Introduction

Until now replicas of the Swiss assault rifle SIG 550/551/552 were produced by three companies: Tokyo Marui, JG and ICS. TM and JG focused on the longest and the shortest barrel versions, so SIG 552 and 550. While I Chih Shivan Enterprise assembles SIG 551 and 552. So by some coincidence new product by G&G completes ICS offer.

New and one of the most expensive replica by Guay Guay, in original is produced by Swiss Arms AG (former Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft). Assault rifle uses 5.6x45mm Gw Pat 90 cartridge (Swiss equivalent to NATO's standard 5.6x45mm). It was accepted into service by Swiss Army in 1990. SG 550 replaced previously used SG 540. Up to present around 600 000 pieces in different versions were produced, in majority (450 000) with 528mm barrel.

So much for a brief history lesson! Let's get to our short test of replica's parameters and a brief cons and pros over competitive products.

Enjoy!

Box and the look

We got the replica from customs in simple cardboard box with styrofoam filling. Box is pretty small as for SIG rifle, because it is made to suit a replica with folded stock. 

In comparison to mainland China competition which apart from a free battery, charger and all standard accessories recently adds even bungee style single point sling, G&G replica lacks of any free bonuses. We get only cleaning rod, loading tube (I can't really understand why couldn't it be at least syringe type speed loading tool), manual and small amount of BBs.

This is not most important though. Let's move on to replica review, which from the very beginning draws attention with its details.

Let me start in an unusual way, by describing the magazine at first. Real cap holds 30 BBs, it is made of transparent, orangish plastic, made with a big care for details - perfectly resembling the original one. Just compare by yourself on the picture below:

Magazine is very well made and has all of the licensed marks. As it is standard for G&G, it has protruding BB "feeder" - which in my opinion is a way better solution than any sophisticated PTW systems. During our tests, there was no single situation, that any BB would fall of the chamber when changing a mag.

Time to describe all the beatiful details of this SIG replica, starting with flash hider, ending at the stock foot. Since the very beginning it becomes obvious that workmanship is very good: high quality paint in different shades, accurate mills, proper texture - the newest G&G replica makes a very good impression.

Foresight and dummy gas pipe adjustment tool, both have some movable parts, which gives more of "real gun" impression. Both sling catch and bayonet are made so well, that it is hard to find any example of that kind of quality in other high-end products.

Replica's body is full of relish not present in previously produced SIGs (i.e. by Tokyo Marui).

On the breech cover - individual serial number. Breech lever is movable, we may even detach it in the same way, as disassembling the original one. It travels in the same range as the real gun. Two pieces of a rubber and six rivets makes a dust cover, which is not available in any plastic replica - small detail but it's nice! What is more, using bolt catch we can block breech lever in back-end position, which helps to adjust HU.

There is no failure regarding fire mode selector which is both sides functional, and each selection snaps smoothly. Sights have full adjustment range (100, 200, 300 and 400m settings). 100m setting goes with fluorescent aiming points - two permanent at the rearsight and one foldable at the foresight.

SIG by G&G has quite a number of small but attractive details. Apart from above, we might mention movable trigger cover (rotating to the side) which makes it easy to shoot in winter gloves and as well "functional" boltcatch.

On the left side of the body, we might encounter first serious dissappointment - replica has no licenced marks of Swiss firearms' producer.  Replica for 1699PLN (~515USD) should have those, especially that other producers managed to get all the licenced marks. As for me - it is a big drawback.

What's inside

If you haven't been put off by lack of trade marks, let's move on to get more familiar with the SIG and its interesting technical solutions and some high quality elements.

In the mag socket - smart solution - wires connecting GB with the front grip are just simple copper plates. No disconnecting, pushing, unscrewing. I like that!

Stock is pretty comfortable with a nice rubber foot-end. What is most important: it is stable (the question is for how long?). Would the latch wear down like it happens in competitive products - we get to know after long term usage.

Let's move on to basic maintanance and some of the technical solutions.

