Well as promised, here is a detailed review of the SIG 552-2 Commando shorty.
Overview:
The SIG 552-2 Commando is a radically chopped version of SIG's rather successful 5.56mm shoulder fired, gas operated, piston driven, magazine fed rifle line. Like every other SIG rifle, it is a masterpiece of engineering and exhibits a high degree of user friendliness and ease of operation.
It is primarily stamped metal construction with polymer furniture. The polymer is quite superior to that found on most M4/M16 and AK style rifles. In weight and appearance it resembles that seen on metric pattern FAL rifles.
Please note I do NOT advocate a Beta C-Mag for any serious social situation. While I was issued one, it never goes anywhere other than my closet. It is a POS. Period. I used it for the pics because it allows the rifle to stand unsupported on the table so I can take pics (perhaps it's best use).
Sights:
The 552-2 comes with HK style sights, a rotating diopter on the rear and a hooded post front with a flip up luminous dot similar to Yugo AK series rifles.
The basic, everyone has seen this before hooded front post..
Flip up "night sight" with lume dot
The rather more complex than usual rotating diopter rear sight assembly
The sights can be quickly adjusted for elevation by rotating the diopter either right or left and windage is adjusted by means of a large thumbscrew on the right side, however given the short barrel and the intended usage for this rifle once a 150m dope is attained it should be left alone.
Controls:
The selector is a 4 position ambidextrous one which engages positively and securely. It is quiet (quieter than the M4 style)- to the point I think it may be on roller bearings. I haven't disassembled it to that point since DoS rules won't let me... but it is that smooth.
Selector showing 0-1-3-20
The bolt release is a bit odd and my one complaint. It's operation runs counter-intuitive to those of us who have grown up on M4 and FAL type rifles. On the 552-2 you push UP to release the bolt, as opposed to down on just about every other rifle on the planet.
Receiver:
Nothing special here- the typical stamped metal construction common to most modern military weapons... although the flexible rubber inserts in the bolt handle channel is a nice touch in keeping out dirt & grit. Finish is above par for rifles of this type and is similar to the HK finish, although in a lighter grey. This example has been around the block a few times in a VERY severe environment but has held up well.
Receiver showing rubber inserts
Receiver showing markings
Stock & Furniture:
This is where I find this rifle to truly excel. The stock is solid enough to buttstroke, easy to fold & manipulate and locks up tightly with zero wobble. The design is proprietary to SIG and I am really grooving on it. It can be folded/extended with one hand easily, quickly and quietly. The furniture as mentioned before I similar to European metric FAL types- a dense, smooth polymer.
Butt closed showing release button
Butt halfway folded showing release button and locking mechanism
Butt folded with Ploprof cameo appearance
To open the stock all that is required is pulling it open. The butt has a polymer clamping mechanism that mates to a nub on the handguard- similar to later AK side folding models.
Muzzle device:
Here is my pet peeve writ large. The SIG has an open ended, 3 prong flash suppressor. For the uninitiated the flash suppressor does not hide the muzzle flash from observers but disspates it so the operators night vision devices do not bloom out and minimizes light contamination of the naked eye in darkness.
This damn thing gets hung up on all sorts of crap. Why SIG did this I have no clue but I would like to find the dweeb who decided this was a good idea and curb stomp them. The sole use to which this can be used is a muzzle poke- and if I'm doing that I might as well be squeezing the trigger as well... but I digress.... here is the infernal thing...
And since this IS a watch forum- here is another cameo appearance by my Ploprof :lol:
Hope you guys enjoyed the review. If I come across any more unusual or hard to find firearms I will do a similar review on them as well. Unfortunately a lot of the really cool, oddball things have been outlawed by the Iraqi MoI (such as subguns and anything larger in caliber than 7.62x39) but it's still out there... and I'm looking
ETA due to brain fart...
Breakdown/Stripping:
SIG has come up with a rather ingenious captured takedown pin. They are in the usual locations and the rifle will hinge open like the M16 series on the front pin once the rear is slid out and across. What makes this nice is unlike the M16 series where if you take the stock off and little bitty springs and assorted bits go flying across the room never to be found as well as occasionally backing out under FA fire- the SIG pin is captured thusly....
Right side of rear takedown pin release button (integral part of pin)
Left side of rear takedown pin prior to pressing release button
Left side of rear takedown pin AFTER pressing release button
See what happened there? In the left view, you can see two little spring loaded pins that actually come out of the takedown pin like fins on a little RPG. This not only keeps the pins in place during FA fire and prevents walking but it also serves to capture them preventing them from falling out the other side.
