The Swiss Firearms Appreciation Blog

I've been pressed for time lately, but I have been wanting to do this thread for a few months now. I apologize in advance if some parts seem a bit rough and ready. This is just an overview thread for some of the finest firearms to ever be used by any military. Often expensive and overbuilt, Swiss weapons are very accurate and reliable; if not always the most ergonomic. Also, many never even saw actual combat. They were meant as weapons of deterrant, and since Switzerland hasn't been invaded lately, it seems they fulfilled their purpose quite admirably.

Before we get started, just to be clear, I will be contracting some proper names in the below text.
Eidgenössische Waffenfabrik Bern = Bern
Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Neuhausen = SIG
Gewehrpatrone = GP
Infanteriegewehr Modell = Rifle Model
Pistole = Pistol (because I am lazy like that)

1889 Schmidt-Rubin Rifle
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(A standard 1889 rifle)

The straight pull rifle that started it all, the Schmidt-Rubin 1889 was only in front line service for a decade, but it would influence all Swiss military rifles to come later.

Starting in the early 1880s, the Swiss inventor Eduard Rubin began work on a new small diameter rifle cartridge. When smokeless powder made its debue, he incorporated it into his new design. The new cartridge, designated 7.5x53.5mm GP90 by the Swiss military was matched with a then new straight pull bolt action design by Rudolph Schmidt, to create a new military rifle. Design and development lasted from 1885 til 1888. It was officially adopted as the Schmidt-Rubin Rifle Model of 1889 by the Swiss military, however even before production was underway, many had concerns about the strength of the bolt's lockup. The rifle featured a large bolt body, which was simply pulled to the rear and than pushed forward again to operate the weapon. Its lugs were located near the rear and rotated themselves when the bolt moved. The rifle had a fixed 12 round magazine, with a complex magazine cutoff switch, which physically moved the magazine up and down. It had a31" long barrel, a common length for a late 19th century infantry rifle. The 1889 was heavy, but very accurate for its class. As with anything Swiss, the Schmidt-Rubin was made to a very high standard. Between 1889 and 1897, about 212,000 of these rifles were constructed by Bern.

Though the 1889 was produced in relatively large numbers and was the Swiss military's frontline service rifle for a time, work immediately began on an improved model. Even before it was officially adopted, Schmidt was asked in 1888 if it would be possible to move the lugs further forward on the bolt sleave. He said it was not practical and refused to entertain further thoughts on the matter. Many in the military still thought it could improve the rifle's performance, so in 1892, the task of redesigning the S+R's bolt system was assigned to Vogelsang instead, a military officer and engineer. He quickly discovered it would actually be an easy thing to simply relocate the lugs from the rear of the bolt sleave to the front.

This change only required a new type of sleave, firing pin, firing pin spring, and for the receiver to have new lug locking cuts machined. Also, the stock had to be slightly reshaped. In 1895, the altered S+R system was tested, and its benefits were immediately apparent. The redesign bolt gave tighter and stronger lockup to the receiver, which lead to fewer lugs breaking, improved accuracy, and even a slightly lighter action. In otherwords, there were several benefits, with no real detractions.
Schmidt was right about one thing at least. It was determined by the military that updating older 1889 rifles to the new pattern would not be practical or cost effective. So it was adopted with an entirely new pattern of rifle as the 1889/96. Just over 137,000 examples of the improved standard would be produced over a decade. Aside from the new locking lugs, the 1889/96 was virtually the same rifle as the original 1889. It continued to fire the 7.5mm GP90 cartridge and to feed from a fixed 12 round box magazine. Very few of these rifles survive today, at least in their original configuration.

The original Schmidt-Rubin rifle isn't common in the USA today, but with a bit of looking one can be uncovered without too much bother. They are interesting from a historical standpoint but since they can not fire the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge (safely), they have a very limited value as a shooter. Still an unique old first generation military smokeless powder long arm.

1893 Steyr-Mannlicher Carbine
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(A 1893 carbine manufactured by SIG)

The 1893 Carbine is one of the lesser known but more interesting Swiss militaryfirearms. Not many were made to begin with, and many were 'accidentally' damaged beyond repair by the soldiers they were issued to. So not all that many examples of this odd Swiss-Austrian hybrid exist today.

Even as it was being adopted, many shortcomings of the 1889 S+R were already recognized. One of these was the fact that its large bolt and overly long action were not well suited for use in a carbine. Thus in 1893, trials were held to select a new cavalry carbine, which could fire the new 7.5mm GP90 smokeless cartridge.
There were five main entries: two domestic designs from SIG, one from Mauser of Germany, and the Austrian Steyr-Mannlicher in both its straight pull and rotating bolt forms. The straight pull Steyr was selected, as it was felt to have the strongest action while remaining both short and light enough to satisfy the needs of the cavalry. It went into service as the Karabiner Model of 1893, with deliveries beginning in 1894.

