Ruger SR-556

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I know several hundred Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines who every year shoot in the ball park of 75K-150K rounds of 5.56mm ammo. I don't know where you got your barrel life info but I own 3 guns that I have personally put more than that through and still work great. I also have a work gun here in Afghanistan that has I'm sure more than that through it. Your comparison of DI guns being Pintos is short sighted at best. For instance the KAC SR15 is better than any Piston Gun on the market today. The only place it loses to the piston gun is on running extremely dirty. My guns are all intended to be shot whith an EO Tech, a light, and a fore grip. Thats how I use them in the real world so thats how I train with them. I believe your Ruger came with a heavy ass Railed Forearm. What pray tell is that for if it was intended to be shot naked.

The SR556 is heavy because Ruger used cheaper materials and had no knowledge base to draw from when they decided to release and AR. The weight was made worse when they decided to use a Heavy Barrel. They have not fixed the carrier tilt issue that plagues the guns. Other designers like Barrett, LWRC, and HK fixed the problem very early in their design spirals Ruger acts like it is just part of owning a piston gun.

My original opinion stands. If I was gonna buy a Piston Gun it would not be a Ruger. The Ruger gun is a very immature design that has not been adequately tested and evolved. It has the wrong barrel twist which will preclude you from firing many of the more effective types of ammo. Futher more it is way to heavy and way to expensive. If you want to buy it because it looks cool or because you like Ruger than good on you. If your buying it because you think it is somehow better than a DI gun or for the same price a LMT Piston Gun. Do your research your wrong.

I would advise anybody considering dropping 2K on one of these to buy themselves a VERY nice DI Rifle. You will get a great deal more rifle for your money. And unless you plan on shooting a great deal of the time supressed or from a SBR, or extremely high round counts you will realize very little added value for your money over DI Guns. For $2K you could buy yourself a Daniel Defense Gun with an Optic, Sling, Light, and Rail and still buy 500 rounds of 5.56. You would have a weapon better made than the Ruger, built from better materials and backed by better customer service. If you just got to have a Piston Gun check out the LMT. For 2k you can get a LMT Gun built on an MRP Upper and have the option of easily swapping barrels and if you desire later going multi-caliber.

 

[bsmit35]

Where are you getting your info on those guys shooting 75,000-150,000 on the same barrell??? Is there any data that you have on them shooting that much?
I don't really need to get in a pissing match with an internet gun savante.
What are your credentials?
Anywhoo just let me know where your getting your data on those barrells and if you can post it on here as soon as possible so I can print it up and bring it to Shot Show with me so I can show it to industry experts....

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I didn't say the barrels lasted for 150K rounds i just called BS on you assertion that they were only good for 20-30K. While you at SHOT stop by the Daniel Defense Booth and ask Jay Duncan, their VP, about the barrel life they are getting out of their Cold Hammer Forged Barrels. You will be surprised. Jay also used to work for KAC so he can probably give you the ball park on their stuff as well.

The data on those guys shooting that much comes from first hand experience shooting with them, working with them, fighting with them, and being friends with more than a few of them. You should check out Kyle Lambs book "Green Eyes Black Rifles" sometime and listen to the round counts he talks about. Or hell you could try taking one of his classes with your rifle, although I doubt you will shoot it the "way it was meant to be shot" whatever that means. In his 2 day class you will probably fire close to 1500 rounds. Feel free to PM me if you want to hear about my creds. You sound like a guy who owns a gun store and is getting the red ass because someone is criticizing a product you make big margin on.

 

[whbonney26]

I know several hundred Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines who every year shoot in the ball park of 75K-150K rounds of 5.56mm ammo. I don't know where you got your barrel life info but I own 3 guns that I have personally put more than that through and still work great. I also have a work gun here in Afghanistan that has I'm sure more than that through it. Your comparison of DI guns being Pintos is short sighted at best. For instance the KAC SR15 is better than any Piston Gun on the market today. The only place it loses to the piston gun is on running extremely dirty. My guns are all intended to be shot whith an EO Tech, a light, and a fore grip. Thats how I use them in the real world so thats how I train with them. I believe your Ruger came with a heavy ass Railed Forearm. What pray tell is that for if it was intended to be shot naked.

The SR556 is heavy because Ruger used cheaper materials and had no knowledge base to draw from when they decided to release and AR. The weight was made worse when they decided to use a Heavy Barrel. They have not fixed the carrier tilt issue that plagues the guns. Other designers like Barrett, LWRC, and HK fixed the problem very early in their design spirals Ruger acts like it is just part of owning a piston gun.

My original opinion stands. If I was gonna buy a Piston Gun it would not be a Ruger. The Ruger gun is a very immature design that has not been adequately tested and evolved. It has the wrong barrel twist which will preclude you from firing many of the more effective types of ammo. Futher more it is way to heavy and way to expensive. If you want to buy it because it looks cool or because you like Ruger than good on you. If your buying it because you think it is somehow better than a DI gun or for the same price a LMT Piston Gun. Do your research your wrong.

