I recall a figure of 445 for the prebans. and I believe jdi has imported around 100?

No clue. Sometimes I wish my 553 was a 550 or 551.

Not sure but seems like the market is flooded with the PE90s now. Few years back those are few and far between, some say even less than 20 examples in country, now I'm guessing there would at least be hundreds between the several importers that is bringing/have brought them in (JDI, Michaels Machine, COgunsales?).

I'd say pretty much killed the value of the real prebans, considering that the new ones actually have the non neutered front end...

Gotta be more than 100 from JDI. I got a 550 unfinished from JDI last week. If I recall his last shipment was around 150 550's. He brought in some smaller shipments before that big order as well.

I don't think the preban guns' values were hurt as much as one might think. Estes Adams was of the opinion that anything produced after the 2000 L&O acquisition just isn't as good. So, a pre-2000 rifle likely has more value, to someone who is of that same opinion. So, certainly more of a matter of when it was made, as opposed to when it was imported, or by whom.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
I don't think the preban guns' values were hurt as much as one might think. Estes Adams was of the opinion that anything produced after the 2000 L&O acquisition just isn't as good. So, a pre-2000 rifle likely has more value, to someone who is of that same opinion. So, certainly more of a matter of when it was made, as opposed to when it was imported, or by whom.

Yeah, the preban guns will retain their value over time. The market is a bit flooded but plenty of people want the sig 550 series. Once the dems get their way and ban imports I suspect they will increase in value.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
I don't think the preban guns' values were hurt as much as one might think. Estes Adams was of the opinion that anything produced after the 2000 L&O acquisition just isn't as good. So, a pre-2000 rifle likely has more value, to someone who is of that same opinion. So, certainly more of a matter of when it was made, as opposed to when it was imported, or by whom.

Lots of lore (mostly hearsay or otherwise unproven) about guns made in certain eras being better/worse quality. To most, these are Swiss made either way and that's good enough.

I believe the current generation of collectors also value military correctness (or the ability to be made so) in the outward appearance.

Generally speaking this does make the pre-bans more desirable because imports from those eras tend to be the closest thing you can get to the actual military issue equipment, just lacking the happy switch.

However, one of the exceptions to that would be the pre-ban SG550/551 series, where numerous "military" features are permanently removed, such as shaving off of the bayonet lug, reduced muzzle diameter and grenade tension ring collar delete (to further prevent the use of bayonet/rifle grenades). For the SG551 it's the weird looking extended barrel, again sans the grenade tension ring collar.

Most of the pre-bans also come with the old style lower receiver with non-reinforced mag well which the military quickly phased out, as well as the first gen non-breakaway side folding stock.

These could all be turn offs for someone choosing between a pre-ban vs one of the more recent imports.

Also keep in mind the PE90 (ones originally made for the Swiss domestic market) that have been trickling in over the years are by design made to be the exact facsimile of the military Stgw.90, sans full auto capability. This includes rifling optimized for the Swiss 5.6mm instead of 5.56mm that may commercial(pre-ban) and export rifles tend to have.

I think the most endearing features of the pre-bans would be the hard case that many came with. But with a little money those can be bought as stand alone items.

Just my $0.02

darkest2000 I agree. Its the military attributes that I like most about the 550 series guns. The grenade ring makes a real difference for me when I decided to buy the JDI imports. JDI has 90 Sig 551's w/16 barrel and no grenade ring in stock. I have no interest. My Sig 553 LB and my SIG 550 have the grenade ring. I guess its the little things that attract us to these guns.

I also prefer the military features and updated lower receiver. If I was to have a 550, I wouldn't care when it was made, or who imported it.

Estes was an authority that I trusted, and I was merely relaying something he said about the guns.

The pre-89 market is still viable. I personally prefer earlier guns to the current production. I do like that current production have Swiss milspec barrels, not the neutered barrels of the pre-89 imports.

quote:

Originally posted by JoshNC:
The pre-89 market is still viable. I personally prefer earlier guns to the current production. I do like that current production have Swiss milspec barrels, not the neutered barrels of the pre-89 imports.

Yeah the prebans still clear 5 figures. The old school lowers definitely look cooler and I like that seafoam green.
what are the differences between the older rifles and the current imports other than configuration. better quality somehow? According to sig sauer AG the anti corrosive improvements in the 551 swats are applied to all the models now afaik.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: krieg,

quote:

Originally posted by krieg:

Yeah the prebans still clear 5 figures. The old school lowers definitely look cooler and I like that seafoam green.
what are the differences between the older rifles and the current imports other than configuration. better quality somehow? According to sig sauer AG the anti corrosive improvements in the 551 swats are applied to all the models now afaik.

I think most of the SWAT anti corrosion update was the change from carbon steel gas tube to stainless steel and chrome plated gas valve instead of nitrided carbon steel. I believe 550s and PE90s still have carbon steel gas tubes, but I don’t own any of the JDI import 550/PE90, so I could be wrong.

For the Swiss market, the Stg/PE 90 is a sealed pattern, as accepted by the Swiss DoD. Export versions might be different, probably altered to the specifications of the importing party.

Another visible difference I have noted are the welds on the rear sight bases. The older guns have welds that go all the way beneath the sling loop; newer guns do not.

At least one is in my wife’s closet.

Meh.... the whole 550 series was basterized by that abortion 556 that Sig USA put out and then dumped. Give me a 1989 pre ban ! Correct in every way.550 system is dated for sure but very cool.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerod:
Meh.... the whole 550 series was basterized by that abortion 556 that Sig USA put out and then dumped.

This thread is about the Swiss guns, nothing to do with the 556.

quote:

Give me a 1989 pre ban ! Correct in every way.

Not really, see my post above.

One of the biggest limitations on the 55x series are the lack of affordable magazines. I (finally) got my Sig 553 and now am trying to find some that, if I got ten of them, wouldn't cost 45% of the original cost of the 553.

Oh Magpul, hear my prayer . . .

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
One of the biggest limitations on the 55x series are the lack of affordable magazines. I (finally) got my Sig 553 and now am trying to find some that, if I got ten of them, wouldn't cost 45% of the original cost of the 553.

Oh Magpul, hear my prayer . . .

Yeah, No kidding on the mags. I have managed to pick up about 40 mags for my 5 55x series rifles. Watched gun broker and found some deals over the last year. Picked up 5 from a woman who was selling her exhubbies Sig mags post divorce for $75 a pop brand new. Sorry bro....

I have been following a guy on a facebook group and he was using HK mags with minor mods to get past the mag issue.

The mag situation definitely sucks, especially considering they do break; I have lost four to breakage. DO NOT leave them loaded for any extended period.

I saw that G36 mag mod thing too. I actually have one of those PMAGs; maybe I'll give that a whirl.