The carbine had a 22" long barrel, which by today's standards is quite long, but back then wasn't unheard of and the Swiss prized accuracy over compactness anyway. It fired the same 7.5mm GP90 cartridge as the fullsized Swiss service rifle, and had a new pattern of detachable box magazine which held 6 rounds. It could be filled with standard S+R stripper clips and had no prevision to mount a bayonet. It had a round full length stock, which ended just shy of the muzzle. The front sight was protected; and the rear sight had a fixed close range notch, with an elevation flip-up long range sight.

From 1895 til 1900, SIG manufactured the 1893 under license; and it was produced by Bern from 1896 through 1905. In all, roughly 7,750 examples were turned out. Some sources say the number was much smaller, but they are incorrect and probably are only looking at production from one factory. No matter, either way the fact is not many were made.
Swiss soldiers quickly came to dislike and even hate the 1893. Chief among their complaints was that it was not accurate, at least not enough to meet their rather exacting standards. It was also felt its bolt was too complicated and too difficult to reassemble after cleaning. Honestly though, the Steyr's biggest shortcoming was it suffered from a rather serious case of "Not from here." Soldiers do tend to be more forgiving of domestic designs in most militaries. The 1893's unpopularity is why many were accidentally destroyed while out on maneuvers or during training. Some soldiers thought if their carbine was no longer operable, they would be issued a standard S+R rifle as its replacement. By World War I, most surviving 1893s had been retired from active military service and replaced with newer designs.

Today, the 1893 is not well known in the USA and finding one (at least for a reasonable price) can be a bit difficult. It is a very interesting carbine, and much lighter weight than other Swiss long arms. However, it has the same limitations as the 1889 rifle, since it can only safely fire the obsolete GP90 cartridge. So don't buy one, thinking to make it a frequent range partner, not unless you reload that is.

1900, 1906, & 1929 Luger Pistols
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(A 1906 Swiss Luger, manufactured in Germany by DWM)

As has been widely published today, Switzerland was the first nation to officially select George Luger's self-loading pistol for general military service. Furthermore, it was the first nation to adopt an automatic military sidearm of any kind at all.

As early as 1897, the Swiss military began examining automatic pistols, with an eye towards replacing all of its traditional revolvers then in service. The Mauser C-93 Borchardt was tested but found to be too large and heavy. It was also too expensive, even for the Swiss. The following year, the C-96 'Broomhandle Mauser' was considered too, but it just wasn't what they were looking for.

In 1899, George Luger was putting the finishing touches on his own self-loading pistol, which was a vastly improved version of the C-93. The Swiss took an immediate interest and ordered several of the new 'Luger' pistols for field trials. In 1901, it was adopted into military service as the Pistol Model of 1900. It was chambered for the 7.65x21mm Parabellum cartridge, and featured a 4.8" long barrel, detachable 8 shot magazine, checkered wooden grips; and both a manual thumb and automatic grip safeties. It used a toggle locked operating system and had a Single-Action trigger, with internal hammer.

The Model 1906 Luger was a product improved version, which replaced the 1900 in military service. Changes included a stronger extractor and more reliable main spring. Also, the scalloped toggle knobs of the 1900 were replaced with checkered round ones on the 1906, which were much easier to grasp. Finally, the Model 1906/29 was a further refinement, aimed mostly at lowering the production costs. It used grips made from bakelite rather than wood, and had fewer straw coloured small parts. Additionally, it had a redesigned safety catch, slightly reshaped grip profile, and an extended grip safety.

All approximately 5,100 1900 Lugers were manufactured for the Swiss by DWM in Germany. About 33,000 1906 pistols were purchased, with the first half made by DWM and the second made in Switzerland by Bern. Swiss production began in 1918, as Germany was no longer able to supply firearms due to the needs of its own military, then deeply engaged with the Great War. All 27,900 1906/29 pistols were made domestically, with production haulted in 1946.

The Luger was a standard issue sidearm in the Swiss military for nearly half a century. While it was officially replaced in 1949, many examples remained in active service until at least the late 1960s. It was well respected for being accurate and having a smooth trigger. It was reliable, at least when properly maintained.

Swiss Lugers, while not inexpensive, are pretty easy to find in the USA today. They are fantastic shooters, but be mindful of damaging an original matched part, such as a firing pin. I thought my German Luger was nice, until i owned a Swiss example and all I can say is 'wow.' Its just so much smoother and with a great trigger.

1911 Rifle
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(A converted 1896/11 rifle)

As early as 1903, it was recognized that the 7.5mm GP90 cartridge had limitations, and that a more modern cartridge with a spitzer type projectile would be advantagious. In 1907, Bern received a request from the military to design a new cartridge and rifle system.

What the factory came up with was the 7.5x55mm GP11 round that we all know and love today. It offered better range, accuracy, and penetration than the older GP90 loading. Initially, nearly 136,000 1889/96 rifles were converted to fire the new round. In fact, fewer than 1,300 1889/96s were left in their original form. The process involved fitting a new barrel, withsimplified and improved sights already installed. Also, the fixed 12 round magazine was replaced with one which was detachable and held 6 cartridges. The new magazine featured a last-round bolt hold back follower, but the new pattern lacked a feed cutoff. A redesigned trigger guard was required to house the shorter magazine and a 'semi' pistol grip was grafted to the buttstock behind it. This modernized Schmidt-Rubin model was designated as the 1896/11 (aka 96/11).

