SIG 516 Patrol Rifle

[Evan632]

Has anybody tried this rifle yet? I'm thinking about getting one, but I'm not sure about the gas piston system.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Its crap. What do you think you gain from this design over a more proven design? Why do you think you need a piston? You would be far better served buying a good DI AR.

 

[Evan632]

Reliability.

 

[JWG223]

Reliability.

Then get a good DI AR like Gorilla suggested.

Colt, Noveske, LMT, there are many to choose from.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

You aren't gonna gain any reliability by going with a piston gun. Ecspecially a cut rate piston gun like the SiG.

 

[ulshop]

I picked up a Sig 556 when they first came out. Has been reliable so far: plinking, range, etc... My main issue has been parts. Not parts for SHTF or end-o-the-world... just for maintenance, back up.. two is one - one is none sort of thing. It would be cheaper to buy another Sig and part it out than to buy the imported parts that are available. When it came time to buy another rifle, I went with DI. Parts are available; stock, upgrade or otherwise for every conceivable thing on the rifle. Once the new gun came in, I realized what everyone was saying about the added weight of a piston. Unscientifically.. the new rifle "feels" the same weight as the Sigs upper alone. Add in the UBR stock (added to counter balance the weigh of the piston and rails) and the Sig is a beast. Could not be more pleased with my new DI purchase.. wish I would of gone that route in the beginning.

 

[Sin-ster]

The 556 and the 516 are completely different animals.

Most of the additional weight of the 556 is not from the piston-- although it's definitely a factor. Realistically, the design of the 556 is better anyway.

I've handled and shot the 516, and it didn't blow my socks off by any stretch of the imagination. The fit and finish was decent for an AR, but with Sig QC in the tubes these days, I'd imagine it was one of the better versions they could find. (It was a distributor demo gun, after all.) The barrel profile is an odd one-- something of a hybrid pencil and M4/gov't. It did have a modified BCG, likely for the sake of carrier tilt, and with a fully forged node for contact with the piston (as opposed to the much flimsier bolt-on version that attaches where the gas key normally would). The recoil impulse was more notable than other piston guns I've shot-- not sure if it's a design thing, or because of the odd weight the barrel profile affords. The trigger was hum drum, at best.

If I were going for a piston gun, this probably wouldn't be it. And all of my stuff is DI for a reason anyway.

 

[southerner985]

whats the reason all you things are DI?

 

[JR1572]

All of my stuff is DI because when things break, spare parts are cheap and plentiful.

JR1572

 

[southerner985]

my brother has had his 556 for almost 4 years now over 5000 rds through it nothing broken ,still accurate...a little heavy though but in a SHTF i wouldnt worry about it breaking it built like an ak...only better imo

 

[southerner985]

well ya if you look at the 556 its almost identical to an AK on the inside...so in that sense nothing major should break...i guess

 

[JWG223]

If you're going to buy a piston gun, there are two options as I see it that are worth-while.

An AK47 for all the obvious reasons and it's very affordable.
An HK416 because it has serious CDI factor and isn't any worse than other AR's in most ways.

 

[JWG223]

well ya if you look at the 556 its almost identical to an AK on the inside...so in that sense nothing major should break...i guess

I strongly disagree. Just because two items appear similar does not mean they will perform similar.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

whats the reason all you things are DI?

Because there isn't anything wrong with DI and there isn't anything superior about Piston ARs. 99.9% of End-Users gain nothing from adopting a Piston Gun except new problems and proprietary parts.

The SiG 556 is AK based but it isnt anywhere near as good as an AK. Hell SiG has released large batches of them where the two gas ports are identically over-sized.

If you have to have a Piston Gun buy a Gun that was designed to be a Piston Gun like a SCAR or AK. If you have to have Piston AR get an HK. It is THE ONLY ONE that has been rigorously enough tested and validated. But please realize you don't need a Piston AR.

 

[SpeedRacer]

Because there isn't anything wrong with DI and there isn't anything superior about Piston ARs. 99.9% of End-Users gain nothing from adopting a Piston Gun except new problems and proprietary parts.

The SiG 556 is AK based but it isnt anywhere near as good as an AK. Hell SiG has released large batches of them where the two gas ports are identically over-sized.

If you have to have a Piston Gun buy a Gun that was designed to be a Piston Gun like a SCAR or AK. If you have to have Piston AR get an HK. It is THE ONLY ONE that has been rigorously enough tested and validated. But please realize you don't need a Piston AR.

 

[Sin-ster]

whats the reason all you things are DI?

Because I tend to trust guys who shoot enough to know what they're talking about, and they all say that fouling has never caused an AR to lock up-- provided it's kept wet. (In some cases, even bone dry-- with proper springs and buffers installed.)

So extra cost, proprietary parts, extra weight, increased recoil impulse, and the affinity to sieze up the gas nut (if it even has regulation options) are things I tend to avoid.

Now a rifle designed as a piston gun is another story...

 

[JWG223]

With the advent of Noveske's Switchblock, the piston gun now does absolutely NOTHING that the DI gun won't do, imo. Before, the argument could be made for one on a dedicated suppressed platform. Now, not so much.

 

[southerner985]

im not saying that no not at all but the sig 550 series rifle where designed based off the AK is all...i dont like piston ARs like VG sideif it was designed to be DI than keep it that way...

 

[Evan632]

I changed my mind about getting the sig 516 anyway. Im pretty sure I'm gonna get Red Jacket's KMP-DI.