Swiss arms / SAN rifles FAQ

use of parachord is cheap and 100% reliable. I am guessing when issuing a million rifles, simplicity and function is a big deal. It also works as great tourniquet when you need to wrap a limb to stop bleeding. works much better than a strap.
 
Always wondered what was with the paracord sling setup other than having some paracord on hand for the bajillion uses that paracord can perform when needed. Can you share some insight on this Kampfhamster?

Sure. The rifle and the sling were built before Chuck Taylor wrote an interesting book about fighting with rifles and handguns. The sling just wasn't used other then for slinging your rifle on the back.

With the new shooting technique, which the army introduced in 1994, it was necessary to use a longer sling. And sinc ethe swiss army is a cheap as every other army on this planet, they went the cheapest way and issued (very cheap) cord to the soldiers to add some length to the sling.

It's not even paracord normally, just cheap cord that wears through quickly.

Some people use real paracord, it lasts way longer.
 
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Picture from the IWA gunshow in Nuremberg.

553R in 7,62x39. Can't wait to shoot it.
 
Just curious to see if anyone here has had any experience reloading for the SA rifle series. I've seen these things at the range and they seem to be pretty hard on the sidewall of ejected casings. Wondering if I drop an a$$-load of ca$h on one if I'm gonna be able to reload for it or be relegated to running expendable cheap foreign ammo.
 
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Just curious to see if anyone here has had any experience reloading for the SA rifle series. I've seen these things at the range and they seem to be pretty hard on the sidewall of ejected casings. Wondering if I drop an a$$-load of ca$h on one if I'm gonna be able to reload for it or be relegated to running expendable cheap foreign ammo.


If you can afford the rifle you can afford decent ammo. Why buy a $3000+ rifle then feed it garbage?
Be like buying a corvette then ruining with regular unleaded.

I haven't reloaded for mine yet but there are plenty of reports of people loading for them.
You will need a brass catcher though because they throw brass about 15-20ft to your 2:00.
 
Just curious to see if anyone here has had any experience reloading for the SA rifle series. I've seen these things at the range and they seem to be pretty hard on the sidewall of ejected casings. Wondering if I drop an a$$-load of ca$h on one if I'm gonna be able to reload for it or be relegated to running expendable cheap foreign ammo.

100% so far with the norinco ammo. Over 800 through the pipe and all is running smoothly.

Accuracy is not on par with quality ammo, average 2 - 2.5 MOA with the Norinco, but so far it has gone bang every single time.
 
100% so far with the norinco ammo. Over 800 through the pipe and all is running smoothly.

Accuracy is not on par with quality ammo, average 2 - 2.5 MOA with the Norinco, but so far it has gone bang every single time.


Did you happen to read the post from Steve back a few pages explaining how his barrel was shot out after about 8000 rounds of cheap norc ammo?
Not worth the savings if you ask me.
American Eagle is as cheap as I'll run through mine.
 
Just curious to see if anyone here has had any experience reloading for the SA rifle series. I've seen these things at the range and they seem to be pretty hard on the sidewall of ejected casings. Wondering if I drop an a$$-load of ca$h on one if I'm gonna be able to reload for it or be relegated to running expendable cheap foreign ammo.


Reloading is fine. You will get only 4-5 uses out of your brass and will discard more brass than usual as the case mouths will at time fold during resizing. Take your time and reload like you do for any other rifle.
 
Had mine out in the bush a couple days ago and had a great time with it. Was hitting empty 20lb propane bottles at 330m and even though it chucks the brass a long way it is very consistent so once you find where it's going you can usually find most of it.
Just got my Specter DR in the mail yesterday. Got a great deal on a used one and can't wait to get it sighted in and then back out in the bush :D
The Specter although heavy brings the weight back closer to your body so it feels lighter with it than with the Bushnel 2.5-16x42 Elite 6500 I had on it.

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Does anyone know if there is a charging handle available that is bent down lower or if the stock one can be "adjusted" to give a little more clearance to the scope mount?
I find it is really close and you could knuckle yourself while operating the handle if you weren't careful.
 
SAN makes one that's straight, rather than bent upwards. I picked mine up from TSE, but I see them at the Calgary Shooting Centre often now. Over $100 for the tiny little piece...

There's also a company in the States that makes one that's bent downwards; Google 'Griffin Tactical Charging Handle'. However, it's bent down so much it hits the folding stock though when/if it's folded.
 
SAN makes one that's straight, rather than bent upwards. I picked mine up from TSE, but I see them at the Calgary Shooting Centre often now. Over $100 for the tiny little piece...

There's also a company in the States that makes one that's bent downwards; Google 'Griffin Tactical Charging Handle'. However, it's bent down so much it hits the folding stock though when/if it's folded.

Holy crap :eek: $100+ for that? WOW! that's robbery, do you get a kiss and a towel to wipe the lube off when they are done?

Thanks for the pointer though, good to know they are out there. I'm gonna pull mine out and see if I can just bend it a little using the vice, if I ruin it I guess it will be $100. Shouldn't need too much and I'd like to give it a little heat to do it but I think the plastic thingy will prob melt if I try that.
 
So they don't give you a kiss or use lube.
Perfect, I'll take two please. :kickInTheNuts::kickInTheNuts:


$150 for a piece of steel one inch long with a notch and a slight bend with a plastic tip molded on the end. Sounds about right. Must be the shipping and import costs killing us again.:rolleyes:
 
$150 for a piece of steel one inch long with a notch and a slight bend with a plastic tip molded on the end. Sounds about right. Must be the shipping and import costs killing us again.:rolleyes:

Well another option if you dislike the price is to learn to use the charging handle with you support hand. Sounds like your using your dominant (shooting) hand to smack your knuckles.

Hope Steve doesn't mind me using one of his vids, you're looking at the 0:07 - 0:09 mark for him manipulating the charging handle;


Then there's Haley 0:26 to 0:27;


So there you have it. With a rifle platform with right side charging handle such as the Swiss cant the rifle slightly, reach under with the support hand, and charge it. In another Haley vid he clearly states optics on such a system force you to go under, Irons allow you the choice of the support hand over the top or under. Of course even with optics he also states there are shooting postions that force you to go over the top, so to practice both.

Hope that helps, might save you some $ to put toward ammo ;).
 
Well another option if you dislike the price is to learn to use the charging handle with you support hand. Sounds like your using your dominant (shooting) hand to smack your knuckles.

Hope Steve doesn't mind me using one of his vids, you're looking at the 0:07 - 0:09 mark for him manipulating the charging handle;


Then there's Haley 0:26 to 0:27;


So there you have it. With a rifle platform with right side charging handle such as the Swiss cant the rifle slightly, reach under with the support hand, and charge it. In another Haley vid he clearly states optics on such a system force you to go under, Irons allow you the choice of the support hand over the top or under. Of course even with optics he also states there are shooting postions that force you to go over the top, so to practice both.

Hope that helps, might save you some $ to put toward ammo ;).

No problem at all. ;)

Why anyone would take their firing hand off the pistol grip is beyond me.........Just cant the rifle and reach under, it's nothing special, just standard AK drill, this is how it's been done for decades.
 
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