Later, beginning in 1913, purpose built model 1911 rifles went into production. They were virtually identical to the 96/11, except they had a straighter buttplate and a few other minor cosmetic differences. About 127,000 would eventually be built, with main production haulted in 1919 when it was felt that the military had enough long rifles. No distinction was made between the two rifle variants firing the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge in Swiss service at the time. They were both equally accurate, durable, and reliable. The 1911 was superceded by a newer design in the early 1930s, but it was not officially retired until 1953. Even then, several soldiers hung onto their long rifles until at least the 1960s.

K-11 Carbine
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(A standard K-11 carbine)

The K-11 was the first carbine to go into large scale production, and which saw widespread use in the Swiss military. It was a shortened 1911, which directly lead into the more famous K-31 many know today. However, the K-11 was not the first S+R carbine variant.

After the 1893 Steyr carbine was seen to be a failure and the improved 1896 pattern rifle had gone into production, Swiss designers again considered how to make a carbine built around the S+R action. What they came up with was the 1889/1900. This so called 'Fortress Carbine' had a 23" long barrel and fed from a shortened 6 shot magazine. It used a shortened rifle type stock and handguard. Like all S+Rs before it, it fired the standard 7.5mm GP90 cartridge, and it used the improved 1896 bolt system. It was primarily issued to bicycle soldiers, artillery men, and yes; fortress guards. Just under 19,000 of these carbines were built, with production ending in 1904.
Next to come along was the 1905 Carbine, which was the model which officially replaced the 1893 Steyr. It too had a 22" barrel and used the 1896 action; but it also had a stock very similar to that of the 1893 and was fitted with the same rear sight. It used the same sling as the 1893 and had no bayonet lug. Between 1905 and 1911, just a bit under 8,000 examples of the model were manufactured. As they were put into service, 1893s were pulled out and retired.

In 1913 when 1911 rifle production began, a carbine version firing the new 7.5mm GP11 cartridge also appeared. Adopted as the Karabiner Model of 1911, or just K-11, the firearm had a 23" long barrel and was the same as the rifle version, except it had side sling mounts rather than bottom ones. Also, its front sight had large and thick protective ears. Just over 181,000 K-11s were manufactured, with the line officially haulted in 1933. In addition, most 1889/1900 and 1905 carbines were converted into K-11s.
As unpopular as the 1893 was among both soldiers and the general staff, the K-11 was conversely well received and appreciated. In fact by the 1920s, it was Switzerland's defacto standard issue long arm, even though officially the 1911 rifle remained as such. Soldiers liked its relatively short length and superb accuracy. It was durable and reliable, and fired a powerful modern cartridge. And it was Swiss to its core. Like the 1911, the K-11 wasn't officially retired until 1953, with thousands remaining in service for at least a decade.

Up until a few years ago, the 96/11, 1911, and K-11 were all relatively uncommon in the USA. One could find a K-31 much easier than any of its older cousins, but in the past 5 or 6 years, several batches of these firearms have at last been imported. So if one is wanting a Swiss straight pull rifle and wanting something a bit different, I highly recommend the 96/11. I like how it is an older design, updated to fire the GP11 cartridge. Just more history there I feel. Of course, the 1911 and K-11 are great too. All three are equally well made of course.

K-31 Short Rifle
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(A later production K-31 carbine)

The K-31 is without a doubt, the most famous Swiss military rifle in the USA today. This is of course thanks to the large numbers of surplus examples, which have been imported over the past two decades. The K-31 is often times mislabeled as a Schmidt-Rubin firearm, but in reality it used a different pattern of straight pull bolt.
The K-11 was so popular and such a success, that when the Swiss military announced in 1929, that it was looking for a new service rifle, it wanted something of similar size. The new rifle should be the same length as the K-11, but also as accurate as the 1911. It should also be less expensive and faster to produce than the Schmidt-Rubin pattern, while remaining a straight pull design. Naturally, it would need to be able to fire the full power 7.5mm GP11 cartridge.

The Bern factory undertook the project, assigning it to a team lead by Adolf Furrer. The first prototypes were delivered for field trials in 1931, and initial results were encouraging. Furrer's prototype prooved to be both more reliable and it met the military's accuracy requirements. It was also less expensive and complicated than the K-11/1911. After a few minor product improvements were incorporated into the design, it was officially adopted as the Karabiner Model of 1931, in 1932.
The K-31 had a totally new straight pull mechanism, which had its locking lugs at the very front of the bolt. Thus it was shorter and allowed for a shorter receiver. As a result, the carbine had a 25" long barrel, but the same overall length as the K-11. As an aside, with this barrel length, the K-31 is more a Short Rifle, than a true Carbine. To further contribute towards better accuracy, the K-31 had a free floated barrel, improved sights, and upgraded trigger. It fed from a new pattern of detachable 6 round magazine, which was both more reliable and more durable than the older one.

