SIG SG 542 (Sturmgewehr Model 542) Battle Rifle (1980)
The SG 542 represented a less-popular 7.62x51mm alternative to the SG 540 5.56mm SG offering.
The SG542 fired from a 20- or 30-round straight detachable box magazines. Muzzle velocity was reported at 2,690 feet-per-second and a cyclic rate-of-fire of 650 to 800 rounds could be reached. Beyond the SG540 and the SG 542 existed the SG 543 which represented a shortened version of the base SG 540 and featured a folding butt.
Outwardly, the SG542 was a highly conventional rifle. As a "battle rifle" it simply incorporated the rifle-caliber cartridge into its design and, thusly, the internal mechanism had to be reworked to accept and fire the large powerful round. The cartridge allowed for engagement of targets beyond the range inherent in the 5.56mm cartridge while also providing selective, repeating fire in the process. Attaching a scope to the upper receiver and the SG542 could be used by a squad-level sharpshooter or designated marksman. The receiver held all of the major internal working components and included the feed mechanism as well as the trigger group. The forend was shrouded in a smooth casing which encompasses the top-mounted gas cylinder and the low-mounted barrel assembly. Sights were affixed at the rear of the upper receiver and the extreme end of the gas cylinder. The barrel was capped by a flash suppressor. The stock was fixed in placed and ergonomically shaped. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
SIG SG 542 (Sturmgewehr Model 542)
Battle Rifle
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Manufacturer: Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft - Switzerland
Initial Year of Service: 1980
Overall Length: 1000mm (39.37in)
Barrel Length: 0.00mm (0.00in)
Weight (Empty): 7.83lbs (3.55kg)
Cartridge: 7.62x51mm NATO
Action: Delayed Blowback
Feed: 20- / 30-round detachable box
Muzzle Velocity: 2,690ft/sec (820m/sec)
Rate-of-Fire: 650 rounds per minute
Sights: Adjustable Iron; Optional Optics
Variants:
SG 540 - Improved SG 530, chambered for the 5.56mm ammunition round.
SG 542 - Based on the SG 540 but chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round.
SG 543 - A shortened version of the base SG 540 with folding butt.
Operators: Switzerland; France
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• British Guns
• French Guns
• German Guns (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italian Guns
• Japanese Guns
• Soviet Guns
• US Guns
• US Infantry Regiment-Level Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
