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SIG Assault Rifles

SG 550 / 551

Technical Data and Test Documentation

 

IMPORTANT NOTE


Both weapon models. the SIG assault rifle SG 550 and the short-version SG 551, have been submited to the full range of endurance tests, verification tests and quality inspections described in this:

Technical Data and Test Document

SG 550 & SG 551

 

Contents


I. Endurance Trials


1. Barrel life expectancy: Test procedure

1.1. Firing sequence

1.2. Inspection and measurement

2. Weapon service life (guarantees)

2.1. Service life of individual components

2.2. Extended service life / Functional safety

II. Verification Tests

1. Rain trials


2. Sand and dust trials

- Purpose
- Preparation

2.1. Stationary sand and dust trials

- Procedure
- Results


2.2. Dynamic sand and dust trials

- Purpose
- Preparation
- Procedure
- Evaluation
- Results

2.3. Sand drag trials

- Purpose
- Preparation
- Procedure
- Results

2.4. Mud trials

- Purpose
- Preparation
- Firing
- Conditions
- Procedure
- Results


2.5. Testing under extreme temperature conditions

2.5.1. High temperature testing

- Purpose
- Procedure

2.5.2. Low temperature testing

- Purpose
- Procedure
- Results



2.5.3. Icing up tests

- Purpose
- Procedure, test no. 1
- Procedure, test no. 2
- Results



2.5.4. Cold tests, Jungfrau Joch

2.6. Functional reliability of unlubricated weapons

- Purpose
- Procedure
- Measurement of cyclic rate
- Results


2.7. Plastic magazines: Drop tests

- Purpose
- Procedure
- Requirements


III. Quality Inspections / Acceptance Criteria


1. Quality Assurance

1.1. Quality assurance programme

1.2. Accuracy trials with various makes of ammunition


IV. Interchangeability of components and sub-assemblies


 


I. ENDURANCE TRIALS


- Purpose

- Procedure

1. Barrel life: Test procedure

1.1 Firing sequence

The 15,000 rounds of the endurance trial shall be fired in strings of 100 shots in the following sequence:

20 rounds single-shot
20 rounds 3-shot burst
20 rounds fully automatic with measurement of cyclic rate
20 rounds 3-shot burst
20 rounds fully automatic

All 100 rounds within 60 seconds. Firing shall alternate between the normal hip and shoulder positions, with subsequent cooling of the hot weapon in water.


Stripping and cleaning

After firing 1000 or 7500 rounds respectively:

- fully strip the weapon and clean it thoroughly.

1.2. Inspection measurements


2.- Weapon service life

VERIFICATION TESTS



1. Rain trials



2. Sand and dust trials



-Procedure

-Clean and lubricate the test weapons; fill seven magazines for each weapon.

-Secure the test weapon in the retention bracket of the sand and dust box. Insert a 20-round magazine and chamber a round. If the weapon is fitted with a dust cover, close this before firing the first shot. Wrap the six other magazines in plastic bags and place them in the box.

-Switch on the blower and then pour in the sand and dust mixture through the filling port at a rate of I kg/min.

- Each weapon which is being exposed to the whirling sand and dust shall now fire 140 rounds in strings of 20. The first 100 rounds are to be fired at 1 shot/sec. and the remaining 40 rounds in short bursts.

-The 20-round strings must be fired within 20 seconds to ensure that the total test time amount to approx. 2 112 minutes.

- Continue firing until a malfunction occurs that cannot be immediately remedied, i.e. if tools or stripping are required, or until all 140 shots have been fired.

-Evaluation

Using a continuous cyclic rate recorder, register total test duration, time up to the first malfunction, time needed to remedy the fault, plus the rate of fire. A vital parameter of this test is the total length of time the bolt is held open in order to rectify a malfunction, change a magazine etc.

-Results

All the test weapons completed the trial without a single malfunction.