The carbine went into mass production in 1933, a process which continued for a quarter of a century. The design remained virtually unchanged from the beginning until the end, with the biggest switch being that in 1946, the wood of the furniture was changed from Walnut to Beech. By 1958 when the final K-31 rolled off the assembly line, over 528,000 examples had been turned out. Since the K-31 used a totally different bolt system from all earlier Swiss straight pull long arms, no older models could be converted to the new pattern though. It was a very successful design, and is known today as one of the finest military issue bolt actions of all time. The K-31's trigger is especially well regarded, as is it's great accuracy and low maintinance requirements. It was beloved by the vast majority of Swiss soldiers, many of whom purchased their issued carbine when retiring from the service. Though the K-31 was officially replaced in the late 1950s, many examples remained in active duety until the 1970s.

In the USA today, the K-31 is one of the finest GI military surplus rifles on the market, and it is a great value too. It is interesting from an engineering point of view, and pure pleasure to take to the range. Ontop of that, it fires one of the most accurate military cartridges ever adopted by anyone, anywhere.
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(Comparison of Bolts: 1889, 1911, & K-31)

P.49 Pistol
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(A commercial P210-2, same model as the military P49 pistol)

Among military collectors and accuracy shooters, the SIG P210 is a true legend. The P210-2 variant was Switzerland's standard issue military sidearm for nearly three decades. It was also used by many police departments and sold to civilians, in Switzerland and around the world.

Its development began in 1937, when SIG purchased production rights from the French firm of SACM for the Mle 1935-A Pistol. The 1935-A had actually been designed by a Swiss born engineer, Charles Gabriel Petter. Over a decade, SIG experimented with and perfected its own version of Petter's pistol, with the final product having only a passing similarity to the original. SIG's company name for the new series was P210, and the -2 variant in 9mm Parabellum was adopted into Swiss military service as the Pistol Model of 1949 (aka P49).

The P210 had both a milled/machined slide and frame, with internal slide guide rails. It was this feature which contributed so much to the pistol's accuracy, reliability, and tight fitment. In most other respects, it was a rather typical military pistol for its day, all be it one with exceptionally high quality and finish. It used a modified Browning tilting barrel locking system, Single-Action trigger, 8 shot magazine, 4.8" long barrel as standard, magazine disconnect safety, and manual thumb safety. Like the M1935-A, it had a very ergonomically shaped grip; but on the otherhand, it also had a rather stiff heel mounted mag catch. It was somewhat heavy, being made from all milled steel parts, but also quite durable and tough. It shouldn't come as a surprise, that the design was rather time intensive and resource consuming to manufacture. Thus, even the military P49 version came with a high price tag attached. SIG estimates that in all, when all variants and versions are added up, it produced a total of 350,000 P210 pistols.
As to variants, the P210-1 was intended for commercial sales and featured a high polished blued finish, wooden grips, and fixed sights. The P210-2 was the model adopted by the military as the P49, and it had a matt blued finish and bakelite grips. The -3 variant was very similar to the -1 and intended for law enforcment customers. The -4 was a -2 redesigned to meet the needs of the West German Boarder Guards, and had an M1935-A style loaded chamber indicator and lacked a lanyard ring. The -5 was the Sport version of the -1 with a longer barrel, wooden grips, and both an adjustable trigger and rear sight. The -6 was an upgraded -5 built on a heavier frame and with a new pattern of adjustable rear sight. The -7 was a dedicated .22 LR version of the P210. Finally, the -8 was the so-called 'Deluxe Sport' model, which was a -6 with a Browning style magazine release button located on the left side of the frame, behind the trigger guard.

The P49 was popular in Swiss military service as it was both more accurate and more durable than its predecessor. For the soldier it was issued to, it had few real shortcomings, however each pistol did cost the military a good bit. As with most Swiss firearms, many P49s remained in service for years after the design had been declared obsolete.

All I am going to say about buying a P210 in the USA today is you have to pay to play. If you have the money, finding one shouldn't be an issue. Its a nice pistol but its a lot of money too. Mine is my second most expensive handgun, behind my Japanese Baby Nambu. It cost me more than my Finnish L-35 Lahti or my WWI Colt M1911. Is one worth it? Only an individual can decide that. I am not turning loose of mine anytime soon though I can tell you.

STGW.57 (P57) Battle Rifle
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(A matching STGW.57 kit with original barrel, built on a HCI receiver)

The SIG SG510 was an interesting mix of old and new ideas, packaged in a wholely unique and unconventional way. It was the standard issue rifle of the Swiss military for over three decades, and is sometimes over glorified by American shooters today. To be sure it had many great features and qualities, but it was not without its faults and failings too. For one, it was nearly more of a light machinegun, rather than being a true battle rifle.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, several different automatic rifle prototypes were experimented with in Switzerland. In the end though, it was the AM55 designed by SIG's Rudolf Amsler, which came out on top and tested extensively by the military. It was inspired by both the German MG42 and STG.45(m), but it was a uniquely Swiss design. The original AM55 utilized a roller delayed blowback operating system and lacked a true gas system. It had traditional wooden furniture and fed from proprietary 20 round magazines. Like the K31 before it, it fired the standard 7.5mm GP11 cartridge. It had a 23" long medium heavy profile barrel.
Going on feedback and suggestions from the military, Amsler next designed the AM57 with a few minor but important changes. It fed from 24 round M25 LMG magazines, and had furniture made from rubber rather than wood. The standard issue version could launch rifle grenades without modifications, and had several other small updates to the internals. It was this version which was accepted into military service as Switzerland's next generation general issue rifle as the Sturmgewehr Model of 1957 (aka STGW.57, STG.57, and P57).

