Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

[harleymann02]

Hey guys I'm thinking of buying a X-mas gift for myself and was looking at some of the AR's out there and the Ruger SR556 seems like it has some real great features for the $$$, gas piston, Troy Industries rail and flip up sights, 3 magpul pmags and a carry case for around $1,500. I saw a few reviews on another website and everyone seemed to like them except for the milspec trigger but thats an easy fix so not worried about that. Have any of you guys had any rangetime behind one of these and if so was it good or bad?

 

[Kells81]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I had one that I put 3500 rounds through and only had like 4 failures. Those were mostly out of the first mag if I remember right. I was trying to see how far I could take it before failure without cleaning. Gave up on that at 3500 since I picked up a real preference for bolt guns at the time. You will need a set of KNS pins since alot of people seem to have issues with the pins walking. I had 1500 on mine before putting the KnS pins on. Put em on just cause I put em on every AR I have.

If you look around you can pick em up used for around $1000

 

[harleymann02]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Cool thanks for the info on the KNS pins i'll look into that. Hell i wish i could afford to dump $2,500 on a LWRC or POF but i can't see spending that much for an AR piston gun that i'm mainly gonna use to just plink targets.

 

[rifleman1981]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I had one that ran flawlessly, with one exception of stupidity on my part, I took it out coyote hunting right after I got it, on a sub zero temp day, and had a coyote come in about 20 yards down the creek, I pulled the trigger and it dropped the hammer but nothing happened, I repeated this a few times and nothing, come to find out that the bolt had cosmoline up in and around the firing pin and it was so cold that the cosmoline was not letting the firing pin hit the primer hard enough to ignite the primer, but it taught me a good lesson about cleaning.

 

[harleymann02]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Wow I would never think of that one, they must've caked on the cosmoline when I get mine I'll have to check that out thanks for the heads up.

 

[danr]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

The SR-556 is a good weapon. Accurate and reliable. I had problems with mine when I started making my own ball ammo for it but it turned out my full length sizer just was'nt getting the job done for my rifles chamber. It would fail to extract consistently ramming another round into the stuck case. But a small base sizing die took care of it. Mine has been 100% reliable since with factory ammo and my reloads. And accurate, it will cluster ball ammo 1 1/4" at 100 yds. all day long. Feed it some 69 gr. match and it'll tear a 5/8" group when I put a good scope on it. I don't think you'll be disappointed with a SR-556.

 

[Strangedays]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I have been to more comps where the Ruger jammed with the first round regardless of ammo. I was the only person to bring a cleaning rod so it was being used to hit rounds out that never fully made it into battery. The extractor just ripped the rim off so I just figured they must have some of the tightest chambers ever used. I have seen this with at least five guns but it was not a one time deal one of the guns did it to every single ammo we tried to feed it after the match. LC, Hornady, Remington and more, all jammed and got stuck in the chamber.
I do know that with all guns there can be good and bad ones and now that they have been out for a little while Ruger has most likely fixed any issues they may have been having before hand on early runs. Good luck with yours.

 

[danr]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I agree. They have been out long enough now that the new ones should be good to go.

 

[harleymann02]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Hey guys I just wanna say thanks for all the info, makes my decision much easier gonna head out and pick one up thanks again hopefully I can get a range report

 

[samnev]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

My SR 556 was an accurate rifle for the first 300 rounds. Then started shooting shotgun groups at 100 yards. Was shooting 1"-1.25" 100 yard 5 shot groups before the problem occurred. Sent it back to Ruger and the replaced the entire upper, bolt, safety and saftey detent. But nver told me what caused the rifle to go south. Now it's back to being an accurate rifle.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I like mine, Does seem to have a tight chamber though, has ripped the rim off a couple of cases. about 1500 rounds and that has happend 3 times. may change stock. It is a heavy weapon. but i like it.

 

[Mr blasty]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

What about opening the chamber up a bit?

 

[2ndamendfan]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

that is a thought that has occured. I think 3 in 1500rds could have just been the ammo. really never put much to it until I started reading around here. As you might tell I am a newbie

 

[harleymann02]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I actually prefer a rifle thats a little heavier, I'm 6'1" 220lbs some of the lightweight AR's feel like toy nerf guns so the extra weight is what i'm looking for.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Is anyone running the 6.8 SPC version of this rifle? If so, how well is the system running for you? Accuracy?

