SIG 510
Encyclopedia
The SIG SG 510 or Sturmgewehr 57 is an automatic rifle
manufactured by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
(now SAN Swiss Arms
) of Switzerland
. It uses a similar roller-delayed blowback system to the H&K G3
and CETME
rifles. It also has a SAW counterpart akin to the American Stoner 63
.
The SIG SG 510-1 entered service in the Swiss Army with the designation Fass 57 (French
, for Fusil d' Assaut 57) or Stgw 57 (German
for Sturm Gewehr 57).
The Sturmgewehr 57/SIG SG 510-1 was adopted for Swiss military service in 1957. The Stgw 57 has been gradually replaced by the lighter SIG SG 550
but is still in active service with reservists who have not had a chance to be upgraded to the SG 550.
battle rifle
that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Unusually, it was fitted with a shiny stainless steel bayonet.
. The butt-stock and hand guard of the rifle are rubberized for comfort and durability—a feature totally unique among rifles—and the front hand guard is ribbed to provide a better grip.
The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 barrel is rifled along 520 mm (20.5 in) of its length and has a 270 mm (1 in 10.6 in) 4 groove rifling.
At the end of the barrel an integral muzzle brake
is fitted that reduces recoil by about 25%.
The barrel is surrounded by a perforated tubular barrel jacket with two mounting points for an integral bipod—one near the muzzle, and another near the receiver.
The SG 510-4 chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO with a 305 mm (1 in 12 in) twist rate barrel was adopted by Chile and Bolivia. The SIG SG 510 is officially classed as an automatic rifle but served as a designated marksman weapon (in Chile with Supra 4×24 scope).
For recoil reduction the fixed butt-stock is fitted with a recoil buffer. The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 spots a large carrying handle at its balance point that can be used during quick position changes or on the march.
On the right hand side of the rifle, there is a foldaway 'winter' trigger which enables the operator to use the rifle with arctic mittens. It also improves accuracy, because it reduces the force needed to pull the trigger.
The trigger mechanism has a three-position fire selector switch that is also the manual safety toggle that secures the weapon from accidentally discharging. The user selects the operating mode with a large side lever on the left side of the receiver that can be rotated to select S (safe), E (semi-automatic fire) or M (full-automatic fire).
The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 has a straight-line stock design, and an elevated iron sights
line. Both the front and rear sights can be folded down when not in use.
The rear peep sight of the Stgw 57 can be adjusted from 100 m to 640 m. From 100–200 m the sight adjusts in 50 m increments. From 200–300 m in 30 m increments, and from 300–640 m in 20 m increments.
According to the Swiss Army the 50 % windage and elevation dispersion shot at 300 m from a machine rest averages 6 cm (2.4 in).
For anti-personnel use, the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 typical maximum range for consistent accuracy is 600 m (656 yd).
For designated marksman use, the SG 550 can be equipped with a quick-detachable Kern 4×24 telescopic sight
. The sight weighs 730 g (25.7 oz) and includes a variety of features, such as mounting components, a Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) elevation adjustment knob for ranges from 100 to 600 m, an illuminated reticle that enables target acquisition in low-light conditions and a diopter eyesight correction adjustment. Included with the sight is a lens hood for mounting on the ocular that reduces image quality-impairing stray light and a gray filter for glare reduction. A night vision sight with an infra red light can also be mounted. The Chilean version can fit a German-made Supra 4×24 telescopic sight.
The Swiss Army Stgw 57 is fed from curved detachable box magazines, made from steel and containing 24 rounds. Magazines with 20 and 30-round capacities are however available.
Other accessories include the sling, the PE57 bayonet
, and a special small-capacity magazine for grenade-launching cartridges.
Rifle grenade
s can be launched without adding a special provision. Grenade-launching cartridges enable the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 to fire Gewehrgranaten 58 rifle grenades. The rifle grenade 58 achieves a muzzle velocity of 35 m/s and a maximum range of 125 m without the help of a booster charge or 70 m/s and a maximum range of 400 m with the help of a booster charge. The rifle grenade 58 may be fitted with the following warheads:
s.