The STGW / P57 was a unique design as I have already said. It had many interesting features and enhancements as standard. It used a roller delayed blowback operating system, like the Spanish CETME and German G3. Not surprising since all three designs were based on DWM's latewar STG.45(m) prototype assault rifle. However, the P57 had a much more massive bolt than the G3, with larger rollers. The roller recesses weren't actually part of the receiver or trunion, as on an HK. Rather, they were separate pieces held on with a clip, and which could easily be replaced by a unit armorer. This was done to extend the rifle's service life. It used a clever extractor, which did double duety as the ejector. Brass wasn't just tossed out of the ejection port either. Rather, the ejector removed it from the bolt face with a sweaping motion, which caused it to exit the port rim first. This meant ejection wasn't as violaant and that a smaller ejection port could be used, which meant there was a smaller area for mud and snow to enter the receiver.

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(A STGW.57 bolt group)

As to the receiver itself, it was made with two stamped halves and two milled trunions, all held together by brazing and spot welds. This was done to try and reduce the firearm's cost; but in the end, it was still the most expensive rifle adopted by any military for general issue. The 23" long barrel had a fluted chamber for positive extraction, and intrigal grenade ring and combination muzzle brake / flash hider device. Most of the barrel was covered by a removable ventilated shroud, which carried the bayonet lug, forward sling slot, front sight, bipod, and handguard. The solid rubber handguard was finger grooved and short. The light bipod folded against the metal part of the shroud, and could be located in one of two positions by the press of a button. The rear position was used for single shot accurate aimed fire, and the forward position was used for automatic transversing areal fire. Both the front and rear sights could be folded when not in use and to protect the assemblies. The front sight was tool windage adjustable and housed a nightsight at its top. The rear aperture sight was micrometer elevation adjustable by hand. The sights were quite tall, with a heigh bore axis, but since they folded, they weren't prone to getting too banged up. There was a folding carry handle located at the top of the receiver, not unlike the one found on the FN FAL.
The buttstock was made from the same rubber as the handguard and had a straight-back comb, which helped reduce muzzle climb. It housed a massive bolt return mechanism, which acted as a recoil dampener too. The pistol grip was also straight and made of grooved polymer. It was hollow, with a sliding floorplate to allow access to a small storage compartment. The cocking handle was located on the right side of the receiver and did not move with the bolt group. It used the same 'beerkeg' shape as on earlier Swiss rifles, going all the way back to the original Schmidt-Rubin.

The P57 had several safety features. First, it had a large standard manual toggle to select Safe, Semi-Automatic, or Fully Automatic fire. Not terribly ergonomic, it was at least easy to find and operate. A loaded chamber indicator was located above the chamber, ontop of the receiver. To make the weapon drop-safe, it had a large trigger, with a rather heavy pull weight. As an aside, for use with winter gloves, it also had a fold down winter trigger on the right side of the lower housing. The standard 24 round magazine was made from machined aluminium to save on weight, and it rocked into the magwell not unlike an AK47. It could have either a metal or polymer follower. The magazine catch too was quite similar to that of the AK47, but it was smaller and with a serrated surface.

The weapon was easily field stripped without tools. Just press the release latch on the buttstock, rotate 45 degrees, and it comes off the receiver. Then press the button on the takedown pin, pull it out, and the lower housing comes off the receiver. Finally, pull back on the charging handle, it comes out of its rails, and the bolt group falls out of the back of the receiver. That's it for cleaning or general maintinance. The barrel shroud, along with all of its hardware, can easily be removed by taking out two standard slotted screws also.

The STGW.57 was officially adopted into military service and went into general production both in 1957. It was manufactured by SIG throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. Additional rifles were sold as late as 1985, however these seem to have been assembled from older leftover parts and not newly made ones. The Swiss military purchased approximately 740,000 P57s. The rifle was to be replaced in Swiss military service by the early 1980s, but delays and budget cuts meant it remained as the nation's standard issue rifle until 1986. Even then, it took several years for it to be fully replaced and officially retired. Many soldiers opted to purchase their issued rifle when retiring from the service, so many civilian Swiss shooters own P57s converted to semi-auto only today.

