforcement versions have a removable rubber handgrip/fore-end, which can be replaced with a fourth MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The SG556 was introduced at the 2006 SHOT show and began sales the following fall.  Six versions are built: the Classic, the DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle), the Classic SWAT, the SCM (Sport Configuration Model), the Patrol Rifle, and the SWAT Patrol Rifle.

     All SG556s use an almost identical action to the SG550 series, but are modified to make a conversion to automatic fire virtually impossible.  The Classic is a basic-configuration that is, ironically, one of the newest versions of the SG556. The stock of the Classic may be a fixed, skeletonized stock adjustable for length of pull, a similar skeletonized stock that folds to the right,  or a Vltor 5-position stock, similar in design to that used on the M-4 but more adjustable and with a compartment in the rear large enough to house a standard cleaning kit.  The Classic is equipped with a small red-dot-type sight with a 1.5x magnification and a folding rear diopter sight.  The front sight is fixed. The cold-forged barrel is 16 inches long, and it is tipped with a flash suppressor which is similar (but not exactly the same) as that of an M-16A2.  The fore-end and pistol grip are coated with ribbed, non-slip rubber.  The receiver is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail.  The Classic SWAT is very similar, but has a handguard with four MIL-STD-1913 rails as well as one above the receiver. 

     The DMR uses a match-grade, cold hammer-forged 21-inch heavy barrel, tipped by a target crown instead of a flash suppressor.  The handguards and fore-end are designed to be as non-slipped as possible; they have a flared area at the bottom that is ribbed to ensure a positive grip.  The stock does not fold, but is adjustable for length of pull and has an adjustable cheekpiece.  At the front end of the handguards are three short lengths of MIL-STD-1913 rail; the bottom rail is normally occupied with the equipped light bipod that is adjustable for height and cant. There is also a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver; the DMR does not normally come with iron sights, though it comes with a telescopic sight.  The SCM is constructed in much the same way, but with no bipod, a telescopic sight is not included, and the barrel is 16 inches; the stock is also fixed.  The Patrol Rifle is essentially a Classic with an option for quad-MIL-STD-1913-rail fore-end and a stock that both slides and side-fold; the SWAT Patrol Rifle is a patrol rifle with a skeletonized side-folding and sliding stock, more finely-adjustable sights, and a quad MIL-STD-1913 rail for the fore-end as standard.

     In mid-2009, SiG-Sauer introduced the P556 – one of those “pistol” versions of a rifle.  The P556 is for the most part an SG556 Classic with a short, 10-inch barrel and no stock, nor any attachments for a stock.  The P556 has a MIL-STD-1913 rail above the receiver, and is tipped with a flash suppressor similar to that of the M-16A2/M-4 (a model often called the “A2” flash suppressor).   Though the P556 does not have any stock attachments, shooters have quickly discovered that it is possible to add stock attachments and convert into a short-barreled rifle (it’s legal in many places, including most of the US, if you pays the money and does the paperwork), and several kits are available to do this. Some generic figures for stocked P556s are presented below.  The P556 could, of course, be tricked out even further.

     Early in 2009, SiG-Sauer also introduced a version of the SG550 series in .22 Long Rifle, called the SIG552.  The SIG552 comes in two rifle versions, the SIG552 Classic and the SIG552 SWAT, as well as a pistol version, the P522.  The SIG552 Classic largely follows the lines of the SG550 series, and many parts of the SIG552 are interchangeable with those of the SG550 series, particularly the furniture and receiver halves.  The folding stock is the same as that used on the SG556 Classic, as are the pistol grip, handguards, and trigger group.  The furniture is almost totally of polymer, though the stock is light alloy encased in polymer with a non-slip buttplate. The upper receiver is topped with an integral MIL-STD-1913 rail, and short lengths of MIL-STD-1913 rail are attached to either side of the handguards near the front and above the gas block; backup iron sights which attach to the receiver’s rail as well as the gas block’s rail are available.  The 16.6-inch barrel is tipped by a flash suppressor which is similar in design to a standard SG550-series rifle. Magazines are designed to look like standard 20 or 30-round 5.56mm magazines, but have inserts to fit the smaller rounds.  The SIG552 SWAT is for the most part the same, but has a four-point MIL-STD-1913 rails on the handguards; the top rail forms a continuous rail with the MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver. The pistol counterparts, the P522 Classic and P522 SWAT, essentially follow the lines of their rifle counterparts as well as the P556 pistol.  Barrel length for the P522 versions is 10.6 inches, and as with the P556, kits exist to attach a stock to the P522 to turn it into a short-barreled rifle.