2.3. Sand drag trials


-Procedure

- Clean and lubricate the test weapons.

- To establish flawless function of each weapon before testing, first fire a full 20-round magazine. The first half of the magazine in single-shot mode, the remainder in bursts.

-Place the weapon, loaded with 20 rounds. with its left side up (ejection port facing down) onto the surface of the sand. The muzzle is sealed off with a cover and is pointing in the drag direction. The weapon must lie at an angle of 15' to the longitudinal axis of the trough. Press the weapon lightly into the sand by hand. Bring the sled over the weapon and clamp it in the prescribed position.

-The position coordinates of the weapon and the position of the moving parts have a significant affect on the results of the sand drag trial, e.g. bipod removed / stowed / extended.

-Such data must be carefully registered in the test records.

-Using the sled, drag the weapon through the full length of the sand trough at a speed of 0.5 m/sec. i.e. the rate of a creeping or crawling trooper.

-Remove the loaded weapon from the sled. Shake off the loose sand for 5 seconds or blow it off with the mouth. Take off the muzzle cap and fire 5 single shots, with 3 seconds between each shot.

-Turn the safety catch to "SAFE". Replace the muzzle cap and attach the weapon to the sled, this time with the right side facing upward.

-Carry out a total of 20 drag tests, i.e. 10 with the left side up and 10 with the right side up. Tests should be stopped if a situation occurs whereby the bolt does not close upon cycling or after manual assistance. If weapon cycling or manual assistance is required three times in a row, the test sequence should also be stopped.

-If malfunctions occur which cannot be rectified by cycling the weapon or by manual assistance on the bolt, proceed as follows:

- Unload the weapon, i.e. remove the magazine, cock the weapon and pull the trigger. Repeat this operation three times. Now reload the weapon and continue the trial.

- If a magazine becomes empty from firing or loss of rounds because of malfunctions or cycling, replace it with a clean full one. Chamber a round and continue testing.

-Results

All test weapons met the trial requirements (gas valve position 2).

2.4. Mud trials

-Purpose


The purpose of the mud trails is to determine the limits of functional reliability of the test weapon after it has been submerged in 12 consecutive mud baths, each of which is increasingly thicker than the one before.

-Preparation

Clean, lubricate and prepare each test weapon for firing.

-Firing: 4 rounds single-shot; 2 x 3-round bursts and 10 fully automatic = total 20 rounds

-Requirements: (mandatory baths)

- Bath 2 + 7 : max. 1 malfunction
- Bath 3 + 8 : max. 3 malfunctions
- Bath 4 + 9 : max. 6 malfunctions
Total max. 10 malfunctions


-Procedure

Testing is to be conducted as follows:

a)

Prepare the weapons for the mud bath trials in the same manner as for the stationary sand and dust trials. Submerge the loaded and SAFE weapon in the mud bath and move it back and forth for 60 seconds.

Now fire the test weapon in the following sequence until the magazine is empty:

Single-shot : 4 rounds every 3 seconds
Bursts : 2 x 3 rounds
Fully automatic: 10 rounds

The time taken between removing the weapon from the mud bath and the firing sequence shall be as short as possible and not more than 60 seconds.

b)

Each test weapon is to be submerged in 12 consecutive mud baths of varying viscosity.

The consecutive sand and mud baths have the following composition:

Bath no.
 
Components
 
 
Clay
Sand
Water
 
kg
kg
l
1
0.1
-
10
2
0.3
-
10
3
0.5
-
10
4
1
-
10
5
3
-
10
6
5
-
10
7
1
0.5
10
8
1
1.0
10
9
3
0.5
10
10
3
1.0
10
11
5
0.5
10
12
5
1.0
10


2.5. Testing under extreme temperatures

 


III. Quality Inspections / Acceptance

1. Quality Assurance

IV. Interchangeability of components and sub-assemblies

 

 

 

Last Modified on May 9, 1999
aalbert@biggerhammer.net