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| Online exclusive content published by The NAM: National Airsoft Magazine Q1 2010. The NAM: National Airsoft Magazine Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved. |
Specs:
Product Brand: King Arms
Built Material: metal/nylon fiber
Shooting Modes: semi/full-auto
Magazine Capacity: 135rnds
Length: 942mm
Weight: 3000g
Power Source: 8.4/9.6v Mini/7.4vLiPo
Hop-up: yes
Blow-back: yes
Power: 300 fps w/.20bbs
Product Brand: King Arms
Built Material: metal/nylon fiber
Shooting Modes: semi/full-auto
Magazine Capacity: 135rnds
Length: 942mm
Weight: 3000g
Power Source: 8.4/9.6v Mini/7.4vLiPo
Hop-up: yes
Blow-back: yes
Power: 300 fps w/.20bbs
Package & MSRP:
Saving up $450 of your hard earned
cash will get you one SIG 556
w/aluminum body, nylon fiber
plastics, one 130rnd MidCap
magazine, a pistol mag loading tool
and a manual.
Saving up $450 of your hard earned
cash will get you one SIG 556
w/aluminum body, nylon fiber
plastics, one 130rnd MidCap
magazine, a pistol mag loading tool
and a manual.
Pros:
This AEG SCREAMS quality. From the metal body to the heavy duty aluminum construction utilized in the metal
parts, to the fiber reinforced plastics, durability WON’T be an issue here. Anybody familiar with either the
SIG 550 series or M16 series rifles will be instantly familiar with this AEG. The tri-railed foregrip comes
with two smaller rails flanking with a longer rail under. The lower rail allows for mounting just about
anything from a 203 to a surefire tactical light/foregrip. Battery placement is inside the lower portion of the
foregrip. The space inside seems like it was custom made to allow for a 7.4v butterfly LiPo as it seats
perfectly on either side of the barrel. If you don’t have a LiPo, there’s enough room to insert either an 8.4v
or a 9.6v mini battery. The real steel trademarks from SIG ARMS and the unique serial number enhance the
overall aesthetics of this AEG and will definitely give you a sense of ownership. Up top is a receiver-length
Picatinny rail. One of the clever designs King Arms has mimicked from the 556 are the flip-up iron sights.
While the front sight simply folds backwards, the rear sight folds down into the rail allowing for complete
utilization of the rail while still having the ability to have a rear iron sight. The selector switch is smooth
and crisp with the toggle seating nicely in each fire selection, whether it be Safe, Semi or Full-auto.
This AEG SCREAMS quality. From the metal body to the heavy duty aluminum construction utilized in the metal
parts, to the fiber reinforced plastics, durability WON’T be an issue here. Anybody familiar with either the
SIG 550 series or M16 series rifles will be instantly familiar with this AEG. The tri-railed foregrip comes
with two smaller rails flanking with a longer rail under. The lower rail allows for mounting just about
anything from a 203 to a surefire tactical light/foregrip. Battery placement is inside the lower portion of the
foregrip. The space inside seems like it was custom made to allow for a 7.4v butterfly LiPo as it seats
perfectly on either side of the barrel. If you don’t have a LiPo, there’s enough room to insert either an 8.4v
or a 9.6v mini battery. The real steel trademarks from SIG ARMS and the unique serial number enhance the
overall aesthetics of this AEG and will definitely give you a sense of ownership. Up top is a receiver-length
Picatinny rail. One of the clever designs King Arms has mimicked from the 556 are the flip-up iron sights.
While the front sight simply folds backwards, the rear sight folds down into the rail allowing for complete
utilization of the rail while still having the ability to have a rear iron sight. The selector switch is smooth
and crisp with the toggle seating nicely in each fire selection, whether it be Safe, Semi or Full-auto.
Cons:
Alright… let’s start with the most obvious, the price; $450. High end airsoft comes with a high-end price.
While there’s definitely enough here to justify the price tag, it’s definitely not friendly on the wallet.
This will likely be the main detourant for airsofters accustomed to getting their AEGs at just over a quarter
of the price. Also, the package seems a bit light. But again, this is mainly due to the stacked packages
offered by the Chinese manufacturers and their international distributors. Remember, this was the industry
standard for quite some time before UTG unleashed the Navy SEAL UTG5 (MP5) on the U.S. market. While the
selector switch is ambidextrous, the mag release is located only on the right side meaning a left-handed
operator will need to utilize his right thumb to remove the magazine when swapping mags. It’s a bit awkward
but not impossible. The blowback feature, while nice, also comes with a bit of a warning. If you get anything
caught in the port as it’s cycling back and forth, you risk doing damage to the mechbox. Another issue you’ll
have is magazines. While the HOLO works with other manufacturers' M16 magazines, the fit is uncomfortably snug
meaning you'll really have to force them in and on occasion the magazines needed to be reseated after
skipping. Based on this, I'd strongly recommend just buying King Arms’ MidCaps or HiCaps which run about $30 a
piece. Again, as with the gun, it shouldn’t be a surprise that you'll get the best results with King Arms'
magazines. Probably the biggest con with the 556 is the lower FPS. While it’s right on the money for
countries with a One-Joule limit, it’s unfriendly for U.S. airsofters, meaning after dropping the cash on the
AEG, most will drop a bit more for a spring to knock the FPS up to standard U.S. field limits.
Alright… let’s start with the most obvious, the price; $450. High end airsoft comes with a high-end price.
While there’s definitely enough here to justify the price tag, it’s definitely not friendly on the wallet.
This will likely be the main detourant for airsofters accustomed to getting their AEGs at just over a quarter
of the price. Also, the package seems a bit light. But again, this is mainly due to the stacked packages
offered by the Chinese manufacturers and their international distributors. Remember, this was the industry
standard for quite some time before UTG unleashed the Navy SEAL UTG5 (MP5) on the U.S. market. While the
selector switch is ambidextrous, the mag release is located only on the right side meaning a left-handed
operator will need to utilize his right thumb to remove the magazine when swapping mags. It’s a bit awkward
but not impossible. The blowback feature, while nice, also comes with a bit of a warning. If you get anything
caught in the port as it’s cycling back and forth, you risk doing damage to the mechbox. Another issue you’ll
have is magazines. While the HOLO works with other manufacturers' M16 magazines, the fit is uncomfortably snug
meaning you'll really have to force them in and on occasion the magazines needed to be reseated after
skipping. Based on this, I'd strongly recommend just buying King Arms’ MidCaps or HiCaps which run about $30 a
piece. Again, as with the gun, it shouldn’t be a surprise that you'll get the best results with King Arms'
magazines. Probably the biggest con with the 556 is the lower FPS. While it’s right on the money for
countries with a One-Joule limit, it’s unfriendly for U.S. airsofters, meaning after dropping the cash on the
AEG, most will drop a bit more for a spring to knock the FPS up to standard U.S. field limits.
Efficiency:
The 556 ate up and spit out every single BB loaded with the King Arms MidCap. Not a single misfire, double
feed or jam. Additionally, the blowback feature seemed fairly consistent with each trigger pull only getting a
bit lost once on semi (not closing all the way). The only issue I had with efficiency was in utilizing
cross-company magazines. The other magazines had to be forcibly inserted into the 556 for them to secure into
place. This also brings up a concern of possibly gutting a magazine if the off-brand mag is extracted too
quickly. This didn't happen during testing, but nonetheless is worth pointing out. Occasionally, likely due
to the awkward fit, the gun would misfire requiring me to reseat the magazine for continued shooting. So while
it does work with other brand magazines, it goes without saying that you'll probably want to stick with King
Arms' magazines. This means you'll need to be extremely attentive when swapping mags with your compadres
during a heavy firefight as it'll take a bit of elbow grease to get those magazines properly seated into the
HOLO. Again though, the fact that it works best with the magazines designed specifically for the 556 should be
expected with the exotic nature of the 556.
The 556 ate up and spit out every single BB loaded with the King Arms MidCap. Not a single misfire, double
feed or jam. Additionally, the blowback feature seemed fairly consistent with each trigger pull only getting a
bit lost once on semi (not closing all the way). The only issue I had with efficiency was in utilizing
cross-company magazines. The other magazines had to be forcibly inserted into the 556 for them to secure into
place. This also brings up a concern of possibly gutting a magazine if the off-brand mag is extracted too
quickly. This didn't happen during testing, but nonetheless is worth pointing out. Occasionally, likely due
to the awkward fit, the gun would misfire requiring me to reseat the magazine for continued shooting. So while
it does work with other brand magazines, it goes without saying that you'll probably want to stick with King
Arms' magazines. This means you'll need to be extremely attentive when swapping mags with your compadres
during a heavy firefight as it'll take a bit of elbow grease to get those magazines properly seated into the
HOLO. Again though, the fact that it works best with the magazines designed specifically for the 556 should be
expected with the exotic nature of the 556.
Durability:
You could probably take this thing to batting
practice and come home with a working AEG. It
feels THAT sturdy. From the heavy duty aluminum
metal construction to the fiber-reinforced
plastics, this AEG will stand up to more than
average abuse. As previously mentioned, just
keep an eye out for things getting stuck in the
port while firing as you can potentially damage
the internals.
You could probably take this thing to batting
practice and come home with a working AEG. It
feels THAT sturdy. From the heavy duty aluminum
metal construction to the fiber-reinforced
plastics, this AEG will stand up to more than
average abuse. As previously mentioned, just
keep an eye out for things getting stuck in the
port while firing as you can potentially damage
the internals.
Upgradability:
King Arms claims that this piece, receiver
aside, is perfectly interchangeable with any SIG
so what works on them, should work on this.
Personally, the only thing I’d upgrade would be
the spring. With the Ver3 mechbox, you’re
already reinforced so that’s about the only
thing you’d need to add. While not really
necessary, I’d maybe also add a TN barrel for a
bit more accuracy/range in the field.
King Arms claims that this piece, receiver
aside, is perfectly interchangeable with any SIG
so what works on them, should work on this.
Personally, the only thing I’d upgrade would be
the spring. With the Ver3 mechbox, you’re
already reinforced so that’s about the only
thing you’d need to add. While not really
necessary, I’d maybe also add a TN barrel for a
bit more accuracy/range in the field.
