SIG SG 516
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
- Introduced
- 2010
About
What it is, and why it matters
The SIG SG 516 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by SIG Sauer GmbH since 2010. This German-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 16.0-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3300g (116.4 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The aluminum alloy frame achieves a notable weight reduction compared to all-steel construction while maintaining the structural rigidity required for safe, reliable operation. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The SIG SG 516 emerged from a direct lineage to the HK416, as principal designer Robert Hirt had previously worked at Heckler & Koch on that platform before joining SIG Sauer. This pedigree gave the 516 instant credibility in the competitive gas piston AR market, though SIG's engineers made significant improvements including the distinctive four-position gas regulator that competitors lacked. The select-fire military models attracted attention from special operations and counter-terrorism units worldwide who valued the piston system's reliability advantage for suppressed operations. While the platform never achieved the widespread military adoption of the M4/HK416, its selection by multiple elite law enforcement units from Australia to Turkey validated its design philosophy. The 516's legacy lives on through the SIG MCX, which inherited many of its piston-driven principles while moving to a more modular architecture.
The SIG SG 516 designation uses the Swiss-German 'Sturmgewehr' (assault rifle) naming convention consistent with SIG's heritage (SG 550, SG 551, SG 553). The select-fire models are restricted to military and law enforcement sales only. The four-position gas regulator allows settings for normal, adverse conditions, suppressed fire, and off (converting to straight-pull bolt action). The PDW variant with a 7-inch barrel achieves a cyclic rate of 750-800 rpm. The platform served as a predecessor and stepping stone to the more advanced SIG MCX family. A 7.62x39mm 'Russian' variant was also produced for export markets.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- SIG Sauer
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Switzerland
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2010
- Variant of
- Select fire
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Overall length
- 920 mm
- Sight radius
- 356 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.87 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke piston
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Hard anodized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 905 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1640 J
- Effective range
- 500 m
- Maximum range
- 3600 m
- Rate of fire
- 800 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Short stroke piston system
Four position gas regulator
Rotating bolt
Flat top receiver
Picatinny rail
M4 feed ramps
Forward assist
Dust cover
Cold hammer forged barrel
Chrome lined barrel
Free float handguard
Folding sights
Collapsible stock
Ambidextrous controls
Select fire
Tungsten buffer
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 3.30 kg | 3.60 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 920 mm | 920 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 406 mm | 449 mm | Shorter than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the SIG SG 516
How much does the SIG SG 516 weigh?
The SIG SG 516 weighs 3.30 kg (7.28 lb) empty and 3.87 kg (8.53 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the SIG SG 516?
The SIG SG 516 is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the SIG SG 516 hold?
The SIG SG 516 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the SIG SG 516?
The SIG SG 516 is 920 mm (36.2 in) long overall, with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the SIG SG 516?
The SIG SG 516 is made by SIG Sauer (Germany). It was designed by Robert Hirt, Chris Sirois.
When was the SIG SG 516 introduced?
The SIG SG 516 was introduced in 2010.
How does the SIG SG 516 operate?
The SIG SG 516 uses a gas operated short stroke piston action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Victoria Police Special Operations Group
- Australia
- Indonesian Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
- Indonesia
- Turkish Police Special Operation Department
- Türkiye
- UK Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers
- United Kingdom
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/sig-sg-516' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "sig-sg-516", "name": "SIG SG 516", "manufacturer": { "id": "sig-sauer", "name": "SIG Sauer", "countryCode": "DE", "foundedYear": 1985, "website": "https://www.sigsauer.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "944f4088befdcee3b0aa7caf122998351ef3d78abc525a2bdec9df81e65a6b30" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "CH", "year_introduced": 2010, "barrel_length_mm": 406, "weight_empty_g": 3300, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke_piston"}