The Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic, M4-style, direct impingement Modern Sporting Rifle offers consumers an affordable, American-made Modern Sporting Rifle with the rugged reliability they have come to expect from Ruger. Extensively tested during its development, the AR-556 is constructed from top-quality components, including forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers and a cold hammer-forged chrome-moly steel barrel with M4 feed ramp cuts. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, the AR-556's carbine-length, flat-top, M4 design is fully configured with a Ruger Rapid Deploy folding rear sight, milled F-height gas block with post front sight, forward assist, dust cover, brass deflector, A2 fixed stock with Monster Man grip, improved trigger-reach grip, enlarged trigger guard and one 10-round magazine. Standardized M4/AR components are utilized throughout, so the AR-556 can be customized easily.
Specifications:
Caliber: 223 Remington/5.56 NATO
Barrel Length: 16.1"
Capacity: 10+1
Trigger: Single-Stage
Safety: Manual
Oal: 32.85"
Weight: 7.5 lbs
Stock Description: A2 Black
Metal Finish: Black Hard Coat Anodized
Muzzle: Threaded
Receiver Material: 7075 T6 Aluminum
Sights: Adjustable
Barrel Description: 4140 Chrome Moly
Twist: 1:8"
The information below comes from our Gun Caliber Dictionary and is for
general reference only. It does not describe the specifications of this
particular item.
The 5.56X45mm NATO cartridge was designed by James Sullivan, a member of Eugene Stoner's engineering team that developed both the M16 rifle and its original cartridge. The 5.56X45mm NATO was adopted by the U.S. military in 1964 and by NATO in 1980. With bullet diameter of .224-inch, the original M193 military cartridge used a 55-grain bullet at 3250 fps; the current M855A1 cartridge, developed by FN, uses a 62.5-grain bullet at 3020 fps, offering greater range and better penetration. The civilian version of the 5.56X45mm is 223 Remington; the cartridges are dimensionally identical but military chamber dimensions and specifications for military brass are different. It is considered safe to use 223 Remington ammo in a 5.56X45MM NATO chamber, but not a good idea to use 5.56X45mm ammo in a rifle specifically chambered for the 223 Remington. Although the stopping power of .22-caliber bullets remains controversial the 5.56X45mm has served well in now multiple generations of M16 rifles.
—
Craig Boddington
