Ruger SR-556E 5912 5.56mm NATO/.223 Rem.
The Ruger SR556E is presented as the no frills edition of the Ruger Armalite Rifle platform, a market Ruger entered belatedly in 2009. The $1375 MSRP SR556E with a 16.12 inch barrrel, the “E” standing for essential, has the following basic specifications.
Stock:
Black Synthetic, Collapsible
Finish: Black Oxide/Hardcoat Anodized
Sights: None Height: 7.25"
Barrel Length: 16.12" Overall Length: 32.75" - 36.00"
Width: 2.50" Weight: 7.36 lbs.
Twist: 1:9" RH Grooves: 6
Length of Pull 10.25" - 13.50" Capacity: 30
MA Approved & Certified: No CA Approved: No
The SR556E has no sights, but with its lengthy Picatinny rail it is easy to mount whatever sighting system you feel is appropriate for your needs. With collapsible buttstocks of dubious value, traditional scopes would be problematic for some as your eye relief changes in concert with buttstock length. For testing purposes, I mounted a Burris Fullfield E1 3 x 9 x 40mm, the pick of the litter as far as I'm concerned in a two hundred dollar variable power scope. While I used medium Warne Maxima rings to get this rifle up and running, like many flat top Armalite Rifle platforms, high or extra high rings would be a better choice.
The general idea of the piston driven upper is reliability with a wider variety of loads than the old gas impingement AR system that is over fifty years old, and better reliability in general with less bolt carrier fouling. As supplied, the Ruger easily digested whatever I fed it with no hiccups. A further feature of the Ruger piston driven upper is that you can use the Ruger upper with standard AR pattern lowers. However, the Ruger upper only carries a MSRP of $1499, more than the retail of the entire SR556E rifle itself.
The SR556E is nicely presented in its soft case, coming with one 30 round magazine. It accepts standard AR magazines, mandatory for a rifle of this type. The rifle only is stated as 7.36 pounds, you can of course add whatever various accessories you choose on top of that for final weight. With the 3-9 Fullfield E1 and steel rings, it is about an eight and a half pound rifle.
There is no other way to describe the Ruger's trigger other than unacceptable, as it breaks at 9-1/4 lbs, more than the assembled rifle and scope. This is ridiculous, even for a blaster-type rifle. In times past, I've lamented about the relatively heavy trigger breaks of the bargain-priced Savage Axis (5.5 lbs.) and the Ruger HM77R Hawkeye (4-3/4 lbs.) compared to the delightful single set trigger CZ 527 American that breaks at 4 pounds in conventional mode, 1 lb. 6 oz. in set trigger mode and the Savage Model 25 Accu-Trigger that broke at 2 lbs., 11 oz. right out of the box. Even the Benelli MR-1 .223 gas autoloader, previously tested, had a 5-1/2 lb. trigger.
We all have our own preferences, but rifles (or any firearm) that have triggers that break at over 9 lbs. isn't within any realm I could call remotely acceptable. At the range, the Ruger was tried with a wide variety of ammunition. It strung shots horribly and couldn't form what I'd actually call a 100 group in the first session. As supplied, it was essentially a 4 MOA rifle, and that is being charitable. Perhaps I got a poor example? In a subsequent range session, I did try some Barnes VOR-TX® 55 grain ammunition, and that this Ruger really liked as you can tell from this five shot group. With everything else, accuracy was either lackluster or unacceptable contingent on your point of view.
The SR-556E was frustratingly ammunition-fussy in the accuracy department. The worst load tested in this Ruger was the 4000 fps Hornady 35 grain NTYX SuperFormance NTX ammo where it just sprayed shots. The best was the Barnes VOR-TX 55 grain, as above.
The
Ruger SR556E is a rifle I can't recommend. If you enjoy the .223 Remington,
as I do, you can look to CZ and Savage for 1/2 MOA out of the box walking
varminters. If you want a really fun autoloader, suitable for general
purpose and defense use, look at the Benelli MR-1. If the most advanced
combat genre ambidextrous .223 is what you are after, the FNH SCAR-L is
worth a look. If you just happen to like the Armalite Rifle genre, consider
Rock River Arms. I can't really say where the Ruger SR-556E fits, for
to my way of thinking it just doesn't.
Copyright 2012 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
