Ruger AR-556

Waher

Waher

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Why would anyone buy a M&P now? Going to take a bite out of Mini-14 sales in non scary black rifle ban areas too.

http://www.ruger.com/products/ar556/models.html

8500.jpg

Model Number: 8500 | Caliber: 5.56 NATO
Stock:Black Synthetic, CollapsibleFinish:Type III Hard Coat Anodized
Front Sight:Adjustable PostHeight:8.00"
Rear Sight:Adjustable Ruger® Rapid DeployWeight:6.50 lbs.
Barrel Length:16.10"Overall Length:32.25" - 35.50"
Thread Pattern:1/2"-28Grooves:6
Length of Pull10.25" - 13.50"Capacity:30
Twist:1:8" RHWidth:2.50"
Suggested Retail:$749.00
Features:

  • The milled gas block is located at a carbine length (M4) position for improved balance and handling. Multiple attachment points include a QD socket and bayonet lug, for many sling and accessory mounting options. Serrations on the angled face of the gas block provide a low glare surface.
  • The handguards are made from heat-resistant glass-filled nylon for shooting comfort and durability.
  • The front sight post is elevation adjustable, and a front sight tool is included. The A-2 Style F-Height allows co-witness with many optics. The Ruger® Rapid Deploy folding rear sight provides windage adjustability and is a solid, reliable aiming system when coupled with the elevation adjustable front sight. The rear sight can be folded out of the way to make room for optics but can be instantly redeployed if needed.
  • The six-position telescoping M4-style buttstock and Mil-Spec buffer tube allow the rifle to be properly sized for different shooters, or varying levels of outerwear or defensive gear.
  • The 16.1 inch medium contour barrel is cold hammer-forged providing ultra-precise rifling for exceptional accuracy, longevity and easy cleaning. The 1:8 twist rate stabilizes bullets from 35 to 77 grains and the 5.56 NATO chamber allows the use of both 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem. ammunition. M4 feed ramps provide improved operational reliability and the matte black oxide finish reduces glare and provides corrosion resistance. A Ruger® flash suppressor is provided and the ½"-28 threaded barrel allows for standard muzzle accessories to be installed.
  • The ergonomic pistol grip features an extended trigger reach for more precise trigger control. The enlarged trigger guard is designed to allow for gloved shooting.
  • The chrome-plated bolt carrier inside diameter and chrome-plated gas key inside diameter provide exceptional resistance to hot gases. The gas key is staked so that it will not loosen after extensive firing. A matte black oxide finish on the exterior of the bolt carrier provides corrosion resistance.
  • Includes one 30-round Magpul® PMAG® magazine.

TFB writeup:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/09/29/ruger-ar-556-modern-sporting-rifle-ruger-ar-15-budget/
 
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Takes standard mags?

No paying Rugar 2x aftermarket retail for a mag (because the aftermarkets all get junk reviews)?


Nice.
 
Beansie said:
Takes standard mags?

No paying Rugar 2x aftermarket retail for a mag (because the aftermarkets all get junk reviews)?


Nice.
Click to expand...

What aftermarket mags "all get junk reviews"?? PMags get great reviews. Plus you can get them at very nice prices if you know where to look for them.

BTW, the rifle uses a standard AR15 lower, so all mags designed for that lower/platform will work.
 
Golddiggie said:
What aftermarket mags "all get junk reviews"?? PMags get great reviews. Plus you can get them at very nice prices if you know where to look for them.

BTW, the rifle uses a standard AR15 lower, so all mags designed for that lower/platform will work.
Click to expand...

Sorry I was complaining about mags for the MINI-14... The fact this rifle takes standard mags is great news.
 
The suggested MSRP is only $10 more vs the sport ($749 for the Ruger vs $739 for the Sport) .. Of course MSRP really means nothing but theoretically it would be a very similar price point in our LGS.
 
Its so close to the sport, it might be just a matter of availability and price.

I prefer no forward assist or dust cover.

One benefit of the Ruger might be the cold hammer forged barrels. About 10 years ago Ruger bought its first CHF machine. Now even the lowly 10/22s come with CHF barrels.
 
dcmdon said:
Its so close to the sport, it might be just a matter of availability and price.

I prefer no forward assist or dust cover.


One benefit of the Ruger might be the cold hammer forged barrels. About 10 years ago Ruger bought its first CHF machine. Now even the lowly 10/22s come with CHF barrels.
Click to expand...

CHF in its self doesn't mean a better barrel......I think ruger is a little to late to the game.
I'm actually surprised with rugers casting experience they didnt come out with a complete cast/polymer rifle and have it come under 500.00 . I am not holding my breath on these.
 