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(SIG SG510-4 select fire military model)
For export and commercial sales, SIG designated the STGW.57 as the SG510-1. It was offered in both 7.5mm GP11 and 7.62mm NATO, with the majority of rifles sold in the NATO chambering. West Germany designated this model as the G2, and it was tested extensively in the late 1950s but ultimately lost out to the H&K G3. The SG510-2 was a lightweight version, and it is difficult to find much information out there on it. It seems to have been about 2.5 lbs lighter, with a slimmer barrel shroud, wooden furniture, and a lighter bipod which would later appear on the AMT. The SG510-3 was developed for the 7.62x39mm Russian cartridge and never went into mass production. It was entered into trials held in Finland in the early 1960s, but lost out to the Valmet M62. The SG510-4 was a shortened and lightened version, which was also slightly simplified to give it a lower cost. It was chambered for 7.62mm NATO, had a 20" barrel, and tangent sights. It was the standard infantry rifle of Chile for decades. Finally, the SG510-5 was a prototype chambered in 7.62x63mm (.30-06) requested by Mexico. It too never went into production though. In fact, of all of the export models, only the -4 was built and sold in large numbers.

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(Swiss SIG AMT semi-auto Rifle)
SIG manufactured two semi-auto rifles based on the SG510 also. The PE57 was basically a civilian legal SG510-1, right down to being chambered for the 7.5mm GP11 cartridge. Roughly 3,000 were built, with only 500 to 1,000 imported into the USA. The AMT was a Match Target Sporting rifle, developed from the SG510-4. Like the -4, it was chambered for 7.62mm NATO (most rifles were stamped .308 Win though) and had non-folding tangent sights. It had a 20" barrel with either a threaded muzzle or plain crown. It lacked the grenade ring, had a thinner shroud, and commercial grade Walnut furniture. It used a light bipod, which folded over the top, and most examples did not come with a carry handle. It fed from proprietary 20 round magazines. Internally it was very much an SG510, but externally it had a rather different appearance. SIG built roughly 4,000 AMTs, with the majority exported into the USA. Both the PE57 and AMT had previsions to accept a SIG designed scope mount.

Viewed as an infantry rifle, the STGW.57 comes accross as alright, but with a few notable shortcomings. It is long, large, and rather heavy. It also fires a full power rifle cartridge, whose design dates back to before World War I. Ergonomically, its sights are a bit tall, its handguard a bit short, its pistol grip a bit too straight, and its safety selector basically impossible to reach with the firing hand. However, that is looking at it as a standard rifle. I would suggest looking at it as a light machinegun, and then a lot of the design choices make more sense. It has a fullsized bipod, carry handle, and straight-line profile stock. Its sights, pistol grip, and handguard all seem more at home on an LMG too. Finally, its rather generous sized magazine allowed it to put a lot of led in the air quickly. In full-auto fire, its length and weight become benefits; not detractions. So the STGW.57 is more of an LMG than an assault/battle rifle? Just an interesting idea I thought. The weapon is far from perfect, but its cool factor today is off the chart!

Preban SIG AMTs are quite expensive in the USA today. They usually go for from between $5,000 and $6,500 depending on accessories and condition. PE57s bring even more, at between $7,000 and $9,000. Even rifles like my own, assembled from an original STGW.57 parts kit on an American made receiver can go for as much as $5,000 on Gunbroker. The demand is just so much higher than the supply unfortunately. I had to do many favours and several hours of unpaid helping out in order to get mine. It was totally worth it though. Seriously, I've not been this excited about a new firearm in years. Really, its nice to know that a gun can still make me feel this way. The thing is just so....different from anything else I've ever owned or even handled.

P.75 Pistol
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(A Swiss assembled P220, which is police surplus and the same model as the P75)

The SIG P210 had a lot going for it, but it really was rather large and heavy, and expensive. Also, by the 1970s, it was starting to appear a bit dated and old fashioned. Having been on the forefront of military smallarms technology for over a century, the Swiss very much wanted a more modern standard issue sidearm. Thus SIG went to work and in 1975, it introduced the P220 series.

For the new model, Sig partnered with J.P. Sauer und Sohn of West Germany. It was quite a leap forward from the P210 and an innovative pistol for its day. The P220 featured a Double / Single Action trigger, Sauer type frame mounted decocking lever, automatic firing pin safety, single-lug tilting locking system, and was built using cutting edge computer assisted technology. To save on weight, it had a machined aluminium alloy frame; and it had a 4.5" long barrel, to reduce its overall length. It was designed with mass production and cost in mind too. The P220's slide was constructed from stamped steel, which was folded and spot welded into its final shape. It had a simplified grip profile from the P210, which was nevertheless still quite ergonomic. Rather than wood, the P220 came standard with wrap-around grip panels made of checkered black polymer. J.P. Sauer manufactured all of the parts for the new pistol, and also performed final assembly on most. However, a relatively small number were assembled in Switzerland by SIG for both domestic military and law enforcement use. Sauer built all pistols intended for commercial sales though. This was done to avoid high Swiss labor costs, and to get around Swiss government restrictions on the export of current military issue firearms.

The version of the P220 adopted into Swiss military service as the Pistol Model of 1975 (P75) was chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge and fed from a single stack 9 round magazine. It featured a heel mounted magazine catch, thin ribbed trigger, and low profile hammer.
While it has been years since the Swiss military has taken delivery of new P75s, the model is still today its official standard issue sidearm. It is well respected for many reasons, but does lack much of the mystique which came to surround the P49.

