this rifl e. Everything from the bolt, to the forearm, to the stock, to the sights is made in the same place. Due to this, Ruger com- pletely controls its own quality, a method that also keeps the price down. Many police departments are permitting
offi cers to carry personally owned rifl es. Cops may wish to purchase an AR-15 to keep them company during patrol, but price may get in the way of a fi nal deal get- ting done. With a suggested retail price of just $749, the new AR-556 is found selling for a real-world price of under $600. Even without side jobs, most cops can afford a rifl e in this price range.
The AR-556 is a standard impingement operating system with a carbine length with a milled gas block. A birdcage-style fl ash suppressor is threaded on the muzzle of the 16.1-inch medium-contour barrel that is cold hammer forged. Ruger stated that the “ultra-precise rifl ing” provides ac- curacy, longevity, and easy cleaning with a 1:8 twist to stabilize bullets weighing between 35 to 77 grains. The 5.56 NATO chambering means the rifl e will also shoot 223 Remington cartridges and M4-style feed ramps provide reliability. There is a bayonet lug and quick-detachable sling swivel socket under the gas block area. The exterior fi nish is Type III Hard Coat Anodized and the bolt carrier’s inside and staked gas key are chrome-plated to ward
PMC Bronze, 55-grain, .223 cartridges produced consistent sub-MOA groups at 100 yards, including this 5/8-inch trio.
off hot gases. The exterior of these parts is oxidized in a matte black fi nish for corro- sion resistance. Speaking of the exterior, the glass-fi lled nylon hand guard includes an innovative feature. Instead of the usual spring-loaded retaining ring that requires three or more hands to remove, the AR- 556’s ring simply screws on and unscrews off. The hand guard is a plain round ver- sion, but after-market mid-length styles will swap out if there is a need to mount a light or other item on a rail.
The six-position collapsible stock moves back and forth on a Mil-Spec buffer tube. The front sight is adjustable for eleva- tion (tool included) on a fi xed A2 style,
F-height pillar that allows the use of most electronic (red dot) or magnifi ed (scopes) optics mounted on the Picatinny rail fl at- top upper. The rear sight is their own Ruger Rapid Deploy® folding aperture that provides windage adjustment. It pops up when a side latch is depressed, making it ready to aim.
Ruger’s own ergonomic pistol grip feels good in the hand and provides good trig- ger control. The trigger guard is enlarged for shooting with gloved hands. The only item ac- companying the factory rifl e that is not made by Ruger is the 30-round PMag included in the box. There is no need to try to improve on Magpul’s reliable polymer magazine.
The Ruger AR-556 is made at a former textile mill in Mayodan, N.C.
Instead of the standard spring-loaded ‘delta ring,’ the Ruger version unscrews. This system makes swapping hand guards quick and easy.
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