In Switzerland the SG 510 is also used for target shooting matches. For this the standard iron sights can be replaced by target shooting diopter
and globe sight
sighting lines. When the sighting line radius is kept at its original length Swiss sport shooters refer to a such modified rifle as Stgw 57/02. When the sighting line radius is lengthened by mounting the globe sight nearer to the muzzle it is referred to as Stgw 57/03.
Automatic rifle
Automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a semi-automatic rifle chambered for a rifle cartridge, capable of delivering both semi- and full automatic fire...
manufactured by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft , or SIG, is the former name of SIG Holding AG, a Swiss company that has been active in various businesses during its more than 150 years of operation. Since the year 2000 the Society has undergone strategic refocus, concentrating on its core compentence in...
(now SAN Swiss Arms
Swiss Arms
SAN Swiss Arms AG is a Swiss manufacturer of small arms. It was known as SIG Arms AG before 2000 when it was acquired by the German investors Michael Lüke and Thomas Ortmeier from parent company Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft .-Products:...
) of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It uses a similar roller-delayed blowback system to the H&K G3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
and CETME
CETME
CETME is an acronym for Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales , a Spanish government design and development establishment. While being involved in many projects CETME was mostly known for its small arms research and development...
rifles. It also has a SAW counterpart akin to the American Stoner 63
Stoner 63
The Stoner 63, also known as the XM22/E1, is an American modular weapons system designed by Eugene Stoner in the early 1960s. It was produced by Cadillac Gage and used in very limited numbers in Vietnam by members of the United States Navy SEALs and several law enforcement...
.
The SIG SG 510-1 entered service in the Swiss Army with the designation Fass 57 (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, for Fusil d' Assaut 57) or Stgw 57 (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for Sturm Gewehr 57).
The Sturmgewehr 57/SIG SG 510-1 was adopted for Swiss military service in 1957. The Stgw 57 has been gradually replaced by the lighter SIG SG 550
SIG SG 550
The SG 550 is an assault rifle manufactured by Swiss Arms AG of Neuhausen, Switzerland...
but is still in active service with reservists who have not had a chance to be upgraded to the SG 550.
Design details
The SG 510 is derived from the AM55 used during the 1950s. It is a selective-fireSelective fire
A selective fire firearm has at least one semi–automatic and one automatic mode, which is activated by means of a selector which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective fire weapons utilize burst fire mechanisms to limit the maximum or total number of shots fired automatically in...
battle rifle
Battle rifle
A battle rifle is a military service rifle that fires a full power rifle cartridge, such as 7.62x51mm NATO. While the designation of battle rifle is usually given to post-World War II select fire infantry rifles such as the H&K G3, the FN FAL or the M14, this term can also apply to older military...
that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Unusually, it was fitted with a shiny stainless steel bayonet.
Features
The weapon is mainly made of pressed sheet-metal components to ease mass production. The SG 510 has a distinctive T-shaped bolt handle similar to the earlier K31K31
The Karabiner Model 1931 is a magazine-fed, straight-pull bolt-action rifle. It was the standard issue rifle of the Swiss armed forces from 1933 until 1958, though examples remained in service into the 1970s...
. The butt-stock and hand guard of the rifle are rubberized for comfort and durability—a feature totally unique among rifles—and the front hand guard is ribbed to provide a better grip.
The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 barrel is rifled along 520 mm (20.5 in) of its length and has a 270 mm (1 in 10.6 in) 4 groove rifling.
At the end of the barrel an integral muzzle brake
Muzzle brake
Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a firearm or cannon to redirect propellant gases with the effect of countering both recoil of the gun and unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire...
is fitted that reduces recoil by about 25%.
The barrel is surrounded by a perforated tubular barrel jacket with two mounting points for an integral bipod—one near the muzzle, and another near the receiver.
For recoil reduction the fixed butt-stock is fitted with a recoil buffer. The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 spots a large carrying handle at its balance point that can be used during quick position changes or on the march.
On the right hand side of the rifle, there is a foldaway 'winter' trigger which enables the operator to use the rifle with arctic mittens. It also improves accuracy, because it reduces the force needed to pull the trigger.