 

[trisurvivor]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I built a POF-USA from parts for $1450. I have seen them used for $1100-1450 on gb. Have not had a problem with mine. I looked at ruger and decided to build

 

[turbo54]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Mine is great, but WAY heavy. Choose wisely. I wouldn't buy again.

 

[Mr.Maim]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

Wow, this thread came back from a one year hiatus!


I agree with turbo54. I've had an SR-556 for about a year-and-a-half. Never ever had a problem. Runs really clean. Shoots ANYTHING. But it is unquestionably the heaviest bastard in my gun safe. So much so, I never shoot it anymore. I would not buy one again either, but only because of the weight.

My #1 shooting buddy has one too (bought ours at the same time) and he shoots his all the time. Probably has 5000 rounds through it. He loves the weight. I hand him my superlight AR15 or my SBR AR15 and he bitches that they're too light. To each his own.

 

[samnev]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I to prefer the heavier AR 15's. For me they seem to hold better when shooting off hand. Benching the weight makes no difference other the slightly less recoil which really is not a problem with lighter ones as either. Just a little less muzzle flip IMO.

 

[frankythefly]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

For piston ARs I have found that they run close to the Bigger AR names(LWRC,LMT,POF) in terms of Accuracy 3/4 MOA with standard ss109/M855 ammo. Not sure about reliability part though. Only thing that I could see changing would be Trigger, birdcage FH, Grip, and adding KNS pins. For the price hard to beat IMO.

 

[Mr.Maim]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Santo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I to prefer the heavier AR 15's. For me they seem to hold better when shooting off hand. Benching the weight makes no difference other the slightly less recoil which really is not a problem with lighter ones as either. Just a little less muzzle flip IMO. </div></div>

Nothing that can't be rectified with a good compensator.

 

[kimberseries1]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Santo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I to prefer the heavier AR 15's. For me they seem to hold better when shooting off hand. Benching the weight makes no difference other the slightly less recoil which really is not a problem with lighter ones as either. Just a little less muzzle flip IMO. </div></div>


Wow, that's much easier than flame wars over heavy vs. light ar's.....that's why we all have these great choices in America.


If I've got a heavy ar-15 loaded with red-dots/holographics or just a heavy quad/bbl, I feel that it should be a .308 instead. Wish I could find an AR-10 that was as light as a bare bones 5.56......

 

[tylerw02]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kimberseries1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Santo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I to prefer the heavier AR 15's. For me they seem to hold better when shooting off hand. Benching the weight makes no difference other the slightly less recoil which really is not a problem with lighter ones as either. Just a little less muzzle flip IMO. </div></div>


Wow, that's much easier than flame wars over heavy vs. light ar's.....that's why we all have these great choices in America.


If I've got a heavy ar-15 loaded with red-dots/holographics or just a heavy quad/bbl, that it should be a .308 instead. Wish I could find an AR-10 that was as light as a bare bones 5.56...... </div></div>

Check out the LaRue 762 PredatAR. Its one of the lightest in full-bore.

 

[kimberseries1]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tylerw02</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kimberseries1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Santo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I to prefer the heavier AR 15's. For me they seem to hold better when shooting off hand. Benching the weight makes no difference other the slightly less recoil which really is not a problem with lighter ones as either. Just a little less muzzle flip IMO. </div></div>


Wow, that's much easier than flame wars over heavy vs. light ar's.....that's why we all have these great choices in America.


If I've got a heavy ar-15 loaded with red-dots/holographics or just a heavy quad/bbl, that it should be a .308 instead. Wish I could find an AR-10 that was as light as a bare bones 5.56...... </div></div>

Check out the LaRue 762 PredatAR. Its one of the lightest in full-bore. </div></div>




Sweet!! Hadn't heard of that one, Thanks. And it's from Texas!

 

[kimberseries1]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

....

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

they are good solid rifles with a very front heavy balance. didn't keep mine more than a couple of month after selling it to a friend that really needed to have it.

 

[pbjb]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

I got one of the sr 556E models. I love the handguard. It shoots well but does not like steel ammo.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Re: Opinions on Ruger SR-556 needed

GySgt B, what is your Ruger doing with steel ammo? I made mine work with it. As I have stated before (other threads) a gun should work any ammo you feed it. Accuracy may suffer but it should work other wise. Mine would rip the rim off and the case would stick in the chamber (had to use a cleaning rod to knock it out).