To connect the battery, we have to get access to container hidden in dummy exhaust tube - it takes a few steps to do: at first rotate dummy gas adjustment 30' clockwise;

Now we can remove upper handguard by pushing it forward to the muzzle and raising the back end.

Next, just remove dummy exhaust tube - in similar way to upper handle guard, by pushing it forward.

In the end, there is a connector cube in a shape of Tamiya large type - though inside the tube, there is an adapter.

This solution has obvious advantages: it completely hides the battery pack, it prevents from any move of the packet and it wouldn't allow any squeaky sound. There is a drawback though: it limits the space: we may only use stick battery (AK type) of maximum 20cm lenght. Though it is again limited by the wire lenght - the one which I have used for the test purposes (Li-Po 11.1V) had so long wires, that even though battery was only 17cm long, it barely fitted inside.

There is an option to remove the converter - we gain some space by that move, but at the cost of aesthetics and stability of the battery pack. Because of that, tube would not be properly pressed by a spring in a dummy exhaust adjustment knob. Connector might be easily disconnected.

Speaking of a battery and its placement we might easily remove the bipod by rotating it against the slide. It seems to be quite reasonable, at least if in opposite to showing off we would rather decide to seriously use our SIG 550. 

If there would be a need to disassemble exhaust adjustment, it just takes to push in the screw block and rotate it further than it was required while placing the battery.

To get access to HU chamber or gearbox itself, remove the front pin. To take it out, press both sides of the block on the pin end.

After getting access to the body interior, we can also remove the lower handguard, where 20A fuse is located.

Inside SIG and its gearbox

What is interesting, frequently SIG550 overview says that it has GB v.2 - it is obviously not true. Fortunately replica is equipped with the reliable gearbox v.3. Below some step by step tips how to get access to gearbox and what's inside.

When front pin was removed we would proceed only with the lower body part. We may put upper part in a safe place and continue with disassembling engine cover. Unscrew two screws, remove cover, detach wires - then remove the engine.

Another nice surprise - it is a typical, commonly available short type engine, not the middle one which is used in TM and JG. It makes it more convenient in case of tuning or breakdown.

Now it is time to remove four screws keeping the pistol grip on GB body. Just a digression on that: some producers seen as more "reputable" like G&P or G&G, are pretty stubborn on using allen key screws instead of traditional cross ones. Why? I have no idea... I know though that those screws are more prone to be torn up and they do not help to disassemble a replica, especially if they are located on the parts which are hard to reach i.e. : inside pistol grip. In tested exemplar, one of the screws was worn down after the first use.

Nevertheless if we remove those screws, we can take off the pistol grip. It is worth to remind that, while putting the replica together, both wires should be put through before the engine (unlike M4/M16 series).

Fire mode selector lever on both sides is fixed by small hex pins (watch out for small balls under selector lever!).

Next step on dismantle process is to unscrew five more screws: two more on the lever axis, two keeping lower body with stock nest and one on the edge of GB and stock.

We may remove the gearbox now (pay attention not to drop small racks of fire mode selector) and see the full steel body. As far as I know competitive product by ICS has body thin as aluminium foil - body in G&G's SIG is a solid piece of steel.

Another step would be removing last parts of pretty sophisticated selector mechanism and rest of engine "slide". You may notice the interesting GB body colour, because it's end part is seen outside when stock is folded, it has to be in a colour matching replicas outer body. While having such a situation, if producer would  decided to have a GB with the "window" behind spring slide (like i.e. G36 by Ares) we could get an option to replace main spring (so by that immediately changing the replica's velocity) anywhere in absolutely record breaking time - much more conveniently than in the Minimi, not mentioning standard AEGs.

But let's get back to the topic: after removing a few more screws (of hardness comparable to the butter), we can get to the "heart" of  the replica.

Inside the gearbox:

- Racks marked with G&G logo:

- engine rack has 5 anti-reversal latches. Middle rack has its own inner bearing. Unfortunately, lack of stock pusher delay on piston rack, may be only taken as a bad joke by G&G technicians (some of the cheap mainland Chinese replicas are equipped with those).  As well original shimming seems to be a bit to "tight".