Its easy to find .45 ACP caliber P220s in the USA, and one can get a 9mm model if they look around for a bit. Mine is one of those marked Made in Switzerland. These came in as police surplus several years ago. They are out there and really don't bring crazy money or anything. I just thought it was interesting and unique when I found it, and not having a P220 or P225 at the time, i picked it up. I am glad I did. I like its early features, and it has a very smooth slide and trigger. The compact P225/P6 is another good choice, and a great little 9mm too.

STGW.90 (P90) Assault Rifle
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(Standard Swiss military issue STGW.90 assault rifle)

The P90 was Switzerland's attempt to adopt a modern small caliber assault rifle, which was both lighter and less expensive than the P57. I am not sure exactly how well they succeded there, but the result definitely was one of the finest assault rifles ever devised.
In 1978, the Swiss military decided to look into the possibility of adopting a small caliber, select-fire rifle to replace the full power and fullsized P57 battle rifle. The new design had to be accurate out to at least 300 meters, less expensive to manufacture, lighter, more compact, and more modular than the older design. Two versions were called for; a standard full length rifle for the infantry, and a so-called 'Headquaters' carbine for use in special situations.

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(SIG SG540 Prototype rifle)
SIG had already been working on a .223/5.56mm caliber assault rifle for some time by this point. In the 1960s, it released the SG530-1 prototype, which had both a gas piston and roller delayed bolt. Next, the SG540 came out. It kept the gas piston and switched to an AK47 style rotating bolt, with 2 large locking lugs. It featured an adjustable gas system, HK style drum diopter sights, fixed polymer buttstock, and lightweight bipod. Later, a version would be offered with a folding stock made from tubular steel. To allow it to be both easier and cheaper to mass produce, it was built with more stamped metal parts and even some made from investment castings. The SG540 actually went into limited production, with the French firm of Manurhin purchasing a manufacturing license.

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(SIG SG543 trials carbine)
In 1979, SIG submitted its latest assault rifle model for military trials. Actually, it submitted two versions. The SG541 had a rifle length barrel and gas system, and the SG543 was a compact carbine. The SIG design competed against the C42 submitted by Bern. It officially was selected for further development in 1983. At the same time, the 5.6mm GP90 cartridge was chosen as Switzerland's new service round. GP90 is very similar to 5.56mm NATO but just different enough not to be the same.
Originally, both the new rifle and cartridge were to go into service immediately; however, manufacturing complications and budget cuts drastically extended the process. In 1984, the SG541 received several design improvements and was redesignated as the SG550. The gas system was improved and made more corrosion resistant and a new pattern of skeletonized polymer stock was introduced. Also, a four way fire mode selector was made standard: safe, single, 3 rd burst, and full-auto. These changes were carried over to the SG543 too, and it became the SG551. Finally in 1986, the Swiss military took delivery of the first batch of the new rifles, which were officially designated as Sturmgewehr Model of 1990. It would take over a decade for the entire military to be so re-equipped though.

The P90 features typical Swiss quality and attention to detail. While definitely less time consuming and resource intensive to build than the P57, it is still one of the most expensive 5.56mm caliber military rifles in the world. Tuned for optimal functioning in the often fridgid Swiss Alps, it is highly reliable and durable. The SG550 has a long-stroke gas piston system and AK47 style rotating bolt. Despite this, it is quite accurate, especially at close to medium ranges. The standard rifle has a 21" long barrel, with intrigal flash hider and grenade ring. The inside of the flash hider is threaded to accept a blank firing device also. The gas system is adjustable with two settings, and under the gas block there is a P57 style bayonet lug. The light bipod is attached to the long polymer handguard, and fits into grooves on its underside when not in use. The upper and lower receivers are made from stamped and welded steel, and the barrel screws into a machined front trunion. The charging handle is very similar to the AK47's but is rubber coated and upswept. It does reciprecate with the bolt, and rides inside a channel protected by a rubber dustcover. The mag release is virtually the same as the one on the P57, as are the takedown pins. The fire mode selector is ambidextrous, and much better placed than on the P57. There is an automatic last-round bolt hold open device, and external release lever. The trigger is quite light and smooth, and it is adjustable too. The trigger guard is made of stamped steel and can be folded up to either side, to reach the trigger if wearing thick gloves. The pistol grip is made of ribbed polymer and has a small storage compartment inside. The buttstock has an inner frame made of steel, with an outer shell of polymer and a ridged rubber buttplate. It easily folds to the right side and locks into a tab on the side of the handguard. Most Swiss military P90s have dark green furniture, but many of the other variants come in black.

The P90 has HK style diopter sights, with a windage adjustable hooded front blade; and an elevation and windage adjustable rear drum with 3 apertures and a notch. Night sights are standard on all models, with a fold up front blade and two rear points as part of the drum's notch setting. Unlike the P57's sights, the ones on the P90 do not fold, however they have a much lower profile. This also means they are much closer to the bore's axis. The firearm feeds from translucent polymer magazines, with tabs on the side to lock multiple magazines together. The standard mag holds 20 rounds, and an extended 30 round version is available for special situations.

