Questions about SIG 556 or Swiss Arms rifles

FiveBillionAcres

FiveBillionAcres

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So I was in a shop and they had what looked to me like a SG 550, but it was labeled as non-restricted and I thought they were prohibited.

So I went home and check in ye old “Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms … SOR/98-209”

And sure enough, “83. The firearms of the designs commonly known as the SG-550 rifle and SG-551 carbine, and any variants or modified versions of them.”

So I looked online and found a couple of other places selling them and a few forum posts from various sites with various conflicting information.

Are these Swiss Arms rifles that look like a 550 and seem to be called “classic greens” or “blue stars” related to any other gun? Are any parts interchangeable with any other guns?

What would it be called in other markets so I find more information about it?

So I was wondering what the real deal is, I've seen a lot of partial information or missinformation and I don't know what's what.

As I can best figure it looks like a 550 but works different and may or may not have the same furniture. If it doesn't work like a 550 or have interchangeable parts is it worth the money? Why can't I find any American information about them, just because they can get so many other things there would be no market?

If you don't really know, I'd ask that you mention that you're speculating, but please, speculate away.
 
The swiss arms rifles are NOT 550's or 551's, or variants thereof.

They were inspected by the CFC prior to import, deemed not variants (internals are different) and some are even non-restricted.

Stop trying to compare them to a 550 or 551. Its like comparing an AK to a VZ58. . They are different actions and different rifles. Full stop.
 
You probably could have saved on touching a bit of a regular button around here by inquiring on their classification status right at the gun store.

Its not secret: This is a similar looking but very different gun made with same high Swiss quality.

Some people have given a nudge-nudge wink-wink in regards to its status. There are many reasons for this. Some would claim that it is 'cool-guy' bravado. Other guys are just playing a joke on more gullible posters. But in general, to seriously suggest that the status of this rifle is anything otherwise than completely vetted (as if it is a Canadian shooter's best kept secret) is not only patently false; IMHO its a bit dorky as well.

This firearm has long been classified with the RCMP as NOT being a 55x variant.

As stated very clearly by the NFA:

The Blue Star is a .223 Remington (5.56 NATO) semi-auto rifle with a removable box magazine, folding stock and an integral bipod. While the Blue Star bears a passing resemblance to the prohibited Sig 550 however, the Blue Star is a wholly different rifle built on a completely different action.

http://www.nfa.ca/content/view/107/197/
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Even better, you can own many SAN models in non-restricted form. And that's not all....

I'll try to approach this in a fun way that anyone should be able to understand. To apse Dr Seuss:
You can buy them in singles, or buy them in twos. You can buy them in Black, or in Green or in Blue.
You can run them as issued or dress them up nice. They have rails that accept fancy tactical sights.
You live in the arctic? You have to wear gloves? The side folding trigger guard's something you'll love.

The magazines join by a stud and a slot. You’ll just clip them together more often than not.
It’s driven by gas, and by pistons, and springs. For impingement was never a sensible thing.
The work is so fine there's not one line that's crude, It's craftsmanship, forged by those Switzerland dudes.

Liberals hate us. They get mad as sh*t, when we're out and about legally shooting with it.
You can find one with Greentips, he shoots his with glee . You'll find several with Strangeday -- he owns thirty-three.
Otokiak, UncleWalther, Koalorka and Cat... if you browse their EE's you may find one at that.


But you cannot have mine, you can't have it one bit....

...as at 400 yards, I can ALWAYS make hits.
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So are they worth the money?

Well, to answer that properly I have to ask a question in return. As compared to the 550 you CANNOT get?

Answering only for myself, I will say that I have been particularly fortunate in many things in life. One aspect of this has been the means to own many fine firearms. Another has been the opportunity to shoot many more in the service of this great country. And I will still state without hesitation that this is a superior firearm that stands as one of my clear favorites.

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Buy one and celebrate being able to own and shoot a classic example of Swiss workmanship that your American cousins can only drool over. (14 inch barrel shown. Batteries and case not included.)


Seriously dude. Get one, and have as much fun with them as we do with it. Just be careful not to step in the bullsh*t, or let the ridiculous cost of SAN magazines break you.
 
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No offense, but I always get nervous when new people come around asking.... "hey, I thought the [blank] was supposed to be prohibited?" There are probably a few CCGC, Wendy Cukier drones on the boards, asking questions like that from time to time. Bottom line, our government tends to prohibit guns by name, and appearance. For some reason, some semblance of rationality prevaled with the Swiss Arms rifles. While it LOOKS like a 550, it simply is not. Just like your post.... it makes you LOOK like a CCGC troll, but you are not (right?).

P.S. Sprint.... if doing telecom work in war zones doesn't work out for you, then you really should consider writing kids books :D.
 
