quote:

Originally posted by PGT:
Dominion Defence must have had access to the molds as we've compared them to SIG mags from various OEM's over 30yrs and they're a perfect match for most. Some older ones are slightly off but not unexpected given different subcontractors over almost 40yrs

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
I got an all steel 551, it looks nice, though I don’t have anything to compare it to, other than the US builds. I’ll let you know how it shoots when I get a stock. JDI has a couple 550 models right now, real tempting.

quote:

Originally posted by darkest2000:

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Also keep in mind the PE90 (ones originally made for the Swiss domestic market) that have been trickling in over the years are by design made to be the exact facsimile of the military Stgw.90, sans full auto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