New variant
What’s the difference?
looks the same to me. 
edit: pretty neat, didnt think they were that heavy for a rifle with quad rails.
Anyone know the ACTUAL barrel lengths for these? The spec sheet on Ruger’s website has 16.12 inches for all three rifles listed. Which of course, doesn’t make any sense.
Not sure yet, states 1.75" shorter
“The 16.1” barrel on the new SR-556C features an integrally machined flash suppressor, which minimizes the overall length of the barrel while complying with ATF regulations for civilian and commercial sales."
Basically it is a 14.5" or 14.7" barrel with a permanently attached flash hider. Because the FH is permanently attached or “integral” with the barrel, the FH is considered to be part of the barrel as far as the ATF is concerned. Ruger’s description was kind of confusing.
More info:
http://www.gunblast.com/NewRugers.htm
SR-556C
- Barrel Length: 16.12"
- Overall Length: 31.00" - 34.25"
- Weight: 7.40 lbs.
SR-556FB
- Barrel Length: 16.12"
- Overall Length: 32.75" - 36.00"
- Weight: 7.94 lbs.
Everything else looks to be identical.
All that trouble and they only shaved 1/2 lb.
Yeah, but the weight savings is out front. The SR556 that I handled was way front heavy. Maybe this will help some.
I’ve got an SR556 that’s got about 4,000 rounds through it. It has been accurate and reliable.
If I were to change one feature of the gun it would be the heavy front end…
Gunblast review http://gunblast.com/Ruger-SR556c.htm
Someone wake me up when they manage to freefloat the barrel…and when it’s not a Ruger anymore.
Why free float ?
Seriously?
If they changed it to 1:7 and shrouded the firing pin I would be able to get over my dislike of the long deceased Bill Ruger and actually buy one.
Yes. 0.50 inch 100 yard groups out of a 14.5 inch barrel, again why free-float ?
Because free-floating any barrel makes it inherently more accurate than the same barrel not free-floated. It’s as simple as that.
If the gun is indeed a .5 MOA gun (which I highly doubt - see below), then Ruger is absolutely stupid for not free-floating it, as it would only yield more accuracy and would increase its marketability.
As I mentioned above, I VERY highly doubt that gun will shoot a .5" 10-shot (or even 5-shot) group at 100yds. Anything less than a 5-shot group is luck, as many things (such as flyers, barrel heating, etc) do not come to light in so few rounds.
In addition, there is NO - zero, zip, nadda - off-the-shelf piston AR capable of .5 MOA on the market (except allegedly the SR-556c). If there was one, it’d be the new craze and you’d hear about the accuracy benefits of a piston gun. The fact remains that the only .5 MOA AR-15’s are custom-built DI guns that expressly require specific loads and cost thousands of dollars. Piston guns are inherently less-accurate than DI guns due to the extra weight from the piston and the more violent action of the weapon cycling (ergo carrier tilt). Ever wonder why you don’t see piston AR’s in benchrest competitions? Further, the barrel is fluted, something you would NEVER do to a .5 MOA-capable gun.
You can’t take a 2 MOA’ish piston gun, such as the original SR-556, and then machine an integral flash hider, not free-float the barrel, and then flute the barrel… and magically manage to squeeze out another 1.5 MOA of accuracy. That defies all common sense and the physics of firearm operations.
All in all, while I don’t doubt that the gun is a good piston gun, it is most definitely not a consistent .5 MOA gun and the reviewer that stated that either fudged his results or used a lucky 2 or 3-shot group. A single .5 MOA group does not make the gun a .5 MOA rifle.
Free-floating the barrel makes the gun much more friendly to supported and unconventional positions.
And if the Ruger’s are consistent 1/2 MOA guns, I may need to buy stock.