I'm sure they considered it. But I'd guess they figured it wouldn't sell. Or maybe that it wouldn't have enough of a price advantage to make it worth while.

Are the uppers and lowers forged or investment cast? If they're cast, then they're made in house. If they're forged, they're getting them from an OEM. If anyone can make a good cast receiver, its Ruger. So that wouldn't matter to me.

Re CHF. The benefit of CHF in mass production is that the barrel takes on the smooth texture of the mandrel used to form it. So you can get a barrel with a surface finish approaching that of a hand lapped barrel with no hand work. Sure, you can do it wrong and sure you can make it out of crap metal. But all else being equal, for a large manufacturer, its a great way to make accurate, tough barrels.

When you think about it, people pay almost as much for a top quality button or cut rifle barrel (Lilja or Krieger) as Ruger charges for the entire rifle.

Its all theory until real people get their hands on the rifle. The gun rags with their T&E copies are less than useless. The bloggosphere will give the real story.

One other question I didn't see answered is what the barrel is lined with. Is it chrome? Is it mellonite like surface treatment like the M&P? Its pretty well accepted that the reason the M&P sport is more accurate than many more expensive ARs is the melonite lined barrel. And the fact that the exterior of the barrel is also melonited makes it more resistant to scratches and corrosion than the mil spec phosphate parkerized barrels.

Sometimes innovation in the name of cost reduction results in a better product. Thats my opinion on the Sport. We'll see how the ruger does once its in the hands of real people.

Don

**edit**

So I spent a few minutes looking at Ruger's spec sheet. It seems to come down to this:

Advantage Ruger
- forward assist and dust cover
- mil spec barrel extension/buffer tube

Advantage S&W
- melonite lined barrel. (the ruger specs never mention any kind of surface treatment or coating so it seems to be bare chro mo steel.

Differences
- Ruger uses a billet FSB/gas block
- Ruger uses a "patented" barrel nut

Again, this is all theory. I haven't ever even seen the ruger.
 
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mac1911 said:
What ever they are doing I think they missed the ride ?
Click to expand...

As a Sturm Ruger shareholder, I think you are right.

As a consumer, I think its great.

This is another low risk, inexpensive AR from a top tier company that offers a lifetime warranty. Unlike some of these smaller companies that make $600 ARs, if your S&W or Ruger breaks, you just send it back to them (at their expense, although SR isn't as good at this as S&W) and the gun is fixed.

I personally think this is huge for someone who is new to firearm and ARs.

Don

p.s. But then again, I recently got a letter from SR that they sent to all shareholders. It detailed phenomenal sales and profit growth over the last 5 years. So they are doing something right. One other point is that SR maintains its ZERO DEBT financial position. All growth has been funded by free cash from operations. No debt means that when the market turns down (like it has), SR is in a good position to trim costs as necessary.

p.p.s. This comes from Bill Rugers aversion to debt. His first business failed under the weight of a debt load his profits couldnt' support. So when he started Sturm Ruger, with financier Alexander Sturm, he was averse to taking on any kind of debt. (When Sturm died, the screaming chicken was changed from red to black in mourning)
 
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Anyone buy one of these recently? I've had my LTC since 09' and still haven't managed to buy/build an AR [laugh] Thinking the new AR556 would be a perfect/cheap beginners AR for plinking. It's either the Ruger or the M&P sport.

I would like to throw on a cheap red dot like a Primary Arms red dot. Muzzle break would be cool but don't think I necessarily need one.
 
andrew1220 said:
Anyone buy one of these recently? I've had my LTC since 09' and still haven't managed to buy/build an AR [laugh] Thinking the new AR556 would be a perfect/cheap beginners AR for plinking. It's either the Ruger or the M&P sport.

I would like to throw on a cheap red dot like a Primary Arms red dot. Muzzle break would be cool but don't think I necessarily need one.
Click to expand...

Do not buy. Build. For the same price or less.
 
Ruger just started selling the MA compliant versions without stores having to Massify them. Four Seasons just started selling them this month. It will take awhile to get market share here.
 
TheCrowing said:
Do not buy. Build. For the same price or less.
Click to expand...

I'm too lazy and don't want to buy the tools and stuff lol. Can I really build one cheaper than that with the same/better quality? I'm sure eventually I'll move on to building one?
 
mikelawtown said:
you can and will last as long BUT to buy one of these is a No Brainer at below 600. I say do it
Click to expand...

Seems like for my plinking needs at 120 yards, it does in fact seem like a no brainer. Not doing bench rest shooting at 600 yards. Just need to sell the Henry first. Got it up in the classifieds now[crying]. I feel awful selling the Henry but I shoot the 44 mag more often.
 

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