The trigger mechanism has a three-position fire selector switch that is also the manual safety toggle that secures the weapon from accidentally discharging. The user selects the operating mode with a large side lever on the left side of the receiver that can be rotated to select S (safe), E (semi-automatic fire) or M (full-automatic fire).
Sights
Iron sights
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
line. Both the front and rear sights can be folded down when not in use.
The rear peep sight of the Stgw 57 can be adjusted from 100 m to 640 m. From 100–200 m the sight adjusts in 50 m increments. From 200–300 m in 30 m increments, and from 300–640 m in 20 m increments.
According to the Swiss Army the 50 % windage and elevation dispersion shot at 300 m from a machine rest averages 6 cm (2.4 in).
For anti-personnel use, the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 typical maximum range for consistent accuracy is 600 m (656 yd).
For designated marksman use, the SG 550 can be equipped with a quick-detachable Kern 4×24 telescopic sight
Telescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
. The sight weighs 730 g (25.7 oz) and includes a variety of features, such as mounting components, a Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) elevation adjustment knob for ranges from 100 to 600 m, an illuminated reticle that enables target acquisition in low-light conditions and a diopter eyesight correction adjustment. Included with the sight is a lens hood for mounting on the ocular that reduces image quality-impairing stray light and a gray filter for glare reduction. A night vision sight with an infra red light can also be mounted. The Chilean version can fit a German-made Supra 4×24 telescopic sight.
Accessories
Other accessories include the sling, the PE57 bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
, and a special small-capacity magazine for grenade-launching cartridges.
Rifle grenade
Rifle grenade
A rifle grenade is a grenade that uses a rifle-based launcher to permit a longer effective range than would be possible if the grenade was thrown by hand...
s can be launched without adding a special provision. Grenade-launching cartridges enable the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 to fire Gewehrgranaten 58 rifle grenades. The rifle grenade 58 achieves a muzzle velocity of 35 m/s and a maximum range of 125 m without the help of a booster charge or 70 m/s and a maximum range of 400 m with the help of a booster charge. The rifle grenade 58 may be fitted with the following warheads:
- Hollow charge for heavy armor. Modem hollow charge rifle grenades can penetrate 300 to 500 mm (12 to 20 in) of "best quality" armour plating.
- Anti-personnel with impact detonator.
- Smoke canister for reducing visibility.
- Dummy.
Civilian use
Upon completion of their military service, members of the Swiss armed forces can obtain ownership of their personal SG 510 rifle by paying an administrative fee. These "civilianised" rifles are converted to a semiautomatic only configuration. As of 2007, around 40 percent of discharged soldiers choose to retain their weapon, and the going rate for civilianised SG 510 rifles on the private weapons market is reported to vary between 400 and 500 Swiss francSwiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
s.
In Switzerland the SG 510 is also used for target shooting matches. For this the standard iron sights can be replaced by target shooting diopter
Diopter sight
The diopter is an aperture sight component used to assist the aiming of a guns/devices, usually those intended to launch projectiles, such as firearms, airguns, and crossbows...
and globe sight
Globe sight
A globe sight is a front sight component used to assist the aiming of a gun/device, usually those intended to launch projectiles, such as firearms, airguns, and crossbows...
sighting lines. When the sighting line radius is kept at its original length Swiss sport shooters refer to a such modified rifle as Stgw 57/02. When the sighting line radius is lengthened by mounting the globe sight nearer to the muzzle it is referred to as Stgw 57/03.
Variants
- 510-1: Standard Swiss service rifle.
- 510-2: Lightened variant of the standard rifle.
- 510-3: 7.62×39mm variant with shorter barrel. This was produced in small numbers as a prototype and offered to the Finnish Army. They did not want it, hence, this model of the rifle was never mass-produced.
- 510-4: 7.62×51mm NATO variant used by Bolivia and Chile.
- AMT: semi-automatic only variant imported into the United States in relatively small numbers. It was available in both .308 (7.62×51) and 7.5×55mm GP 11 Swiss, with the latter being less common. "AMT" stood for "American Match Target". It was equipped with fine wooden furniture and a rounded upper handguard.
- SIG PE 57: semi-automatic only civilian version available in 7.5×55mm GP 11 Swiss. This variant is not the same as privatised former Swiss Army service rifles.