The rest of the field stripping is the same as every other weapon of the type using a recoil spring and gas piston- no need to delve into that. Too much like explaining how water is wet and fire is hot :lol:
Overview:
The SIG 552-2 Commando is a radically chopped version of SIG's rather successful 5.56mm shoulder fired, gas operated, piston driven, magazine fed rifle line. Like every other SIG rifle, it is a masterpiece of engineering and exhibits a high degree of user friendliness and ease of operation.
It is primarily stamped metal construction with polymer furniture. The polymer is quite superior to that found on most M4/M16 and AK style rifles. In weight and appearance it resembles that seen on metric pattern FAL rifles.
Please note I do NOT advocate a Beta C-Mag for any serious social situation. While I was issued one, it never goes anywhere other than my closet. It is a POS. Period. I used it for the pics because it allows the rifle to stand unsupported on the table so I can take pics (perhaps it's best use).
Sights:
The 552-2 comes with HK style sights, a rotating diopter on the rear and a hooded post front with a flip up luminous dot similar to Yugo AK series rifles.
The basic, everyone has seen this before hooded front post..
Flip up "night sight" with lume dot
The rather more complex than usual rotating diopter rear sight assembly
The sights can be quickly adjusted for elevation by rotating the diopter either right or left and windage is adjusted by means of a large thumbscrew on the right side, however given the short barrel and the intended usage for this rifle once a 150m dope is attained it should be left alone.
Controls:
The selector is a 4 position ambidextrous one which engages positively and securely. It is quiet (quieter than the M4 style)- to the point I think it may be on roller bearings. I haven't disassembled it to that point since DoS rules won't let me... but it is that smooth.
Selector showing 0-1-3-20
The bolt release is a bit odd and my one complaint. It's operation runs counter-intuitive to those of us who have grown up on M4 and FAL type rifles. On the 552-2 you push UP to release the bolt, as opposed to down on just about every other rifle on the planet.
Receiver:
Nothing special here- the typical stamped metal construction common to most modern military weapons... although the flexible rubber inserts in the bolt handle channel is a nice touch in keeping out dirt & grit. Finish is above par for rifles of this type and is similar to the HK finish, although in a lighter grey. This example has been around the block a few times in a VERY severe environment but has held up well.
Receiver showing rubber inserts
Receiver showing markings
Stock & Furniture:
This is where I find this rifle to truly excel. The stock is solid enough to buttstroke, easy to fold & manipulate and locks up tightly with zero wobble. The design is proprietary to SIG and I am really grooving on it. It can be folded/extended with one hand easily, quickly and quietly. The furniture as mentioned before I similar to European metric FAL types- a dense, smooth polymer.
Butt closed showing release button
Butt halfway folded showing release button and locking mechanism
Butt folded with Ploprof cameo appearance
To open the stock all that is required is pulling it open. The butt has a polymer clamping mechanism that mates to a nub on the handguard- similar to later AK side folding models.
Muzzle device:
Here is my pet peeve writ large. The SIG has an open ended, 3 prong flash suppressor. For the uninitiated the flash suppressor does not hide the muzzle flash from observers but disspates it so the operators night vision devices do not bloom out and minimizes light contamination of the naked eye in darkness.
This damn thing gets hung up on all sorts of crap. Why SIG did this I have no clue but I would like to find the dweeb who decided this was a good idea and curb stomp them. The sole use to which this can be used is a muzzle poke- and if I'm doing that I might as well be squeezing the trigger as well... but I digress.... here is the infernal thing...
And since this IS a watch forum- here is another cameo appearance by my Ploprof :lol:
Hope you guys enjoyed the review. If I come across any more unusual or hard to find firearms I will do a similar review on them as well. Unfortunately a lot of the really cool, oddball things have been outlawed by the Iraqi MoI (such as subguns and anything larger in caliber than 7.62x39) but it's still out there... and I'm looking
ETA due to brain fart...
Breakdown/Stripping:
SIG has come up with a rather ingenious captured takedown pin. They are in the usual locations and the rifle will hinge open like the M16 series on the front pin once the rear is slid out and across. What makes this nice is unlike the M16 series where if you take the stock off and little bitty springs and assorted bits go flying across the room never to be found as well as occasionally backing out under FA fire- the SIG pin is captured thusly....
Right side of rear takedown pin release button (integral part of pin)
Left side of rear takedown pin prior to pressing release button
Left side of rear takedown pin AFTER pressing release button
See what happened there? In the left view, you can see two little spring loaded pins that actually come out of the takedown pin like fins on a little RPG. This not only keeps the pins in place during FA fire and prevents walking but it also serves to capture them preventing them from falling out the other side.
The rest of the field stripping is the same as every other weapon of the type using a recoil spring and gas piston- no need to delve into that. Too much like explaining how water is wet and fire is hot :lol: