SIG SAUER SWISS ARMS SG552 - Manual (Page 3)

• A shot sounds weak or abnormal. In such cases it is
possible that a bullet is lodged part way down the bar-
rel. Firing a subsequent bullet into the obstructed bar-
rel can wreck the firearm and cause serious injury to
the shooter or to bystanders.
5 Bullets can become lodged in the barrel:
• If the cartridge has been improperly loaded without
propellant powder, or if the powder fails to ignite,
(ignition of the cartridge primer alone will push the
bullet out of the cartridge case, but usually does not
generate sufficient energy to expel the bullet completely
from the barrel), or
• If the bullet is not properly seated tightly in the cartridge
case. When such a cartridge is extracted from the
chamber without being fired, the bullet may be left
behind in the bore at the point where the rifling begins.
Subsequent chambering of another cartridge may push
the first bullet further into the bore.
6 If there is any reason to suspect that a bullet is obstruc-
ting the barrel, immediately unload the firearm and
look through the bore. It is not sufficient to merely look
in the chamber. A bullet may be lodged some distance
down the barrel where it cannot easily be seen.
IF A BULLET IS IN THE BORE, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
SHOOT IT OUT BY USING ANOTHER CARTRIDGE, OR BY
BLOWING IT OUT WITH A BLANK OR ONE FROM WHICH
THE BULLET HAS BEEN REMOVED: SUCH TECHNIQUES
CAN GENERATE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE, WRECK THE
FIREARM AND CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY.
If the bullet can be removed with a cleaning rod, clean
any unburned powder grains from the bore, chamber,
and mechanism before resuming shooting. If the bullet
cannot be dislodged by tapping it with a cleaning rod,
take the firearm to a gunsmith.
7 Dirt, corrosion, or other foreign matter on a cartridge
can impede complete chambering and may cause the
cartridge case to burst upon firing. The same is true of
cartridges which are damaged or deformed.
8 Do not oil cartridges, and be sure to wipe the chamber
clean of any oil or preservative before commencing to
shoot. Oil interferes with the friction between cartridge
case and chamberwall that is necessary for safe functio-
ning, and subjects the firearm to stress similar to that
imposed by excessive pressure.
9 Use lubricants sparingly on the moving parts of your
firearm. Avoid excessive spraying of any aerosol gun
care product, especially where it may get on ammunition.
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Safety warnings
Protect your eyes and ears
Always wear adequate safety glasses and ear plugs or
“earmuff” type protectors whenever you are shooting.
Always make certain that persons close to you are similarly
protected. Unprotected eyes may be injured by powder
gas, carbon residue, lubricant, metallic particles or similar
debris which may emanate occasionally from any firearm
in normal use. Without ear protection, repeated exposure
to shooting noise may lead to cumulative, permanent
hearing loss.
Ammunition
1 Use only high quality, original factory-manufactured
ammunition. Do not use cartridges that are dirty, wet,
corroded, bent, or damaged. Do not oil cartridges. Do
not spray aerosol-type lubricants, preservatives, or
cleaners directly onto cartridges or where excess spray
may flow into contact with cartridges. Lubricant or
other foreign matter on cartridges can cause potentially
dangerous ammunition malfunctions. Use only ammu-
nition of the caliber for which your firearm is chambe-
red. The proper caliber is permanently engraved on
your firearm; never attempt to use ammunition of any
other caliber.
2 The use of reloaded, “remanufactured”, hand-Ioaded,
or other non-standard ammunition voids all warranties.
Reloading is a science and improperly loaded ammuni-
tion can be extremely dangerous. Severe damage to
the firearm and serious injury to the shooter or to others
may result. Always use ammunition that complies with
the industry performance standards established by
the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’
Institute, Inc. of the United States (SAAMI) or ammuni-
tion manufactured to military specifications.
3 Firearms may be severely damaged and serious injury
to the shooter or to others may result from any condition
causing excessive pressure inside the chamber or barrel
during firing. Excessive pressure can be caused by
obstructions in the barrel, propellant powder overloads,
or by the use of incorrect cartridges or defectively
assembled cartridges. In addition, the use of a dirty,
corroded, or damaged cartridge can lead to a burst
cartridge case and consequent damage to the firearm
and personal injury from the sudden escape of high-
pressure propellant gas within the firearm’s mechanism.
4 Immediately stop shooting and check the barrel
for a possible obstruction whenever:
• You have difficulty in, or feel unusual resistance in,
chambering a cartridge, or
• A cartridge misfires (does not go off), or
• The mechanism fails to extract a fired cartridge case, or
• Unburned grains of propellant powder are discovered
spilled in the mechanism, or
Safety warnings
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