SIG MG 710-3
SIG Arms AG · Machine Gun · Out Of Production · 1957
Also known as: MG 55, SIG MG710
Overview
The SIG MG 710-3 is a Swiss general-purpose machine gun chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, developed by SIG (Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft) in the 1950s as an evolution of the wartime German MG 42 lineage. It uses a roller-delayed blowback action derived from the same Mauser StG 45 principles that produced the Heckler & Koch G3, making it one of the few belt-fed GPMGs to use roller delay rather than gas operation. Built largely from steel stampings with a quick-change barrel, it weighed roughly 9.25 kg, notably lighter than contemporaries such as the FN MAG and MG3.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 9250 g (326.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1143 mm (45.00") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Roller Delayed Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 790 m/s (2592 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2965 J (2187 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 3000 m (3281 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 875 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 7.62x51mm NATO · primary · 7.62 NATO — also known as 7.62 NATO, .308 Winchester (commercial)
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Non Disintegrating Belt, Disintegrating Belt
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Belt Fed, Quick Change Barrel, Air Cooled, Bipod, Tripod Mountable, Roller Delayed Action
Variants
- SIG MG 710-1 — Caliber Variant
- SIG MG 710-2 — Caliber Variant
Service history
Operators
- Bolivian Armed Forces
- Royal Brunei Armed Forces
- Chilean Armed Forces
Production
Production years: 1957-1980s
Limited commercial production; modest export sales
Origin
Country of origin: Switzerland
Notes
The MG 710 series saw only limited commercial export success against the dominant FN MAG and Rheinmetall MG3. The 710-1 was chambered in 6.5x55mm and the 710-2 in 7.92x57mm Mauser; the 710-3 in 7.62x51mm NATO became the standardized production model.
Background
The MG 710-3 traces its roller-delayed blowback heart directly to the unfinished German Mauser StG 45(M) of 1945, the same wartime design DNA that, routed through Spain's CETME, also gave rise to the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle.