Schmidt-Rubin

     Notes:  This is a weapon that lasted as long as it did in service because it was never actually used in wartime.  The straight-pull design, though obsolete by 1889 when the Schmidt-Rubin was designed, was used because Switzerland invented it.  Schmidt used an extremely long-pull design on top of that, making the entire weapon unwieldy and long.  The sleeve and bolt system is similar to that of the Ross rifle, but even more complicated.  Fortunately, Swiss soldiers never had to go to war with these weapons, and that probably saved countless lives. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Schmidt-Rubin M-1889

7.5mm Schmidt-Rubin

4.44 kg

12

$1571

Schmidt-Rubin M-1889

7.5mm Swiss

4.59 kg

12

$1615

Schmidt-Rubin M-1911

7.5mm Swiss

4.59 kg

6

$1615

Schmidt-Rubin M-1911 Carbine

7.5mm Swiss

3.93 kg

6

$1539

Schmidt-Rubin M-1931 Carbine

7.5mm Swiss

4.01 kg

6

$1565

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

M-1889 (7.5mm Schmidt-Rubin)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

120

M-1889 (7.5mm Swiss)

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

121

M-1911

BA

4

2-3-Nil

8

4

Nil

121

M-1911 Carbine

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

85

M-1931 Carbine

BA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

99

 

SiG SG-542

     Notes: This is the battle rifle version of the SG-540 rifle family (other parts include the SG-540 assault rifle and SG-543 carbine).  The weapon is equipped with a bipod and is optimized for cold weather.  Any NATO-type sighting device may be fitted.  The SG-542 may be built with an integral bipod, but it is not standard.  The SG-542 was not produced in quantity, but is used by Chile in good numbers, as well as by Bolivia and Nicaragua.  It is also used by several African nations, by Indonesia and Lebanon, and by France in small numbers.  By 2002, the only place to buy a new SG-542 is from FAMAE in Chile. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Switzerland started production of the SG-542, in small numbers, in 1998.  Indonesia, however, began manufacturing the SG-542 in large numbers in 1996, far outstripping manufacture in Chile. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

SG-542 (Fixed Butt)

7.62mm NATO

3.55 kg

20, 30

$1410

SG-542 (Fixed Butt with Bipod)

7.62mm NATO

3.83 kg

20, 30

$1485

SG-542 (Folding Butt)

7.62mm NATO

3.55 kg

20, 30

$1430

SG-542 (Folding Butt with Bipod)

7.62mm NATO

3.83 kg

20, 30

$1505

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

SG-542 (Fixed Butt)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

6

4

6/10

54

SG-542 (Fixed Butt/Bipod)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

6

4

6/9

54

SG-542 (Fixed Butt/Bipod, w/Bipod)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

6

2

3/5

71

SG-542 (Folding Butt)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

4

6/10

54

SG-542 (Folding Butt/Bipod)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

4

6/9

54

SG-542 (Folding Butt/Bipod, with Bipod)

3/5

4

2-3-Nil

5/6

2

3/5

71

 

SK-46

     Notes:  The Selbstladekarabiner Modell 46 was developed during World War 2, but not marketed until afterward.  It is a basic semiautomatic rifle in most respects, using gas operation, but the semiautomatic feature could be disconnected with a switch and the rifle operated as a bolt-action weapon.  (This was feature was primarily for training purposes.)  The SK-46 also had a 2.2x magnification sight fitted as standard.  Unfortunately, the SK-46 is a very heavy rifle, and there were a lot of war-surplus weapons flooding the market at the time, so the SK-46 barely sold at all.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

SK-46

8mm Mauser

4.54 kg

5, 10

$1436

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

SK-46

SA

4

2-3-Nil

7

4

Nil

80

 

SiG Stgw-57

     Notes: After World War 2, Switzerland quickly realized that it would need a modern weapon to replace its World
War 1 and 2-vintage weapons.  Though they first tried to address this problem with the abortive Sk-46 and AK-53, these designs did not satisfy the Swiss military, and they were also entire satisfied (at the time) with their own 7.5mm Swiss cartridge.  Therefore, the AM-55 was developed by Rudolf Amsler, which became the Stgw-57.  The Stgw-57 was adopted in 1957 as Switzerland’s standard service rifle in 1957, and produced until 1983. 

