SIG SG 510

SIG SG 510
Sturmgewehr 57 (Stgw 57)
Type	Battle rifle
Place of origin	Switzerland
Service history
In service	1957–1990
Used by	See Users
Wars	1973 Chilean coup d'état
Production history
Designer	Rudolf Amsler
Designed	1950s
Manufacturer	Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG)
Produced	1957–1983
Variants	SG 510-1, SG 510-2, SG 510-3, SG 510-4
Specifications
Weight	5.7 kg (12.57 lb) (Stgw 57) 4.37 kg (9.63 lb) (SG 510-4)
Length	1,100 mm (43.3 in) (Stgw 57) 1,015 mm (40.0 in) (SG 510-4)
Barrel length	583 mm (23.0 in) (Stgw 57) 505 mm (19.9 in) (SG 510-4)

Cartridge	7.5×55mm GP 11 (Stgw 57) 7.62×51mm NATO (SIG 510-4)
Action	Roller-delayed blowback
Rate of fire	450–600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	750 m/s (2,460 ft/s)
Effective firing range	640 m (700 yd) iron sights 800 m (875 yd) Kern 4×24 optical sight
Feed system	20-, 24-, or 30-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Front post, rear aperture

The SIG SG 510 or Sturmgewehr 57 is a selective fire battle rifle manufactured by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (now SAN Swiss Arms) of Switzerland. It uses a similar roller-delayed blowback system to the H&K G3 and CETME rifles. It also has a SAW counterpart akin to the American Stoner 63.

The SIG SG 510-1 entered service in the Swiss Army with the designation Fass 57 (French/Italian, for Fusil d' Assaut 57/Fucile d' Assalto 57) or Stgw 57 (German for Sturm Gewehr 57).

The Sturmgewehr 57/SIG SG 510-1 was adopted for Swiss military service in 1957 and has been replaced by the lighter SIG SG 550 in 1990, although some reservists used it several years longer.

Design details

The SG 510 is derived from the AM55 used during the 1950s. It is a selective fire rifle that employs a roller-delayed blowback operating system. Unusually, it was fitted with a shiny stainless steel bayonet.

Features

The weapon is mainly made of pressed sheet-metal components to ease mass production. The SG 510 has a distinctive T-shaped bolt handle similar to the earlier K31. The butt-stock and hand guard of the rifle are rubberized for comfort and durability and the front hand guard is ribbed to provide a better grip.

The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 barrel is rifled along 520 mm (20.5 in) of its length and has a 270 mm (1 in 10.6 in) 4 groove rifling.^[1] At the end of the barrel an integral muzzle brake is fitted that reduces recoil by about 25%. The barrel is surrounded by a perforated tubular barrel jacket with two mounting points for an integral bipod—one near the muzzle, and another near the receiver.

SG 510-4 rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO

The SG 510-4 chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO with a 305 mm (1 in 12 in) twist rate barrel was adopted by Chile and Bolivia. The SIG SG 510 is officially classed as an automatic rifle but served as a designated marksman weapon (in Chile with Supra 4×24 scope).

For recoil reduction the fixed butt-stock is fitted with a recoil buffer. The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 sports a large carrying handle at its balance point that can be used during quick position changes or on the march. On the right hand side of the rifle, there is a foldaway 'winter' trigger which enables the operator to use the rifle with arctic mittens. It also improves accuracy, because it reduces the force needed to pull the trigger.

The trigger mechanism has a three-position fire selector switch that is also the manual safety toggle that secures the weapon from accidentally discharging. The user selects the operating mode with a large side lever on the left side of the receiver that can be rotated to select S (safe), E (semi-automatic fire) or M (full-automatic fire).

Sights

Swiss Army Stgw 57 with erected iron sights and PE57 bayonet

The SG 510-1/Stgw 57 has a straight-line stock design, and an elevated iron sights line. Both the front and rear sights can be folded down when not in use. The rear peep sight of the Stgw 57 can be adjusted from 100 m to 640 m. From 100–200 m the sight adjusts in 50 m increments. From 200–300 m in 30 m increments, and from 300–640 m in 20 m increments.^[1]

According to the Swiss Army the 50% windage and elevation dispersion shot at 300 m from a machine rest averages 6 cm (2.4 in).^[1] For anti-personnel use, the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 typical maximum range for consistent accuracy is 800 m (656 yd).

For designated marksman use, the SG 550 can be equipped with a quick-detachable Kern 4×24 telescopic sight. The sight weighs 730 g (26 oz) and includes a variety of features, such as mounting components, a Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) elevation adjustment knob for ranges from 100 to 800 m, an illuminated reticle that enables target acquisition in low-light conditions and a diopter eyesight correction adjustment. Included with the sight is a lens hood for mounting on the ocular that reduces image quality-impairing stray light and a gray filter for glare reduction.^[2] A night vision sight with an infra red light can also be mounted. The Chilean version can fit a German-made Supra 4×24 telescopic sight.

