After much back and forth about keeping or selling my 556 Classic with green furniture I put an MRO w/ a LaRue mount on it and went shooting yesterday. After 200 rounds I figured I'll keep it and shoot it. The question is where do I find replacement/repair parts as SIG is out of the 556 business and doesn't support the platform any longer? I think I need to secure a few basic parts and springs before they completely dry up. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks
StarchedCover
November 12, 2017, 12:13 PM
PossibleZombie
Those kits are unobtanium at this point. You are better off buying a second 556 to shoot and use as a backup. I'm in the same boat with my 556. I enjoy the rifle but without any way to replace broken parts down the line, I'm thinking of selling or trading it away.
November 12, 2017, 12:16 PM
WARPIG602
I felt the same and sold my lot of 556's right after Sig discontinued them. I really liked those guns. At this point keep checking GB or classifieds for the parts kits. If you really want to do it right,as mentioned above, buy a 2nd 556. At this point, especially if its a Sig product, buy multiples of each gun if you plan on making them your primary guns for the long haul.
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November 12, 2017, 01:09 PM
djpaintles
It's amazing what a Charlie Foxtrot SIG USA made out of the 556. From the Canted Rails to fall apart stocks (I had both) they managed to take a fine weapon system and just about ruin it. Pretty Sad.........dj
Remember, this is all supposed to be for fun...................
November 12, 2017, 03:11 PM
RHINOWSO
I owned a 556 for about 18 months but came to the conclusion that long term, it's not a smart rifle to be invested in if you are a shooter.
Sold mine when they were desirable and bought 1.5 ARs. Don't miss it one bit.
November 12, 2017, 03:14 PM
WARPIG602
quote:
Originally posted by RHINOWSO: I owned a 556 for about 18 months but came to the conclusion that long term, it's not a smart rifle to be invested in if you are a shooter. .
Those rifles seem to be getting harder and harder to find with how fast companies are changing things these days. Some more than others obviously.
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November 12, 2017, 11:01 PM
BB61
I was hoping JDI would have a spare parts kit for the guns they are importing this year. Link: https://www.sanswissarms.com Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find a basic parts kit like SIG Sauer used to sell and if they did, looking at JDI’s prices, I’m sure it would be cheaper to buy a US 556 and parts it out. I have two NIB 556s. The first is an original fish gill with Swiss parts and the other a 556 Classic. I have two spare part kits for each model and I still sit on them and wonder if I should sell or shoot? It’s frustrating what SIG has done with this line from the very beginning.
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November 12, 2017, 11:17 PM
hudr
Wow. I guess I should count myself lucky that my divorce forced me out of the 556 business. I owned three at one time.
November 12, 2017, 11:51 PM
JoshNC
Very very few parts break on the 55x series. To those wondering if they should shoot their rifles, GO SHOOT YOUR RIFLE. It is a good idea to have some critical spares, but I wouldn’t allow a current lack of spares to be a deterrent to shooting.
Gatewood Supply has SIG parts. I suggest you buy spares on the second hand market. Exeter will not be a source for spares. If you plan on keeping your 556, you should pick up the following:
A few firing pins, 1-2 bolts, bolt carrier, 1-2 firing pins, a few cocking handles, a few gas piston/recoil springs, hammer and trigger springs. If I had to really narrow it down, I would suggest a couple firing pins, a couple extractors/springs (generally not able to be sourced, thus I would just buy complete bolts), couple cocking handles, and a couple piston/recoil springs or just the recoil springs.
Or just buy a second 556 for spares; they can be found quite cheaply right now.This message has been edited. Last edited by: JoshNC,
--------------------------------------------- "AND YEA THOUGH THE HINDUS SPEAK OF KARMA, I IMPLORE YOU...GIVE HER A BREAK, LORD". - Clark W. Griswald
November 13, 2017, 12:58 PM
PGT
Yeah...what are you looking for? Wolff has springs and parts are plentiful between GB, eBay, JDI and Gunfactory.ch
I have a spare 556 I got for parts but honestly, haven't needed them.
November 13, 2017, 02:03 PM
Il Cattivo
quote:
Or just buy a second 556 for spares; they can be found quite cheaply right now.
If you don't mind my asking, where are you finding them "quite cheaply"?
November 13, 2017, 02:04 PM
PossibleZombie
I'm seeing them on GB from $800 for the bare bones beat up models to $2000 for the fancier railed models. I guess cheap is a relative term.
November 13, 2017, 03:05 PM
Il Cattivo
Yeah, the prices on GB (and the number of bids) really don't seem to have changed.
November 13, 2017, 03:17 PM
RHINOWSO
quote:
Those rifles seem to be getting harder and harder to find with how fast companies are changing things these days. Some more than others obviously.
Honestly it something the 1911, ARs, Glocks, and Beretta 92s have going for them - a LOT of them out there and limitless parts, support, etc.