     Appearing in 2014, the SG556R -- ahh, well, is it an SG556?  The exterior looks pretty much looks any SG556, but internally -- the SG556R is an AK.  And externally, there are also some changes to suit it to the AK internals, such magazine well. The controls are mostly AR, but it uses standard AK magazines. The charging handle is also AR.  The flash suppressor can be removed, and replaced with any flash suppressor or muzzle brake that fits on a 7,62mm Kalashnikov or 7.62mm NATO rifle. It has a 16-inch barrel.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: There are virtually no SG552s in existence in the Twilight 2000 timeline which were manufactured as such; however, Swiss gunsmiths often made ad hoc “SG552s” from existing SG550s and SG552s for CQB.  The SG556 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline in any form, nor does the SIG552 or P522.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

SG550

5.56mm NATO

4.08 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$1119

SG551

5.56mm NATO

3.4 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$570

SG552

5.56mm NATO

3.2 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$758

SG556 Classic

5.56mm NATO

3.72 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$745

SG556 DMR

5.56mm NATO

5.44 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$1345

SG556 Classic SWAT

5.56mm NATO

3.76 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$745

SG556 SCM

5.56mm NATO

3.63 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$574

P556

5.56mm NATO

2.86 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$499

P556 (Folding-Stock SBR)

5.56mm NATO

3.36 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$525

P556 (Fixed-Stock SBR)

5.56mm NATO

3.36 kg

5, 10, 20, 30

$504

SIG552 Classic

.22 Long Rifle

2.9 kg

10, 25

$247

SIG552 SWAT

.22 Long Rifle

3 kg

10, 25

$250

P522 Classic

.22 Long Rifle

2.38 kg

10, 25

$136

P522 SWAT

.22 Long Rifle

2.44 kg

10, 25

$138

P522 Classic (Folding-Stock SBR)

.22 Long Rifle

2.88 kg

10, 25

$186

P522 Classic (Fixed-Stock SBR)

.22 Long Rifle

2.88 kg

10, 25

$166

P522 SWAT (Folding-Stock SBR)

.22 Long Rifle

2.94 kg

10, 25

$188

P522 SWAT (Fixed-Stock SBR)

.22 Long Rifle

2.94 kg

10, 25

$168

SG556R

7.62mm Kalashnikov

3.18 kg

10, 20, 30, 40, 75D

$1444

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

SG550

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

6

59

With Bipod

5

3

1-Nil

5/6

1

3

76

SG551

5

3

1-Nil

4/5

2

6

35

SG552

3/5

2

1-Nil

3/5

2

3/5

21

SG556 Classic

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

3

Nil

41

SG556 DMR

SA

3

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

64

With Bipod

SA

3

1-Nil

6

1

Nil

83

SG556 Classic SWAT

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

Nil

41

SG556 SCM

SA

3

1-Nil

5

2

Nil

43

P556

SA

2

1-Nil

3

2

Nil

16

P556 (Folding)

SA

2

1-Nil

3/4

2

Nil

19

P556 (Fixed)

SA

2

1-Nil

4

2

Nil

19

SIG552 Classic/SWAT

SA

1

Nil

4/6

1

Nil

34

P522 Classic/SWAT

SA

1

Nil

3

1

Nil

17

P522 Classic/SWAT (Folding)

SA

1

Nil

3/4

1

Nil

20

P522 Classic/SWAT (Fixed)

SA

1

Nil

4

1

Nil

20

SG556R

SA

4

2-Nil

5/6

4

Nil

44