I would advise anybody considering dropping 2K on one of these to buy themselves a VERY nice DI Rifle. You will get a great deal more rifle for your money. And unless you plan on shooting a great deal of the time supressed or from a SBR, or extremely high round counts you will realize very little added value for your money over DI Guns. For $2K you could buy yourself a Daniel Defense Gun with an Optic, Sling, Light, and Rail and still buy 500 rounds of 5.56. You would have a weapon better made than the Ruger, built from better materials and backed by better customer service. If you just got to have a Piston Gun check out the LMT. For 2k you can get a LMT Gun built on an MRP Upper and have the option of easily swapping barrels and if you desire later going multi-caliber.

2,000 for the Ruger? I would never have bought it at that price.

Im not going to argue all of your points because they are all very valid. I am only saying that for what it was.....and the thousand or so rounds I put through mine.....it was a pretty good rifle. I am not sitting in another country at war and mine didnt have to be used as so. Of course there are better guns for having to use them in Afghan or Iraq.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

My comments weren't directed at you dude. I buy expensive watches folks are entitled to buy what they want and what they can afford. I just think people need to give reviews on products they one based on quantifiable facts and not their emotional investment.

 

[whbonney26]

My comments weren't directed at you dude. I buy expensive watches folks are entitled to buy what they want and what they can afford. I just think people need to give reviews on products they one based on quantifiable facts and not their emotional investment.

Yeah, I know. I was just saying. I dont really have any emotional attachments to new guns I buy. I felt it was a pretty decent gun for what it is. Its not a combat weapon by any means and def not on par with Knights or any of the other major combat rifles. As with most things, some people will like them and some will not. I never really read any reviews on it cause I never wanted one till I walked in one day and seen it at a price MUCH less than 2,000. Picked it up and in the three months I had it shot a case or so of ammo through it and it functioned great and was accurate. It was just another rifle to me so when a trade came along I could not pass up.....well.....I didnt.


Hey VG.......thanks for your service.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Thanks man.

 

[bsmit35]

I know what Larry Vickers and the guys at Daniel Defense are getting out of there hammer forged barrels. I have 2 daniels and I bought them both after a day of shooting with Larry..... Your typical non hammer forged barrel is not going to be sustain accuarcy over 20,000-30,000. Period.....
As far as the "way it was meant to be shot".... While at Tiger Mckee's carbine class which is similar to Kyle's all the weekend warriors have to pull all that crap off because it makes it too heavy to carry around for the entire weekend......

And no my ass isn't red because I have a store... Its red because people get online and criticize products that they have most likely never shot or at least shot extensivley then give reviews of it based on their experience of finger banging it....
That is all.

And it reminds me of this...
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evr_tP9cJWY&feature=related[/ame]

 

[Spent Brass]

Thanks for posting that video. Definatley got a good laugh out of it.
VG I agree with most of your points on the SR. But like WH I got it significantly lower than that god awfull high 2k MSRP. I am no longer in the service, and when I was I was no where near any operator types so Ive never had a 100k round year. But for the weekend warrior BS I enjoy this rifle has treated me fairly well.
Its not that it wont feed all cheap ammo, it just doesnt like to eject super cheap steel caseings. So the cheapest thing I regularly shoot is brass monarch. I havnt done much investigating into whether or not theres an actuall problem that would require rugers attention. But it seems that the steel expands too much or deforms causing the failure to eject. Maybe while its cold and Im hibernating Ill look into it more.
Big advantages of buying a piston gun for me was lower noise level, less felt recoil, and if I drop it in the swamp while looking for hogs I dont have to worry about whether or not it will function.

 

[Ben Segrest]

But it seems that the steel expands too much or deforms causing the failure to eject.

Steel casings don't expand as much as brass.

 

[whbonney26]

Video is funny as heck.

 

[Spent Brass]

I suppose that was misworded. Steel cases do not expand as much as brass true, but because of the different elastic properties of steel and brass the steel cases dont retract as much either. Leaving an overall larger casing in the chamber than would be left with a brass casing. Also because the steel does not achieve a maximum expansion the same as brass and fill the entire chamber there is a micro gap between the casing and the chamber wall leaving a void for carbon buildup that could eventually cause stickyness and jams. Since I am meticulous about cleaning I doubt that the carbon build up adequatly explains my problem because I've had steel fte's as early in a session as the third round. So for now until I get a chance to do more research and investigating it will remain a mystery.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

You know having a flashlight, a grip, and an optic on your rifle doesn't have to make it heavy. It's all about product selection. If I didn't feel that I had enough first hand experience on the SR-556 to comment and give the review I gave I wouldn't have. I would much rather be a weekend warrior or whatever you think I am than tell people half truths and sorta facts to make a buck.