The P90 disassembles easily and without the need for tools. Just open the upper and lower receivers by removing the rear takedown pin, then press down on the release lever and pull out the charging handle. The bolt group will fall out the back of the upper receiver. Rotate the bolt to separate it from the carrier. To remove the gas system, press the spring loaded detent and rotate the gas adjuster until it pulls out. Then the gas piston and recoil spring assembly falls out the front of the gas tube. If you want to remove the tube itself for a cleaning, just press the detent again and rotate the end of the tube until it too pulls free of the gas block. If you want to completely separate the upper and lower receivers, just remove the front takedown pin and there you go. All in pieces. At this point the handguards will easily come off too, as they are held on by the lower receiver. The buttstock is attached with a single long pivit pin, which can be knocked out with a punch and light hammer, but this isn't required for cleaning.

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(SG55x Family Photo)
The standard rifle goes by several names and designations: STGW.90, P90, SG550, Fusil d'assaut 90, or more simply FASS90. Originally designed and manufactured by SIG, it has been built and sold by SAN since 2000. Many versions and variants exist today. The SG550-1 is the P90 designed for the 5.6mm GP90 cartridge with a 1 in 10 twist rate. The SG550-2 on the otherhand is meant to fire the standard 5.56mm NATO round and has a 1 in 7 twist rate. There is a DMR variant of the rifle, with scope, accurized barrel, fully adjustable trigger, adjustable stock, cheak rest, and more ergonomic pistol grip; all as standard features from the factory. The carbine version is designated as the SG551 and has a 14.3" barrel, shortened gas system and handguards, no bayonet lug, and can not fire rifle grenades. It too is made in -1 and -2 variants. The 'SWAT' carbine variant is designed for use in humid or wet environments, with a more corrosion resistant finish to many of its internal parts. The SG552 is out of production now, but was an even shorter submachinegun sized version. It had a 9" barrel, fixed charging handle, and redesigned recoil system with the spring in the back as in an AK47. Today, it has been replaced by the SG553, which has the same short barrel and gas tube, but uses a shortened SG550 recoil system and removable charging handle. The SG551, SG552, and SG553 have all been offered as 'Long Barrel' (LB) variants, capable of both mounting a bayonet and launching rifle grenades. Modern SG55x versions are offered either with fixed diopter sights or with a weaver rail and folding backup sights. Finally, most models are offered as a semi-auto only, with the 'SP' suffix added to the designation. For example, the SG550-2SP was the most popular civilian legal variant imported into the USA during the 1980s. A special carbine variant with an extended 16.1" barrel was very briefly exported to the USA in the late 1980s, designated as the SG551-2SP. Other SG551-2SPs though, such as those sold in Europe and to American law enforcement, had standard 14.3" carbine barrels.

The SG550-1 is still the standard issue rifle of the Swiss military today. It also uses many SG551-1 carbines and a few SG552-1 subcompacts when the need arrises. Law enforcement uses the series too, especially the SG551 carbine and the DMR version of the SG550 rifle. Adding up all versions and variants, it is estimated that over 600,000 SG55x firearms have been built in Switzerland to date, with production still on going.

The STGW.90 has prooven itself a fine standard issue firearm in the Swiss military. It is highly reliable and durable, and plenty accurate for its class. It is easy to clean and maintain. This is a heavy rifle to be firing a small diameter bullet, but the flip side is that it has low felt recoil and is very controllable in full-auto. The barrel makes it a bit long by modern standards, but at least it has an excellent folding stock too. Some dislike its ergonomics, mostly the placement of its safety selector and rock & lock magazines. The mags themselves are top notch though. They are very lightweight, durable, and easy to load by hand. The one part of the rifle that does seem substandard is the light bipod, which is frankly rather useless. One also should not forget that this firearm hasn't really been put through intensive, real world combat, as has the AK47, FN FAL, M16, HK G3, Steyr AUG, and many others. Still, the STGW.90 is a good fit for Switzerland.

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(A police surplus Swiss SG551-2SP SWAT carbine, with 2" muzzle extension and modern sling)

Preban Swiss made SG550s bring at least $8,000 in the USA today, with most going for closer to $10,000. As for preban SG551s? since so few were brought in, they go for even more, say approximately $12,000. This is why the American SIG556 and SIG551-A1 clones look so damn attractive to most people in the market for something like an STGW.90. Afterall, they use the same internal parts, even if they are US, rather than Swiss made. The differences are mostly external: furniture, barrel profile, sights, etc.
I purchased my own Swiss SG551-2SP SWAT a year ago, when a batch of police surplus carbines were available. It cost about half of what a preban would have, and best of all is exempt from 922(r). Luckly, I had a buyer for a couple of high end firearms I was hoping to move at the time, so I was able to swing it....just. I am glad I did though. Only about 100 were sold, and since its already surplus, I don't feel bad about firing it. I see no reason to have such a fine rifle and not be able to shoot and enjoy it. Do I wish it was an SG550? well maybe...probably, but I am still very happy with what I got. It really completes my Swiss military issue firearms collection.