Why did Ruger discontinue the SR556?

[Stats Shooter]

So I just got a great deal, $900 for an Ruger Sr556 20" varmint rifle. I also have an SR 762. But I noticed that the Sr 556 varmint is no longer being made....in fact neither is the Sr 556C or the economy model. Only the Sr556 takedown and the newer "economy" AR 556 which is a DI gun (not piston) and can be had for about $600.

This is just me speculating but could it be sales? Because the SR 556 20" stainless steel varmint piston driven gun is a tack driver. And the 16" fluted and 16" economy rifles are loved by their owners.

[Old Bill Dibble]

It wasn't because they were selling too many.

[Stats Shooter]

That is my guess. I'm thinking that while they were worth their cost in terms of quality and materials, they were priced above the average consumer. And , they didn't have AR brand name like Danial Defense , LRT etc.
The budget crowd, who doesn't care about fit/finish and accuracy or brand want a <$750 gun.
Maybe the gas piston thing isn't as big a draw as they thought, except in the 762. But all I can say is that I own an SR762 and now a Sr556 varmint and they are smooth, accurate, and a pleasure to shoot.

[tahunua001]

they didn't sell well, and it's tough to get into the AR game when your intro model is a 2000 dollar piston gun, with a reputation for BCG tilt. the AR556 got rid of the bolt tilt issue and the high pricetag that made the SR556 sell so poorly. I like ruger as a company and own several of their fine products but the SR556 was a terrible idea from the start.

[bamaranger]

Be it an AR pattern rifle, or the finest BP revolver ever made (the Old Army), Ruger's logic is the same.......if the product doesn't turn the profit they want, it's gone. To do that, they have to sell "X" number at "X" price, and their discontinued models (all of them) failed the math test. Old Ruger (with Bill) made some niche firearms that nobody else would make, likely 'cause Bill said so. I've read at least one commentary by Bill Ruger stating words to the effect "we will make "X" gun as long as I'm running things." Bill Ruger and that mindset is gone. New Ruger (w/o Bill), operates exclusively as initially stated. My take on it...not been to a Board meeting.

The other part of the equation is two fold:

1) It seems that as a culture (shooters) are satisfied with the original direct impingement/gas system on the AR. As a culture, we tend to resist change.
2) As noted by others, we're cheap, who wants/can drop 2K on a rifle, when a serviceable model can be had for less than half that? Note the rapid growth of the price point bolt rifle (like Rugers "American").

[DPris]

Ruger rep says it was replaced with the takedown version as more value for the money.
Denis

[Skans]

The trend is away from AR piston guns and Ruger realizes this. The piston guns just can't compete with the DI in price, they are not as easy to modify and have spare parts for, and there isn't any real proven difference in performance.

[Fishbed77]

Google "carrier tilt."

[Stats Shooter]

"Google carrier tilt"

Carrier tilt is a red herring by DI die hards. It was a minor issue in some guns several years ago after thousands of rounds in specific rifles with loose tolerances. The original SR556 had issues with it in select guns. Since then Ruger, HK, Sig and Larue have all addressed this with guide rails and sloped bolt carriers....some even use ramps. In high quality uppers and lowers, it isn't an issue there are also heavy after market tubes and buffers if you are converting a DI lower to a piston gun....so it isn't that.

Also, if u Google carrier tilt, look at the dates of the posts. Almost all are 2012 or older.

The fact is, piston guns ARE cleaner, just as reliable if not more so, and have less recoil on avg....the drawbacks are primarily weight and cost.

[Rangerrich99]

I bought a Ruger SR 556E back before the world went AR crazy the first time, but apparently after Ruger fixed the tilt thing. The one issue I have with it is its weight. For an Ar it's kinda heavy.

Otherwise, it has been very reliable, and very accurate, capable of less than 1 MOA accuracy if I can do my part. So much so, that it has become my primary prairie dog rifle, with my longest shot to date 458 yards. Bottom line, I'm very happy with it.

However, as to the OP, I think everyone's right; it just costs too much to make/sell for most the average consumer.

[Carne Frio]

I have a half a dozen ARs and my favorite
is the Ruger SR 556C. A little heavy but it
shoots accurately and is reliable.

[Quentin2]

When I was examining a Ruger SR-556 years ago and saw the unshrouded firing pin I handed the rifle back to the nice man behind the counter. An unforgivable blunder on Ruger's part.

The AR-556 has the same problem but at least finding a proper carrier or complete BCG is easier. Still, for me this problem in either rifle is a dealbreaker.

I suppose their legal staff thought it was a good idea.

[Fishbed77]

Since then Ruger, HK, Sig and Larue have all addressed this with guide rails and sloped bolt carriers....some even use ramps.

Sloped bolt carriers and the like only serve to hide the results of carrier tilt, but do not address the inherent causes.

[Stats Shooter]

Right fishbed77....but if all the potential symptoms of carrier tilt are treated or eliminated, but the "disease" persists, then who cares? That's like saying you shouldn't put a bigger engine in your muscle car because it will need a beefier transmission and better suspension.....if you can afford it, go for it. Because it does have advantages

[johnwilliamson062]

the SR556 was a terrible idea from the start.

That. Really. I believe the idea was to have a niche that was just a little bit different. Like the mini, but not quite as different. It didn't work out.

[TMD]

With three panic buys in the last 8 years and no national ban ever materializing the market is more flooded with AR's than it ever has been in its history. Sadly unlike automobiles where consumers will pay almost double the price of a base model for the convenience of having all the bells and whistles in a fully loaded model they look at AR's as being all the same and shop for the cheapest one they can find only to spend $$$ later on installing features they wish it came with.

[Stats Shooter]

TMD I think hit the nail on the head. Market is flooded with AR's. I'm not sure even another panic buy could clear the surplus of AR's available.
The other thing is, I think the complete rifle market is slow. Once you have a few lower configurations you like, there is no reason to buy complete rifles anymore.

[tahunua001]

not necessarily. I have 3 different ARs at the moment, a carbine in 7.62x39mm, a carbine in 9mm, and a rifle in 6.5 grendel. each has a unique setup.

the x39 has a free floated carbine length handguard and collapsable buttstock.
the 9mm has non free float, carbine length handguard and fixed buttstock.
the grendel has a rifle length free float and fixed buttstock.

all 3 are home builds.

this is the complete rifle I just ordered.


mid length barrel, rifle length free floated hand guard, collapsable buttstock, 223 wylde. the only thing I intend to change out is the pistol grip which is easy enough.