Sig Sauer – 516 G3 (5.56, 16”)

Have you ever heard of the HK 416?  Widely considered one of the greatest fighting rifles ever built, the 416 was the result of a combination of a short stroke piston and a AR style buffer tube, with the combination of the two leading to long term reliability, increased performance, and superior durability.   Despite the bullet proof reputation, the HK did have some weak points like the price point (very expensive), proprietary components, and a fixed gas system, to name a few.  What do you do when you want to improve on something that is already considered by many to be the best?   Well, two of the prominent designers of the HK 416 eventually landed at Sig Sauer, where they was given the freedom to continue this concept with Sig Sauer and continue to improve it.   The end result is this 516 G3, the same combination of a short stroke adjustable gas piston system, a standard 6 position Magpul DT stock, a cold hammer forged steel barrel.  Take all of that, and improve it with the Side Charging handle that comes from the big boy MCX, along with the fully ambidextrous controls from the MCX platform.  To finish it off, make it a good $1,750.00 less than the equivalent civilian version of the HK rifle platform, and you have the new 516 G3.