The SIG Sauer SIG516 is a firearm manufactured by SIG Sauer. It is an AR-15 style rifle chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO. Introduced in 2010, the SIG516 was discontinued as of 2019. A variant chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, the SIG716, remains in production.
Design details
Operating mechanism
The SIG516 is a semi-automatic multi-caliber rifle, intended for civilian and law enforcement markets. The same family also includes selective-fired sporting rifles, strictly intended for law enforcement and military use. It fires from a closed bolt, and has a short-stroke push rod piston system. The gas piston pushes the bolt carrier rearward, where it is returned to the forward and locked position by a spring. This process loads the next cartridge. The 516 has a four position gas regulator, allowing the user to choose the amount of gas directed to the piston.
Features
The SIG516 has a safety lever on the left side, to be used by the thumb of the shooting hand. The gas block integrates an adjustable gas regulator. The front gas block is railed to accept the front sight with a flip-up sight post. SIG516 models are equipped with an M16A2 style bird-cage flash hider. All SIG516 models except the Marksman are equipped with 16 inch barrels shrouded by a free-floating M1913 Picatinny rail, as well as flip-up iron sights made by SIG Sauer. The 5.56×45mm NATO SIG516 models accept AR-15 style box magazines. These magazines are constructed in 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-round variants. SIG516 Russian rifles must use a different magazine, as they are chambered in 7.62×39mm. The SIG516 Russian uses magazines designed for 7.62×39mm AR-15 style rifles. The rifle is hammer-fired and has a two-stage trigger mechanism in the SIG516 Marksman, while all others have a military specification single-stage trigger.
Variants
The SIG716 is battle rifle/designated marksman rifle variant, which is based on the same design, but is chambered for the larger 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses SR-25 pattern magazines. The SIG716 G2 variant features a short-stroke pushrod gas system. This operating system reduces carbon fouling, excessive heat and unburned powder in the action, ensuring further improved reliability and function. The G2 Patrol model is chambered in 7.62x51mm, while the G2 DMR model is chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor.
: Order placed for 72,400 units of SIG-716 Patrol G2 model. In December 2019, the first batch of 10,000 rifles was delivered to the Indian Army’s Northern Command. An additional order for "a similar number of rifles" was confirmed by SIG Sauer in July 2020.