Accessories

Stgw 57 with folded down iron sights on its bipod.

The Swiss Army Stgw 57 is fed from curved detachable box magazines, made from aluminum and containing 24 rounds. The PE 57 had 5- and 10-round magazines available as well. Magazines with 20-round capacities for the 510-4 in 7.62 NATO and 30-round originally for the LMG25 may operate in the 57 as well. Other accessories include the sling, the bayonet, and a special small-capacity magazine for grenade-launching cartridges.

Rifle grenades can be launched without adding a special provision. Grenade-launching cartridges enable the SG 510-1/Stgw 57 to fire Gewehrgranaten 58 rifle grenades. The rifle grenade 58 achieves a muzzle velocity of 35 m/s and a maximum range of 125 m without the help of a booster charge or 70 m/s and a maximum range of 400 m with the help of a booster charge. The rifle grenade 58 may be fitted with the following warheads:

Hollow charge for heavy armor. Modem hollow charge rifle grenades can penetrate 300 to 500 mm (12 to 20 in) of "best quality" armour plating.
Anti-personnel with impact detonator.
Smoke canister for reducing visibility.
Dummy.

Civilian use

Upon completion of their military service, members of the Swiss armed forces could obtain ownership of their personal Stgw 57 rifle by paying an administrative fee. These "civilianised" PE 57, PE means Privat Einzelfeuer (Private Singlefire), rifles were converted to a semiautomatic only configuration. As of 2007, around 40 percent of discharged soldiers choose to retain their weapon (nowadays the SIG SG 550), and the going rate for civilianised SG 510 rifles on the private weapons market is reported to vary between 400 and 500 Swiss francs.^[3]

In Switzerland the SG 510 is also used for target shooting matches. For this the standard iron sights can be replaced by target shooting diopter and globe sight sighting lines. When the sighting line radius is kept at its original length Swiss sport shooters refer to a such modified rifle as Stgw 57/02. When the sighting line radius is lengthened by mounting the globe sight nearer to the muzzle it is referred to as Stgw 57/03.

Variants

510-1: Standard Swiss service rifle.
510-2: Lightened variant of the standard rifle.^[4]
510-3: 7.62×39mm variant with shorter barrel. This was produced in small numbers as a prototype and offered to the Finnish Army. They did not want it, hence, this model of the rifle was never mass-produced.^[4]
510-4: 7.62×51mm NATO variant used by Bolivia and Chile. This version uses a shorter barrel and a buttstock made from wood rather than rubber. Overall length is much less than the Stgw 57 with a subsequently lower weight. The buttstock is angled downward rather than straight inline with the receiver.
AMT: semi-automatic only variant of the 510-4 imported into the United States in relatively small numbers. It was available in .308 (7.62×51). "AMT" stood for "American Match Target". It was equipped with fine wooden furniture and a rounded upper handguard.
SIG PE 57: (Privat Einzelfeuer) semi-automatic only civilian version available in 7.5×55mm GP 11 Swiss. This variant is not the same as privatised former Swiss Army service rifles. It was specifically built as a semi auto only rifle along the lines of the Stgw 57 with which it is frequently confused. While over 700,000 of the Stgw 57s were built for military use less than 5000 PE57s were made.

Users

Bolivia: 510-4 variant.^[5]
Chile^[5]
Monaco: Used by the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince.^[6]
Switzerland: Adopted by the Swiss Army in 1957.^[4]
Ukraine^[5]

Gallery

Stgw 57 with iron sights, bayonet and folded bipod. On display at Morges castle museum.
Stgw 57(/03) modified for sport shooting with a diopter and globe sight sighting line.
Receiver of a Stgw 57, seen from the right.
Receiver of a Stgw 57(/03) modified for sport shooting, seen from the left.
Stgw 57 dismantled.
Stgw 57, bolt, recoil spring.
Stgw 57 trigger housing with winter trigger extended.
Stgw 57 bayonet and frog.
Stgw 57 cleaning kit pouch.

References

1 2 3 Swiss Army Sturmgewehr 57 Manual (German)
↑ Kern 4x24 telescopic sight
↑ Stefan von Below (19 October 2007). "Ein Gewehr kostet 60 Franken und fünf Kreuze". Der Bund. p. 21.
1 2 3 Stgw. 57 / Sig 510 assault rifle (Switzerland). Modern Firearms. Accessed 15 August 2009.
1 2 3 Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
↑ Giletta, Jacques (2005). Les Gardes Personnelles des Princes de Monaco (1st ed.). Taurus Editions. ISBN 2 912976-04-9.

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