Sig 556R, greatest "AK" ever??!?

[turboneal]

Are there any "cons" to a Sig R556 Russian? The (new?) 7.62x39 version I mean? I think I'm in love...

Item Number R556-762R-16B
Caliber 7.62 X 39 mm
Overall Length 35.875 in
Rifling 1 in 9.5 in
Number of Grooves 4
Barrel Length 16.0 in
Weight w/out Mag 7 lbs 0 oz
Mag Capacity 30 Rounds
Accessory Rail No
Features Mini Red Dot Sight
MSRP $1,266.00

Pros:
1- It takes AK mags...
2- straight line from back of stock to barrel to reduce muzzle rise
3- folding, adjustable length of pull stock
4- Ability to put red dot in the right spot without side mount adapters
5- It's Piston driven
6- It comes with a red dot sight
7- IT TAKES AK MAGS!

Questions:
It's piston, but does it have AK level reliability? (After the apocalypse there will be Cock roaches, Twinkies, and AK-47's...)
Does it have bolt hold open after last round fired?
Does the trigger suck?
Does it feel too "plastic-ey"?

Cons-
1- It doesn't come with "iron" sights...
2- Can't change grips, stock, foregrips, etc to personal taste like an AR or AK
3- Anything else?

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProdu...s/sig556r.aspx


I'd have to get some sights to go with it:
http://www.sigsauer.com/SigStore/rot...t-set-302.aspx

-Neal

 

[SeventhSon]

I cant say anything about the 556R as I've never shot one but I use to own the 556 in, well, 5.56. It was very reliable, took AR mags and on paper looked like it would be an awesome carbine but I just could not warm up to it. I just didnt like the "feel" (I know, very subjective). I didnt like how front heavy it was. For lack of a better word, it kind of felt like a brick to me. Now, I'm no fan of the standard AR or AK grip but there are options out there to replace it. When I owned my 556 there were no other options (like you noted above). It was a cool gun, but I ultimately traded it for a gun that I traded for another gun that I traded for another gun that I......

For AR's I'm sticking with DI now and for AK's I'm sticking with the old reliable format. If you like the way the 556R feels it's really a good gun. I never had a lick of trouble out of it, just didnt like the feel/weight.

After the apocalypse there will be Cock roaches, Twinkies, and AK-47's...

I'm so stealing that.

 

[turboneal]

I can totally imagine what you mean about the front heavy thing. I think the railed foregrip with a VFG might be great on it though...

Glad you liked the apocalypse comment... lol

-Neal

 

[SpeedRacer]

My brother has one we took to the range last week. Basically, it's heavy and doesn't really do anything an AK doesn't do. It does not lock open on an empty mag. It uses a proprietary front sight so prepare to drop another $150 on irons. The red dot it came with belongs on a .22 and couldn't hold zero for a whole mag.

If you're a die hard 556 guy and want a different caliber, go for it. Otherwise I'd skip it and just get an AK.

 

[SeventhSon]

I can totally imagine what you mean about the front heavy thing. I think the railed foregrip with a VFG might be great on it though...

Glad you liked the apocalypse comment... lol

-Neal

I had a POF piston AR that I liked as well but same problem with it being front heavy. Traded that as well. I dont mind a heavy gun, I just want it to spit out a big round (hence the FALs in my collection).

Have you handled the 556R yet?

 

[turboneal]

My brother has one we took to the range last week. Basically, it's heavy and doesn't really do anything an AK doesn't do. It does not lock open on an empty mag. It uses a proprietary front sight so prepare to drop another $150 on irons. The red dot it came with belongs on a .22 and couldn't hold zero for a whole mag.

If you're a die hard 556 guy and want a different caliber, go for it. Otherwise I'd skip it and just get an AK.

Thanks for answering the BHO question.
I own a WASR 10, Draco, RPK, Saiga 12, a PSL (haven't shot yet) and an SKS. I love the AK and was looking to build one to try to fix some of the flaws such as the stock that's below the line of the barrel that excaserbates muzzle rise and inaccuracy.

This rifle addresses some of those issues. I would LOVE to try one out if I wasn't in Afghanistan at the moment...

