The Ruger SR556TD
As part of our coverage for AR week, we are leading the charge with a Ruger model sure to make a Californian crap in Xe’s pants. Ruger has been making AR’s for a while now, at a price that makes them attractive. The Ruger SR556 Takedown is by far the most expensive in the catalog, but it does offer some unique features for the dollar.
Features
This model comes in a black bag that is 22×8.5×4.5 inches, a tiny package for a rifle. The magic is in the barrel attachment system. Ruger figured out a way to hold the barrel and barrel extension in the upper receiver using just a simple sliding lock. To attach the barrel, you simply slide it into the upper, twist the barrel, and it locks in place. Put your upper on your lower, also in the bag, and you are off to the races. Because of the brilliant system, you can easily assemble a full sized carbine in about ten seconds. For testing, we received both the 5.56 barrel and the 300AAC.
The SR556TK in the bag.
Accuracy
The system is brilliant, but it does come with some limitations. The obvious questions are how accurate is the gun, and what is the zero shift when you remove the barrel. I set out to the range this weekend to answer those questions.
For test ammunition, this was not a place to monkey around, Hornady stepped up to provide ammunition that I know is capable of high accuracy. For the 5.56 we used Black 75 grain, and for the 300 AAC, Black 110 grain Vmax supersonic. On the optics side, we used a Bushnell DMR 2 3.5-21 scope, plenty of glass for accuracy testing.
Accuracy testing the Ruger SR556TD
I am giving Ruger an A+ on the design. Swapping the barrel is simple and the gun run ran with zero failures. Accuracy wise, I have to give the gun a B-. For both the 5.56 and 300 AAC, my groups were besting around 2 inches at 50 meters. That extrapolates to about 4 inches at 100 meters. There was also a shift of about 1.5 inches when I removed and reinstalled the barrel. That works out to 3 MOA. Those are not fantastic numbers, certainly not good enough for precision shooting.
Conclusion
While the accuracy is not fantastic, I do still like the system. It fills a niche as a rifle you could stow in places a normal AR would never fit. The carrying case is unobtrusive, it looks very unlike a rifle case. For an emergency backpack gun, the accuracy level is acceptable. I also have to give the SR556 points for simplicity. This is the first takedown model I have tested that assembles without tools.
Specs
- Stock: Black Synthetic, Collapsible
- Sights: Folding Iron Sights
- Barrel Length: 16.12″
- Overall Length: 32.75″ – 36″
- Capacity: 30
- Twist: 1:8″ RH
- Width: 2.50″
- Height: 7.75″
- Weight: 7.1 lb.
- Thread Pattern: 1/2″-28
- Finish: Manganese Phosphate / Hardcoat Anodized
- Length of Pull: 11.10″ – 14.40″
- Grooves: 6
- Suggested Retail: $2199.00
Learn more about the Ruger SR556 Takedown by clicking here.
***Check out GunsAmerica for your next Ruger SR 556 Takedown Rifle***
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Ruger SR556 Takedown Barrel
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Ruger SR556TK requires no tools to break it down.
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Clay you should have put the 556 barrel back on after the 300 BLK to see if the POA changed back. Is it repeatable?
For that $2000+ price tag I can build quite a few uppers to go on any one of my lowers and have a handful of calibers to choose from, AND have 100% POA=POI accuracy for them all!
I’m too cheap/frugal to be tossing that much CA$H at something new that seems like another answer looking for a question.
So – basically – you’re saying it SUCKS?
SHTF – I’m not looking to wound – and 4″ @ 100, with a 1.5″ variance on barrel swaps – is the difference between a head shot, and a complete miss. Lucky if you can get a center mass with those variances.
I’ll stick with my Tavor and Acog (in 5.56). I can do headshots all day long with 62gr Green Tip (not some fancy match ammo). Hell – my 16″ .458 SOCOM AR will TAKE A HEAD OFF at those distances, and is only marginally larger in a small bag (with PDW stock).
And if you’re talking about a backpack-able woods gun for small game – the accuracy ie KEY – and it’s not happening with this piece.
NOW – as something to BURY if all my other guns are TAKEN FROM ME – and I had no other options – MAYBE. But I’ll be in a FEMA camp (or BURIED MYSELF) before that happens anyways.
Thanks for the review. I build match-precision AR’s myself. It’s ALL ABOUT ACCURACY. We’re not “crowd plinkers” here – we’re about single shot accuracy and repeatability – and this gun obviously DOES NOT HAVE IT. So thanks for steering me clear of this one.
Rick
The genitive of xe is xyr. This AR might make a Californian crap xyr pants.
I normally like take downs – Winchester Model 12, Stevens 520, Browning SA22s – but the AR15 is already a gimmick and this is a gimmick on a gimmick.