Real world reliability of the AR-556?

[PinnedAndRecessed]

What is the point of this thread?
If you don't like the AR then don't buy one.

OP here. The point of the thread (back in 2018) was to inquire among Ruger faithful re the real world quality of Ruger's "budget" AR.

But the thread was resurrected, and broadened into a general summary of the AR platform.

And, in part based upon the latest posts, since I don't do mag dumps, I'm convinced my Ruger AR-556 is absolutely reliable as long as I take the same precautions as with any other semi automatic firearm I own. I.e., lube and clean regularly.

 

[sharpblade7777]

I bought these 3 new and they have been 100% reliable. I can't speak to the earlier ones. During my 4 years (66-70) in the army I was always issued the M14. I never served in Vietnam.

 

[Sam Summey]

" My eldest did the same in Afghanistan due to the M-4's poor longer range effectiveness."
That is less of a design/platform failure and more of a failure of the cartridge coupled with the 'convenience' of the M-4's short barrel.

With a 20" heavy barrel and a 1:7 twist and a 77gr bullet loaded to around 2800 fps, the 5.56x45mm NATO is effective to around 600 meters (10-12 inch diameter circle). That is typically the maximum distance for a Service Rifle Match.

 

[Actnbill]

The AK-47 is one of the most reliable semi auto's out there..... but it probably can't hit the side of a barn at 300yds with crap steel case corrosive ammo....

I think the AR has evolved as a very accurate rifle with good ammo.....but I've had my fair share of issues with jams, misfeeds etc with crappy ammo...

and my Mini 14 eats anything......I don't think it has ever jammed or misfed...... ( except for the time I tried using a non-factory Promag )

 

[DGW1949]

My take away to this thread is that IF you happen to get a good one, and if it's kept clean, and IF you use enough of the proper "lube of the month", and IF you don't use ammo with the wrong powder, and IF the mags you choose have the "latest-greatest" followers, and IF you don't subject it to some sort of abuse that might be too strenuous....Then yeah, it will be reliable enough to take hunting or maybe to a rifle match. And....it will shoot little 3 shot groups on paper when bagged 'n fired off of a typical firing range bench.

Sound about right, or did I miss something?...LOL.

DGW

 

[DGW1949]

With a 20" heavy barrel and a 1:7 twist and a 77gr bullet loaded to around 2800 fps, the 5.56x45mm NATO is effective to around 600 meters (10-12 inch diameter circle). That is typically the maximum distance for a Service Rifle Match.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the AR platform can be made into an excellent match rifle. In fact, they've taken the NRA Service Rifle game over...The last several matches I fired, I was the only guy there still using an old-school 30-06 M-1. Every now and then, I'd see someone with an M1A but even they were becoming obsolete.

DGW

 

[DGW1949]

What is the point of this thread?
If you don't like the AR then don't buy one.

The question at hand is "how reliable is an AR in the real world"?....so I guess you could say that that is "the point of this thread".

DGW

 

[Enigma]

And some people can never be convinced that theirs is not the only valid opinion.

 

[davevabch]

I was a big believer that steel case ammo would not hurt a Pistol. Preached against all the things I thought were baloney against using it.
Well after shooting thousands of rounds in quality Pistols. I hereby state I WAS WRONG!
And I will NEVER use steel case ammo in a Pistol again. Not worth it. Spend a little more.
AR's I could not tell you. Don't shoot them enough to make a decision.

 

[peachhead]

The question at hand is "how reliable is an AR in the real world"?....so I guess you could say that that is "the point of this thread".

DGW

Looking back at the first page of this thread, yeah now I see it. Guess I got sidetracked too

 

[Sam Summey]

My take away to this thread is that IF you happen to get a good one, and if it's kept clean, and IF you use enough of the proper "lube of the month", and IF you don't use ammo with the wrong powder, and IF the mags you choose have the "latest-greatest" followers, and IF you don't subject it to some sort of abuse that might be too strenuous....Then yeah, it will be reliable enough to take hunting or maybe to a rifle match. And....it will shoot little 3 shot groups on paper when bagged 'n fired off of a typical firing range bench.

Sound about right, or did I miss something?...LOL.

DGW

I clean the barrel on my AR with a Boretec copper solvent to maintain accuracy, disassemble the bolt/bolt carrier (as taught in Army Basic Training) and clean the inside of the bolt carrier with my home-made brass carbon scraper (I have a collection of commercial scrapers too) to maintain an acceptable level of carbon (you can't remove all of it) clean the inside of the upper receiver by wiping it down with a soft rag and reassemble the bolt/bolt carrier, relube with LSA (Break Free) of all the shiney surfaces on the bolt carrier and I am back in business. I usually inspect the fire control parts in the receiver to make sure there is no buildup of debris that will hinder operation. Nothing exotic in cleaning and lubing. BTW all the excuses of failures I have experienced with customers ARs have all been answered by cleaning the carbon buildup inside of the bolt carrier and flushing out the debris inside of the lower receiver.

There have been many complaints about Viernam era magazines (the dreaded "tilting follower") but in 54 years of using them I have found that they work ok if loaded with 18 rounds. I will admit I have rebuilt all of my VN era magazines with "non-tilting" followers utilizing original springs.

