Do you guys remember that ultra-sweet, highly caffeinated soda called Surge from the early 2000s? Well, SIG isn’t bringing that back. Instead, they are now releasing their Suppressed Upper Receiver Group, aka the SURG556. The SURG project dates back to around 2018, when it won a contract with SOCOM.
The SURG program aimed to throw an MCX upper with a suppressor onto an M4A1 lower. The design would seemingly replace the Mk 18 and fill that same role, but it would optimize the weapon for suppressed use.
Not only would it be quiet, but it would also have a heat-resistant cover to protect the user and their equipment. Suppressors get extremely hot extremely quickly, and that cage around the suppressor provides that additional protection.
If you’ve ever shot a suppressed AR, you know it can get gassy. That gas is full of toxic chemicals looking to make a home in your body and cause you all sorts of future terror. SOCOM recognized the problem, but also recognized the value of a suppressor. The SURG mixes a suppressor with low back pressure and a short-stroke gas piston. When combined, this creates no noticeable gas to the face.
The SURG556 And You
While SOCOM has gotten their SURG uppers, SIG is now releasing them to the world’s shooters. You can now complete your ATF forms, get your tax stamp, and have a SURG556 of your very own. At the latest Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous, I was able to get ample time with the SURG556.
I was fed magazines of 5.56 like I was a cow getting ready to be slaughtered. In just a few minutes, I put upwards of a hundred rounds through a SURG. I engaged targets between 25 and 100 yards. It’s not a torture test, but it allowed me to evaluate some of the SURG556 claims.
Off the bat, I can testify that the SURG556 keeps your face gas-free and comfortable. It didn’t beat me up or make my eyes water when shooting. In fact, I felt no gas in my face, and I was shooting inside a shoot house, so there was no wind to really help.
The suppressor looks bulky, but the setup doesn’t feel unbalanced or front-heavy. It cuts noise well and helps reduce recoil and muzzle rise. The SURG handles very smoothly and is easy to shoot and control. The dot in my optic barely moved between shots, and I could drill steel targets over and over.
The range didn’t allow for much distance testing, and steel doesn’t allow for groups, but there were no problems hitting various-sized pieces of steel within our limited range.
A Radical Option
The SURG was never made for the average Joe, but SIG is perfectly willing to supply the modern Joe with a high-tech, accurate, and comfortable-shooting suppressed upper receiver. The SURG series is now available and a radical option for modern suppression.
Read the full article here