Hard to overlook that after being in the game for awhile. Flavors of the month will come and go.
November 13, 2017, 05:55 PM
ercarr
The way SIG handled the 556, has made question buying anything SIG. It's to bad because I really like my 556. I think I will stick with AR's and 1911's. No parts issues with these.
November 13, 2017, 06:36 PM
preten2b
Allow me to ask it differently. What if anything has been shown to be a wear part that we should have??
I haven't run mine enough to be worried about wear and tear. Are we talking about the dreaded missing while cleaning issues?
Yes, I agree with above. How Sig handled this rifle has soured my attitude greatly.
------------------ The plural of anecdote is not data. -Frank Kotsonis
November 13, 2017, 09:38 PM
BB61
quote:
Originally posted by preten2b: Allow me to ask it differently. What if anything has been shown to be a wear part that we should have??
I haven't run mine enough to be worried about wear and tear. Are we talking about the dreaded missing while cleaning issues?
Yes, I agree with above. How Sig handled this rifle has soured my attitude greatly.
It’s a fair question. My question is what do you do if your 556 breaks or has problems? Send it to SIG and get a DI AR-15 to replace it? At least you’d think they’d send you a MCX but I doubt SIG would even consider that. I like my SIGs but it’s hard to consider buying a new one when you don’t know if they will be supporting it in a few days let alone a year or two down the road. I’m not a manufacturing specialist but it doesn’t seem like SIG couldn’t periodically do a run of parts for “older” models they no longer sell. Until then, yes, what do I do if I lose something while cleaning or something breaks? I recently had SIGforum moderator Chris Orndorff completely replace the internal parts of my West German SIG P228 because SIG’s custom shop loused it up so bad it was completley unreliable. It works now but if I hadn’t been able to buy a spare parts kit what then? A nice paperweight for my office? I know I’m preaching to the choir but SIG really doesn’t seem to be interested in its customer base.
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November 14, 2017, 01:28 PM
JoshNC
quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
quote:
Originally posted by preten2b: Allow me to ask it differently. What if anything has been shown to be a wear part that we should have??
I haven't run mine enough to be worried about wear and tear. Are we talking about the dreaded missing while cleaning issues?
Yes, I agree with above. How Sig handled this rifle has soured my attitude greatly.
It’s a fair question. My question is what do you do if your 556 breaks or has problems? Send it to SIG and get a DI AR-15 to replace it? At least you’d think they’d send you a MCX but I doubt SIG would even consider that. I like my SIGs but it’s hard to consider buying a new one when you don’t know if they will be supporting it in a few days let alone a year or two down the road. I’m not a manufacturing specialist but it doesn’t seem like SIG couldn’t periodically do a run of parts for “older” models they no longer sell. Until then, yes, what do I do if I lose something while cleaning or something breaks? I recently had SIGforum moderator Chris Orndorff completely replace the internal parts of my West German SIG P228 because SIG’s custom shop loused it up so bad it was completley unreliable. It works now but if I hadn’t been able to buy a spare parts kit what then? A nice paperweight for my office? I know I’m preaching to the choir but SIG really doesn’t seem to be interested in its customer base.
I love the Swiss 551/552/553 and own multiples. Because I like to shoot mine, over the past 10 years I stocked up on barrels, bolt groups, gas system parts, springs, pins, etc and armorers tools sufficient for many generations of future shooters.
If you like the 55x and plan on shooting them, I recommend stocking up while the parts are in plentiful supply. It wasn’t that long ago that 55x parts were VERY scarce and expensive. Over the past 10 years, LE agencies in the US have traded in their rifles which has placed a glut of parts on the commercial market. This won’t last forever. Buy now or wish you had in a few years.
--------------------------------------------- "AND YEA THOUGH THE HINDUS SPEAK OF KARMA, I IMPLORE YOU...GIVE HER A BREAK, LORD". - Clark W. Griswald
November 14, 2017, 03:58 PM
heckler
quote:
Originally posted by JoshNC:
If you like the 55x and plan on shooting them, I recommend stocking up while the parts are in plentiful supply. It wasn’t that long ago that 55x parts were VERY scarce and expensive. Over the past 10 years, LE agencies in the US have traded in their rifles which has placed a glut of parts on the commercial market. This won’t last forever. Buy now or wish you had in a few years.
This has reminded me to start looking for affordable tickets to Zurich in March (Geneva Auto show) and a trip to the gunfactory. If you've never been to Switzerland w/a swiss rail pass.. you're really missing something (should go at least once in your life..) Plenty of SIG eye candy too..
November 14, 2017, 09:06 PM
JoshNC
quote:
Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
quote:
Or just buy a second 556 for spares; they can be found quite cheaply right now.
If you don't mind my asking, where are you finding them "quite cheaply"?