Have you handled the 556R yet?

I have NOT. I handled the 5.56 version once at a gun show 2 or 3 years ago I think. I can't remember liking or disliking and didn't pay much attention because I didn't want to get into another caliber at the time... (I own a stripped AR lower now but still haven't built it yet either...)

Basically, I love the AK but want more from it. I wasn't even looking for a new AK, I was looking for a 54R Vepr and / or .308 Saiga and ran across the 556R and am very curious about it...

-Neal

 

[SeventhSon]

If you're going to go .308 go with the worlds best.

Just kidding.










No I'm not.

 

[turboneal]

If you're going to go .308 go with the worlds best.

Just kidding.


No I'm not.

The pic didn't come through on this crappy internet but I am assuming it's a FAL from your earlier comment. I have never got to hold a good example of a FAL. They were high on my list for a while though. I have held three different crappy CAI versions at gunshows but I HATED them. I have never shot one and never held one of the better examples. I used to see them in my 9 years in overseas warzones but haven't seen them over here lately. I was a little disappointed during my trip to Israel this summer to see the Israelli's using M4 variants instead of FALs, Uzi's or at least Gallils... lol

-Neal

 

[SeventhSon]

The pic didn't come through on this crappy internet but I am assuming it's a FAL from your earlier comment. I have never got to hold a good example of a FAL. They were high on my list for a while though. I have held three different crappy CAI versions at gunshows but I HATED them. I have never shot one and never held one of the better examples. I used to see them in my 9 years in overseas warzones but haven't seen them over here lately. I was a little disappointed during my trip to Israel this summer to see the Israelli's using M4 variants instead of FALs, Uzi's or at least Gallils... lol

-Neal

Yeah, it's a PARA Fal. I have a few DSA builds and they are my favorite rifles in my safe. From my understanding though private security is not allowed to use them overseas anymore and a lot of the worlds Army's that used them are swapping them out. Oh well, more for us. LOL

 

[turboneal]

I think the only countries still using them might be some of the African countries? Could be wrong though.... Got to go count some sheep. Thanks for your comments guys.

 

[bs875]

Your links don't work.

 

[Vermiform]

If you are going to go this route, I would go with one from Gabe Suarez. He has the newest versions.

 

[Jack]

Why not go with a RRA AR-47?

 

[Hardballing]

Why not just get an AK?

I get it that something different is sometimes the thing but for that particular cartridge, you just coincidentally have THE most reliable, proven system of ANY combat rifle (based on numbers made, numbers used worldwide) in the AK itself. And for less too, even for top tier versions such as Krebs, Arsenal, etc. Let alone any accessories you might want as the AK is no longer a chunk of metal but is getting extremely modular if that's your thing.

Just my .02 but if it's 7.62 x 39mm, make mine a Commie.

 

[alex]

I thoroughly enjoyed my 556 while I had it. I did not like paying 5.56 ammo prices though.

If they had this 556R back then, I'd have bought it. It's on my future shopping list.

 

[asianpersuasion]

Why not go with a RRA AR-47?

I want to finger bang one


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[Jack]

I want to finger bang one


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Me too, only thing I don't like is the position of the mag release and I'm concerned about how many parts are proprietary. They don't really list what all is proprietary and what isn't, so it would be hard to buy something like that, or at least for me it would be.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Me too, only thing I don't like is the position of the mag release and I'm concerned about how many parts are proprietary. They don't really list what all is proprietary and what isn't, so it would be hard to buy something like that, or at least for me it would be.

The whole rifle is proprietary. The only standardized part is the pic rail for mounting an optic, and the fact that it takes AK mags.

 

[Vermiform]

The whole rifle is proprietary. The only standardized part is the pic rail for mounting an optic, and the fact that it takes AK mags.

Most AK mags. US Palm mags won't fit without some serious sanding.

Still, the 556R has been calling out to me as well. I'll probably wait til Christmas though.

 

[Jack]

The whole rifle is proprietary. The only standardized part is the pic rail for mounting an optic, and the fact that it takes AK mags.

Well, there you go, Curt knows all