Sig 510 or Stgw 57/03

[CLASSIC12]

A very common sight in Switzerland is the Sig 510 or Sturmgewehr 57. It is commonly used at ranges and in military style competition and shooting festivals.

Wikipedia has a good article on it, especially the civilian use section

SIG SG 510 - Wikipedia

I bought mine from a former soldier who kept it after his military service, back in 2009 for $ 350

Then I upgraded the sights, the grip and the bipod in order to improve accuracy, making it a 57/02

Recently I went one step further with better sights, floating hanguard, lighter hammer (less bounce), making it a 57/03. This means you have to shoot higher scores in order to qualify for a medal.

The P (private ownership) is stamped when the rifle leaves the military

I believe it was built in 1969

Proof marks

The full auto function is de-activated when it leaves the military

Then it was time for some testing at the 300 m range

After abt 40 rounds to sight it in, I managed 89/100 with an ugly 6 at the last shot

Went back a few days later and scored a 93/100 this time.

The ten ring is 10 cm in diameter (4 inches), the 9 is 20 cm / 8 inches and so on. And it’s still open sights, so an encouraging result. I’m a pistol shooter at heart but I intend to shoot more rifle and improve.

A couple interesting videos

SIG PE-57: Swiss Roller-Delay! - YouTube

The ugliest rifle you didn't know you would love - Stgw.57 / PE57 - YouTube

 

[Golddollar]

The full auto function is de-activated when it leaves the military

What do the letters stand for? What language are they in? The only guess I could make is the "S" stands for "Schnellfeuer" in German.

 

[CLASSIC12]

The full auto function is de-activated when it leaves the military

What do the letters stand for? What language are they in? The only guess I could make is the "S" stands for "Schnellfeuer" in German.

Yes it’s German. The S stands for Sicher, Safe, the E for Einzelfeuer, single shot, the M is the full auto position and means mitraillieren, to strafe or spray with bullets.

 

[murphydog]

Good shooting as usual!

Can you detail what score is needed for a "medal", and do these come in different levels like gold/silver/bronze?

If the citizens of the USA were responsible enough to undergo mandatory military training, and have a full-auto rifle at home ready for service, I suspect we would be a better society (not to mention more polite).