- Spring slide is made of plastic, though fortunately with bearings. Even in so small and simple element, G&G didn't avoid a fundamental mistake: by putting too small (basicaly tiny) pinhole on  the back - which makes it very difficult to keep the spring in place while opening and closingthe GB.

- Cylinder - "type 0", brass. It seems a bit too short as for GB body.

- Cylinder head - uncommon shape - it has stabilising edging like the newest Guarder products. Made of plastic, with a shoddy gasket.

- Piston and the piston head - typical for G&G products - nothing extraordinary (maybe except for recently popular skipping the second notch).

- Nozzle with the pusher - plastic; sealed; with a cross bore.

- Main spring - with uneven leap (advantage - it is not common in stock replicas). Hardness comparable to M100.

- Wires - silver-plated like Systema or most recent mainland Chinese replicas. Good quality.

- Engine - typical for G&G. Magnets a bit more powerful than those in EG1000 by Marui, though incomparably weaker than those used in recent mainland China made replicas.

- Bearings - 6mm brass; even though I really doubt using bigger diameter bearings might be necessary, I personally think G&G might get some of those - if not for real usefulness, at least for marketing purposes: most of recent  PRC made AEGs have 7mm or bigger bearings.

- Trigger mechanism works well, though reversal spring hook seems vulnerable to damage.

GB inside, all the racks, cylinder, piston slide etc. everything is properly greased. Sound of its work is acceptable, but for sure it still might be better.

Performance

Measured muzzle velocity with 0.2g BBs was estimated in range of 320-330 fps (so tested replica might be the one dedicated for Asian market - European should be around 380 fps). Muzzle velocity performance was stable. With proper HU settings it was as high as 310 fps.

BB weight | FPS | m/s | energy

0.2g | 330 | 100.2 | 1,01 J
0.25g | 295 | 89.6 | 1,01 J

Rate of fire with LiPo 11.1V 1200mAh 20C measured 23BB / s. This battery pack seems to be the biggest possible to fit without any reworking of the handguard / exhaust tube. But even using 8.4V NiMh battery pack RoF is acceptable: 18BB / s.

Range tests with 0.2g BBs:

Maximum range ~58m

Effective range 50-55m (5m difference for 0.25g)

I have tested convergence with 0.2g BB by taking 10 shots in semi mode and separately by taking 5BB bursts in auto mode. Distance 30 meters; target A4 piece of paper  (21 x 29,7 cm)

10 BB - semi - 30 meters distance:

5 BB - auto - 30 meters:

Replica's accuracy and range is very good. G&G HU rubber has some "reserve" in its settings - it could easily spin heavier BBs.

SIG replicas made by other producers and compatibility

SIGs available on market are produced by JG, ICS, G&G and Tokyo Marui (those mainly on the second hand market). They have different quality: JG and TM both have plastic body which absolutely don't proove themselves in so long replica. They break easily at frontgrip edge or stock mounting point (or worse: both).  ICS replicas have most of the small tasty details like working bolt catch and apart from that it has licensed SIGARMS marks.

SIG magazine selection is broad: TM, JG, ICS, MAG - unfortunately it is not obvious which mags would fit G&G. TM and JG mags which I tested barely fit in the socket. I am not sure if they would feed BBs properly. Differences are so big, that mags cannot be even clipped together. TM and JG are almost the same - G&G have different catches.

JG replica have SIG ARMS (SIG552) marks, but it does not have almost any of the eye-catching details which G&G and ICS replicas have - there are no fluorescent point sights, bolt catch is just a piece of plastic. Colours and texture quality are just incomparably worse.

Summary

SIG550 by Guay Guay is a good replica with a very good performance and as well quality of some details makes a very good impression. There is just a question how many SIG fans would decide to buy a high quality reputable brand replica without the licenced marks?

Big thanks to Josef and Specshop team for affording some JG SIGs for this test purposes.

Replica was tested thanks to Guay Guay airsoft producer from Taiwan:

(Translation by Bukhart)