Final Thoughts:
The heavy duty price tag is to be expected with an exotic AEG such as this, especially considering that it’s
from a high-end airsoft manufacturer like King Arms and when doing this review, that’s something that does need
to be taken into account. Unfortunately that added to the extremely low FPS (by U.S. standards) keeps it from
achieving the top rank. But this is by no means a bad AEG. It’s simply that for the price, the last thing I’d
want to do would be to buy it and have to spend more money upgrading it to field standards and that’s really
the only glaring issue I had with the 556. King Arms has assured us that there is a second shipment of HOLOs
firing at 330fps but unfortunately, by U.S. standards, that's still fairly low. Of course, all this aside, if
you are in the market for a high-end AEG, fancy an exotic or just happen to be a SIG fanatic, swing by your
local retailer and take this baby for a test drive. You’ll end up taking her home.
The heavy duty price tag is to be expected with an exotic AEG such as this, especially considering that it’s
from a high-end airsoft manufacturer like King Arms and when doing this review, that’s something that does need
to be taken into account. Unfortunately that added to the extremely low FPS (by U.S. standards) keeps it from
achieving the top rank. But this is by no means a bad AEG. It’s simply that for the price, the last thing I’d
want to do would be to buy it and have to spend more money upgrading it to field standards and that’s really
the only glaring issue I had with the 556. King Arms has assured us that there is a second shipment of HOLOs
firing at 330fps but unfortunately, by U.S. standards, that's still fairly low. Of course, all this aside, if
you are in the market for a high-end AEG, fancy an exotic or just happen to be a SIG fanatic, swing by your
local retailer and take this baby for a test drive. You’ll end up taking her home.
Exotic is a term used almost too loosely in our industry. I’ve heard it used to describe everything from a
Systema PTW to a custom TM MP5K upgraded with high-speed internals, powered by a 10.8v PEQ2 with C-mag that the
owner was calling a …cough… ”LMG” …cough. I’m of the opinion that a term like that should be used more
sparingly to describe those rare guns that certain companies go out on a limb to make, like G&G’s upcoming
FN2000, or JLS’s Beretta RX-4 STORM, or as we have here, King Arms’ SIG 556. King Arms’ 556 is far from the
bastard child of a SIG and an M4 as I heard touted across real steel forums when SIG first announced it.
Instead, it’s like the perfect marriage, where yin and yang function harmoniously to bring you the best of both
offerings, in a single, uniquely exotic piece. And that’s what King Arms has lovingly recreated here…
Systema PTW to a custom TM MP5K upgraded with high-speed internals, powered by a 10.8v PEQ2 with C-mag that the
owner was calling a …cough… ”LMG” …cough. I’m of the opinion that a term like that should be used more
sparingly to describe those rare guns that certain companies go out on a limb to make, like G&G’s upcoming
FN2000, or JLS’s Beretta RX-4 STORM, or as we have here, King Arms’ SIG 556. King Arms’ 556 is far from the
bastard child of a SIG and an M4 as I heard touted across real steel forums when SIG first announced it.
Instead, it’s like the perfect marriage, where yin and yang function harmoniously to bring you the best of both
offerings, in a single, uniquely exotic piece. And that’s what King Arms has lovingly recreated here…
Pros Cont'd:
It’s also fully functional on both sides of the AEG, for left/right handed and ambidextrous players. Pulling
the trigger gave us a nice surprise revealing a blowback feature for added realism. The ergonomic mag and
foregrip give the 556 a modern look while still acknowledging their heritage. The 6-position stock gives the
operator a customized length and looks to be an update of the LE-style with molded grip lines at the base of
the stock adjusting lever. King Arms has even included a rubber butt pad to ensure your comfort while
shouldering this AEG. The inclusion of a pistol mag-type loader means you’ll be able to load considerably
faster and is a welcome update of the industry standard musket-style loader. King Arms rounds out the offering
with a 556 MidCap magazine. While it’s not a HiCap, it won’t rattle around and still gives you double the
capacity of a standard magazine. The 556 does also work with other M16 series magazines like KWA, TM and CA
but the fit is extremely tight (see Cons and Efficiency for details).
It’s also fully functional on both sides of the AEG, for left/right handed and ambidextrous players. Pulling
the trigger gave us a nice surprise revealing a blowback feature for added realism. The ergonomic mag and
foregrip give the 556 a modern look while still acknowledging their heritage. The 6-position stock gives the
operator a customized length and looks to be an update of the LE-style with molded grip lines at the base of
the stock adjusting lever. King Arms has even included a rubber butt pad to ensure your comfort while
shouldering this AEG. The inclusion of a pistol mag-type loader means you’ll be able to load considerably
faster and is a welcome update of the industry standard musket-style loader. King Arms rounds out the offering
with a 556 MidCap magazine. While it’s not a HiCap, it won’t rattle around and still gives you double the
capacity of a standard magazine. The 556 does also work with other M16 series magazines like KWA, TM and CA
but the fit is extremely tight (see Cons and Efficiency for details).
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