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UncleWalther said:
No offense, but I always get nervous when new people come around asking.... "hey, I thought the [blank] was supposed to be prohibited?" There are probably a few RMCP, CCGC, Wendy Cukier drones on the boards, asking questions like that from time to time. Bottom line, our government tends to prohibit guns by name, and appearance. For some reason, some semblance of rationality prevaled with the Swiss Arms rifles. While it LOOKS like a 550, it simply is not. Just like your post.... it makes you LOOK like a CCGC troll, but you are not (right?).

P.S. Sprint.... if doing telecom work in war zones doesn't work out for you, then you really should consider writing kids books :D.
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Exactly!
 
canucklehead, I wasn't comparing them, I was asking IF they were comparable.

sprint, I did want to ask at the store but I was in a rush and there was already a wait of people who were actually buying things at the gun counter, not just asking questions.

Your response was great. Why did they make them look so similar, just because it's a nice look? Are any parts like stocks interchangeable?

Being worth $3,000 really shouldn't have much to do with not being able to get something else, a gun would clearly have to stand on it's own merits.

Hah UncleWalther, no, I'm not Wendy or with any law enforcement. Thanks for the info about the 540 action.
 
UncleWalther said:
No offense, but I always get nervous when new people come around asking.... "hey, I thought the [blank] was supposed to be prohibited?" There are probably a few RMCP, CCGC, Wendy Cukier drones on the boards, asking questions like that from time to time. Bottom line, our government tends to prohibit guns by name, and appearance. For some reason, some semblance of rationality prevaled with the Swiss Arms rifles. While it LOOKS like a 550, it simply is not. Just like your post.... it makes you LOOK like a CCGC troll, but you are not (right?).

P.S. Sprint.... if doing telecom work in war zones doesn't work out for you, then you really should consider writing kids books :D.
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That is fire arm discrimination. :mad: We can not have any of that in a civilized society can we? .
 
FiveBillionAcres said:
Hrm, does that mean you can find semi-auto only SG-540s? Or would they be very very rare and insanely expensive?
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The SG 540 is not prohibited by name, but there is no source for semiauto ones. FAMAE in Chile still makes the SG 540, 542, and 543, but will not do commercial sales.

As I understand it, the reason the Swiss Arms rifles are not prohibited is because they are a variant of the SG 540 rather than the SG 550.
 
Oh well, it's all moot, I can't afford even a Classic Green or the ammo to feed it.

I went to buy some ammo for gopher hunting today and found out it's now $38 for a 500 brick of CCI Standard Velocity, yikes!
 
I love generalizations, don't you all?

Seriously though, the SAN Black Special and all it's colourful brethren are well worth the money. Non-restricted Swiss-made gopher whackers. What more could you ask for?
 
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UncleWalther said:
No offense, but I always get nervous when new people come around asking.... "hey, I thought the [blank] was supposed to be prohibited?" There are probably a few RMCP, CCGC, Wendy Cukier drones on the boards, asking questions like that from time to time. .
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That rather unwelcomed "spotlight" the Globe & Mail, et al., shined on CGN in the wake of the CSSA Pistol Raffle didn't do us any favours as well. In these "interesting times" a little paranoia might be a good thing.
 
My wife saw the Swiss Arms Classic Green on my screen and wants one, dammit, she wanted an AR before but now… I'm still trying to convince her we should just get a Troy stock for our Norinco M-14S because I like to pretend it's a more useful gun because until the Libs change all semi-autos to restricted or prohibited it could at-least in theory be lugged around for hunting or something.

She says "I only like scary looking guns, evil baby killers that stupid people hate." (yeah EXPENSIVE guns). Then there was something about school buses full of pregnant babies at a peace rally and a lone gun jumping out of the bushs and attacking them all by itself with a high capacity tactical long range sniper shoulder thing that goes up and something something.
 
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What rifle is this? Thats not the Classic green is it with different handgaurds?

I can 90 % of the time glance at something and know what it is, make, model, cal, not this time.
 
justins1877 said:
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What rifle is this? Thats not the Classic green is it with different handgaurds?

I can 90 % of the time glance at something and know what it is, make, model, cal, not this time.
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Swiss Arms Classic Green Carbine. 14.3' barrel in 5.56mm with 1 in 7 twist. Some people get their panties in a knot about needing black. I cannot tell you how wonderful a green color they really are.

Photos do not do it justice.
 
Oh it`s the Carbine, I have never seen it before in it`s beauty. I have only seen the Classic green with the fixed bipods.
I know how good the Sigs are CQB owner.

Me thinks Justin wants this Carbine better. Thanks for the great picture Sprint. Thumbs up.
 
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