The replacement barrels I buy have the "M4 feed" modification. Never have a problem feeding.

I follow the above procedure cleaning those "super reliable" AKs too. (I don't own any AKs, but I respect the cartridge in US commercial version soft point for hunting white tail deer, it's as good as a tutty tutty).

 

[bigbillyboy]

I was a big believer that steel case ammo would not hurt a Pistol. Preached against all the things I thought were baloney against using it.
Well after shooting thousands of rounds in quality Pistols. I hereby state I WAS WRONG!
And I will NEVER use steel case ammo in a Pistol again. Not worth it. Spend a little more.
AR's I could not tell you. Don't shoot them enough to make a decision.

What happened by using steel case ammo , just curious ?

 

[Mobuck]

Steel case ammo?
Once upon a time, a young guy asked for the cheapest 9mm ammo I could sell him. A few days later, he was back and not happy. Seems his 9mm handgun had a somewhat oversized chamber and the steel cases weren't working out. Results varied between gas blow back and split cases. Sorry kid, you asked for cheap and that's what's cheap.
Much depends of chambers, shooting speed, and stuff like that. I use Hornady 'Steel Match' in my EDC AR that rides on the UTV. Reason: the steel cases aren't worth anything but they will corrode away in time vs brass. I don't even look for cases scattered during the infrequent shot opportunities for which this rifle is meant. I've never had an issue with using the steel cases. Some may say steel is hard on extractors. OK maybe in 25-30 years I've shot enough to need a new extractor--otherwise another non-issue. This rifle is seldom fired more than 2-3 times per use so there's no real problems.
Another shooter with different use parameters may find different results.

 

[unodemo]

Spend the $ on a good 5.56 barrel, BCG, and FCG. Everything else is negotiable. My AR pattern builds use BA barrels, a quality MPI inspected BCG, and RA LE-145 FCG's. Keep the BCG wet and you're good to go. Each one I build has to survive a several hundred round any-ammo-goes burn down *and* competition before that build is good enough to depend on. Once it's built and reliable, that operating system is locked in. I selected one to be 'the one'. It has only what it needs and nothing that it doesn't. I don't fiddle with it. I know what it's going to do when I pick it up. I also know it is just a tool and disposable. If that has to happen, then I destroy the sight system, pull the BCG, and bug out.

 

[GasGuzzler]

The AK-47 is one of the most reliable semi auto's out there..... but it probably can't hit the side of a barn at 300yds with crap steel case corrosive ammo....

I think the AR has evolved as a very accurate rifle with good ammo.....but I've had my fair share of issues with jams, misfeeds etc with crappy ammo...

and my Mini 14 eats anything......I don't think it has ever jammed or misfed...... ( except for the time I tried using a non-factory Promag )

The AK is the most reliable. I said that already. And you have only been reading the internet if you think they are inaccurate by nature. Only the crappy ones don't shoot. And yes, good ones used to be available for cheap. Remember the WASR's at $300? Yes, $300 was high and a common price. My Yugo is worth 4X what I paid, it's accurate, and I've only had it a few years. All depends on what you get and when.

 

[Sam Summey]

The AK-47 is one of the most reliable semi auto's out there..... but it probably can't hit the side of a barn at 300yds with crap steel case corrosive ammo....

I think the AR has evolved as a very accurate rifle with good ammo.....but I've had my fair share of issues with jams, misfeeds etc with crappy ammo...

and my Mini 14 eats anything......I don't think it has ever jammed or misfed...... ( except for the time I tried using a non-factory Promag )

I had a WASR 10 once, briefly, tried it out at 100 yds prone with a sling, it shot a 2.5" group for 10 rounds. The ammo was Bulgarian corrosive, I thought it was acceptable accuracy for the type. It was sitting in the rack and a fellow came by that wanted it worse than I did.

 

[Actnbill]

I've owned several of the Century AK's SKS's etc..... and they were just ok..... they cycled well but just weren't that accurate....

Plus all that cheap imported ammo is pretty much gone ..... ( I think most has been banned )

Now I see AR's flooding the shelves of local gun stores .... at least they are fairly accurate rifles and very customizable....

 

[DoorKicker]

Hundreds of thousands would disagree with you. I carried an M4 for 2 tours in Iraq and it never let me down

 

[GasGuzzler]

I've owned several of the Century AK's SKS's etc..... and they were just ok..... they cycled well but just weren't that accurate....

Plus all that cheap imported ammo is pretty much gone ..... ( I think most has been banned )

Now I see AR's flooding the shelves of local gun stores .... at least they are fairly accurate rifles and very customizable....

There's the issue. Centurys are made in the USA and generally thought of as bad copies of Eurasian rifles. If you would have invested in a Yugo, Chinese, Egyptian, or Russian AK ... it would have likely surprised you.

 

[Actnbill]

An Egyptian ak ( or whatever ) just doesn't appeal to me....

I would Much rather have a USA made AR platform for 1/2 the price that'll outshoot any ak all day long....

My Rock River 223 Wylde and 308.... outshoot my M1a right out of the box.... and there ain't no way ANY AK on the planet outshoots an M1a