How a Neutral Country Built One of the Best Combat Rifles Ever

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The SIG 550 / PE 90 (Sturmgewehr 90) is widely regarded as one of the finest service rifles ever issued — not because it chased trends, but because it was engineered from the ground up to work every time, in any environment, for decades.

Adopted by Switzerland in the late 1980s, the SIG 550 was designed around extreme reliability in alpine cold, mud, snow, and neglect. It uses a long-stroke gas piston system with an adjustable regulator, cold hammer-forged barrel, diopter iron sights, and one of the most robust polymer folding stocks ever fielded. Everything about the rifle reflects Swiss doctrine: durability, accuracy, and mechanical consistency over weight savings or modularity.

In this video, we break down:
• The development history of the SIG 550 and how it became the PE 90
• Why Switzerland prioritized accuracy and longevity over modernization
• The rifle’s operating system, barrel design, and gas regulation
• How it performs in cold weather, adverse conditions, and sustained firing
• What makes the SIG 550 feel so different from modern AR-pattern rifles
• Why many shooters consider it one of the most overbuilt 5.56 rifles ever made

We’re reviewing this rifle from a shooter’s perspective, not just a collector’s — looking at recoil impulse, handling, accuracy, reliability, and real-world practicality. The SIG 550 may not be lightweight or modular by modern standards, but it represents a level of engineering that’s increasingly rare in today’s service rifles.

If you’re interested in military rifle design, Cold War-era engineering, or why some legacy rifles still outperform modern platforms in harsh conditions, this is one you don’t want to miss.