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Overall... I think the Smith has more boxes checked than the Ruger... Not that the Ruger is bad.
The Smith uses a nitride treated barrel... Nitriding does not affect the bore, so it does not affect accuracy. So, everything being equal, it gives up no accuracy, but gains longevity.
The shrouded firing pin help prevent the firing pin from breaking. That was the main problem of not having the firing pin shrouded. The firing pin takes a lot of force when the action cycles when it is not shrouded, this leads to breakage during use.
The proprietary parts on the Ruger are not a concern of mine, they are few in number, minor overall, and useful. They could be replaced if desired.
The smith does have an enlarged trigger guard... its built in, so if you wanted a custom one, then thats a no go. It looks big enough to be useful when wearing gloves.
Overall... they both significantly differ from milspec... and by that... I mean they are below the spec, not better than.
They are entry level rifles. They are not meant to endure harsh training let alone a battlefield...
That isn't to say that they are bad... They could easily be used in a home defense role, and work well at that role. Reliability is the key there.
I would step up to an basic configuration mid length AR from Aero Precision... As those are built well... Close to mil spec. The only difference is really the BCG and barrel are nitride treated. Which isn't really a problem, or even a step down from mil spec.
Might cost about $100 more though... But I think it is likely the best AR in the $600 and under price range right now. Definitely a step up from both the Ruger and Smith...
Unfortunately, if you are wanting to only get one local, most do not have them. You would need to order one online.
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