SR 556 replacement barrel

[HIP SHOT]

I am under the impression that the barrel in the SR556 is "special" to the guns design. Aftermarket barrels will not work
on the gun. Do you then have to send the gun back to Ruger for another barrel? I wonder what they would charge?

Has anyone investigated this?


Hip Shot

 

[dingode]

I have seen a few post about barrels being changed out by gunsmiths.

Here is one that I bookmarked.

http://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index.php/t-89987.html

 

[SteelShooter]

Think the whole upper is special due to the gas piston design. If you put a different upper on it with barrel, think it would work fine... think that is

Any AR gunsmith could quickly tell you, and you can buy uppers at a bunch of on line places

 

[Watergoat]

Well, Ruger sells piston uppers to put on your lower, so it should work just as well the other way.

 

[Richbaker]

The bolt carrier is different in a DI gas upper, as compared to a piston upper. The main difference is that a DI upper bolt carrier has a "carrier key" that the gas tube fits into and makes the gun cycle. The piston upper has a piston in the gas block and an op rod cycles the bolt/carrier.