     Just as some of Mauser’s technicians went to Spain after World War 2, some went to Switzerland.  Some of those technicians went to work for SiG, and they took the plans they had for the StG-45 and made radical changes to it.  Being derived from the StG-45, the Stgw-57 based the operation on the pioneering delayed-blowback roller-locking design.  Firing was from a closed bolt, and the Swiss did have some problems with cookoffs during prolonged automatic fire.  However, the Swiss designers replaced the standard rollers with roller-shaped pivoting flaps; this better–suited the ammunition to be used.  The receiver is of stamped steel, finished by machining.  The trigger unit housing, pistol grip, and trigger guard are one unit.  The barrel has a perforated steel jacket with two mounting points for the folding bipod issued with the rifle – one near the muzzle, and another just in front of the receiver at the point of balance of the rifle.  The 22.95-inch barrel has no flash suppressor or brake, but is shaped to allow the firing of rifle grenades.  (It is not of the right dimensions to use standard NATO-pattern rifle grenades.)  The stock has a straight-line profile and is wood, mounted on a wooden extension.  The stock also contains an effective recoil buffer which is quite good at reducing felt recoil, ans well as a thick rubber recoil pad.  The trigger guard has a winter trigger of sorts; it swings downwards to allow the use of even fingerless mittens.  The exceptional rear sight is micrometer-adjustable, and the rifle also has a mount for a special Kern 4x compact telescopic sight designed especially for the Stgw-57.  There is no large handguard under the barrel, but there is a short fore-end of plastic.  (This could lead to burned hands when carelessly gripped during prolonged firing.)  Standard magazines have a slight curve to them and contain 24 rounds, but a special 6-round magazine was also issued to contain ballistite rounds for grenade launching. 

     Though the Swiss were quite satisfied with the Stgw-57, and used it until it was replaced by the SG-550 series in the early 1980s.  However, they also realized the possible export potential of such an excellent rifle, and therefore SiG designed the SG-510.  The SG-510 was quite similar to the Stgw-57; in fact, the first version of the SG-510, the SG-510-1, was little more than an Stgw-57 rechambered for 7.62mm NATO.  This was quickly refined into the SG-510-2, using lighter wood for the stock and a slimmer barrel jacket.  Neither of these two versions sold well.

     The SG-510-3, which was chambered for the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round for possible export to the East and other countries using that round, also did not sell very well.  This version used a 17.89-inch barrel, reshaped woodwork (without the straight-line stock configuration), a reshaped fore-end, a slightly higher cyclic rate (600 rpm versus the 500 rpm of earlier versions of the SG-510, though this has no effect for game purposes), and a reshaped muzzle to allow for use of Eastern-Bloc rifle grenades.  The magazines looked similar to those of the AK series, but were smooth-sided and proprietary.  This version saw almost no sales.

     The definitive version of the SG-510, the SG-510-4, had decent sales to South America (particularly Bolivia and Chile, who still use them).  The barrel was 19.93 inches long, and was tipped with flash suppressor that could accept standard NATO-pattern rifle grenades as well as older rifle grenades and modern BTU rifle grenades.  The foregrip was slightly lengthened and changed to wood, and the complicated (and fragile) micrometer sights were replaced with sturdy sights similar to those used by its contemporaries.  The mounting point for the bipod ahead of the receiver was eliminated, with the folding bipod fixed under the gas block.  The Swiss considered changing to the SG-510 as its standard service rifle, and even acquired several of them, but decided to stick with the Stgw-57.

     A further version of the SG-510-4 is the AMT (not to be confused with the American AMT firearms company), sold in the US as the PE-57.  In addition, a version of the SG-510-3 was also sold to civilians in very small numbers.  AMT was generally sold with 5 and 10-round magazines, but standard SG-510 magazines of the appropriate type were also useable.  The fire mechanism was locked on semiautomatic.  Unfortunately, the AMT also did not sell well (primarily due to the high real-world price, as well as the “ultra-military” appearance).

     After adoption of the SG-550 series (known to the Swiss as the StG-90), the Stgw-57 was relegated to Home Guard and Reserve status.  Most of them have been kept is perfect working order, and can still be found in the homes of many a retired Swiss soldier or Home Guard member.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: As these rifles were often kept, in perfect working order, by retired soldiers all over Switzerland, they were a common sight to those invading Switzerland.  They made many invaders’ lives miserable.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Stgw-57

7.5mm Swiss

5.55 kg

24, 30

$1754

SG-510-1

7.62mm NATO

4.9 kg

20

$1629

SG-510-2

7.62mm NATO

4.41 kg

20

$1629

SG-510-3

7.62mm Kalashnikov

4.1 kg

30

$1308

SG-510-4

7.62mm NATO

4.25 kg

20

$1548

AMT

7.62mm NATO

4.25 kg

5, 10, 20

$1543

AMT

7.62mm Kalashnikov

4.2 kg

5, 10, 30

$1297

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Stgw-57

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

6

75

(With Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

3

98

SG-510-1/-2

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

7

76

(With Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

3

99

SG-510-3

5

4

2-Nil

6

3

7

53

(With Bipod)

5

4

2-Nil

6

1

3

68

SG-510-4

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

7

62

(With Bipod)

5

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

3

80

AMT (7.62mm NATO)

SA

4

2-3-Nil

7

3

7

62

(With Bipod)

SA

4

2-3-Nil

7

1

3

80

AMT (7.62mm Kalashnikov)

SA

4

2-Nil

6

3

7

53

(With Bipod)

SA

4

2-Nil

6

1

3

68