Conversations at the Ammo Bench

I don’t know how YOU do it…

But when “Me and the Tribe” sit down in front of our RCBS and C-H Mark Reloading Machines to reload a few rounds, we talk about everything under the sun.

Now, we ain’t “politically correct,” or “grammatically correct.” In fact, most of our wife’s will tell you (without missing a breath) that “We just ain’t right…”

Confidentially… It’s why we reload out in the garage, and not in the family room, where we can see the TV!

Recently, we were trying to push out a few handgun rounds, and the “D.C. Holocaust Museum Murder” became the topic of conversation.

Frustratingly enough, it wasn’t to mourn the loss of a security guard that was just doing his job…  the conversation was more about how people twist whatever they can, to blame ALL firearm owners for any act committed by your garden variety whacko…

Of course I’m talking about…

The Right to Bear Firearms vs. the “right to lie” to the Nation…

After that nut-job (who never should have been released from prison in the first place) stormed the Holocaust Center in DC, and shot up the place, killing one Security Guard in the process, those knuckleheads at The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence issued a press release blaming the holocaust shooting on Heller.

The CSGV has repeatedly ranted and warned anyone that will listen that there’s a really dangerous ascendancy of the insurrectionist idea, which was recently embraced by the Supreme Court in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller.

They say that “We believe that this year’s string of shootings is not a series of random occurrences but part of a new, loosely-knit political movement characterized by the slogan “the guys with the guns make the rules.” This is an incredibly dangerous idea that has real consequences for our democracy and society.”

Bullshit!

I never ceased to be amazed at the lengths that people will go to, in order to spew their misguided propaganda and force their fears into rational people’s realities. I’m really just in awe of the sheer audacity of this “logic.”

Heller, which let people jump through tons of hoops in order to REGISTER handguns (and had absolutely nothing to do with rifles) can’t possibly be responsible for a whack-job illegally bringing a gun into DC and then illegally carrying it into a federal facility within a National Park, no less.  But, according to CSGV, somehow Heller and gun rights people are responsible.

And they wonder why no one takes them seriously anymore…

And now, on to some more “serious news!”

The Ruger SR556

Okay, so you didn’t have to sit around with baited breath waiting for this one… Anyone watching Cable TV knows that the incredible rise in popularity of the civilian AR platform definitely caught the attention of those gunmakers not on board the AR train. Ruger, not one to be left behind, has just announced their version—the SR556.

This rifle rocks!  Sturm, Ruger & CO. are one the most brilliant and iconic firearms manufaturers in the history of American firearms manufacturing. And you can bet that this rifle will only add to the passion. Ruger barrels are manufactured in house. That isn’t typical from typical AR-15 manufacturers. The gas-port system isn’t “typical” either. Granted,  there are other piston driven AR-15’s out there, but the consensus view and fact of the matter is, the majority of piston driven AR-15’s are garbage. We needed a company to redifine this system. My hat’s off to Ruger.

Please pass the sunscreen. Shaved heads don’t like direct sunlight.

To the ‘already too many AR’s on the market’ whiner’s out there:  There is a REASON there are so many AR makers now. THEY SELL. It’s become the civilian weapon of choice, in the US. Ruger is a business, remember? They want a piece of that pie. I can’t blame them a bit.

At first glance, it looks like most other ARs, but inside… Oh baby! This isn’t your “run of the mill” AR rifle. Nuh-uh!

First off ,  AR’s use a fairly simple gas-port system, where a little bit of gas is siphoned off mid-barrel through a gas block then channeled directly to the bolt. This works, but it’s not the best design going. 

Ruger uses  a dual piston set-up with it’s SR556. Using pistons instead of straight gas isn’t a new concept, but the patented Ruger system takes it one better by using two pistons and a rotating (adjustable) gas block. This is cool, because it  lets you control the size of the port, and that regulates the amount of gas that’s sent to the pistons. Cool, huh?

That dual system set-up let’s you custom tune the cycling rate for different ammo. Why is this important? Well, anyone who’s ever had jamming problems trying to shoot 32 to 40-grain .223 loads will appreciate this feature. The adjustable gas block should resolve a lot of those” jamming issues.”

The lower unit on the SR556 is said to be compatible with any AR magazines, grips, buttstock and trigger assemblies, meaning it should be pretty much standard issue. Not having gotten my sweaty mitts on one yet, I’m not sure if  other “uppers”  will be compatible.

Troy Industries will be supplying a lot of the components. Now some of those components are pretty standard, but some  will be produced exclusively for this rifle. The SR556 is loaded with accessory picatinny rails and features a Troy Industries Quad hand guard with rail covers to protect your hand when shooting. Good stuff!

The rifle is supplied with three 30-round Magpul magazines, along with a set of Troy-folding, removable battle sights. The 16 1/8 inch heavy chrome-lined barrel is chambered for 5.56 NATO, but it will easily handle all commercial .223 factory loadings.

With a magazine installed, the Ruger SR556 tips the scales at a tad over eight pounds.

Ruger makes reliable weapons and stands behind them with excellent customer service, so I suspect the Ruger SR556 will be a pretty popular item. In fact, the only thing that many of us worry about is the “renowned Ruger customer service.”

I’m gonna come off like I’m singing with the choir but to paraphrase somebody (Keith Applegate) else I read recently on the topic;

Ruger has a long standing policy that deals with modified weapons;

(a)They either flat refuse to work on any Ruger branded firearm that has been altered with aftermarket parts or;

(b) when your weapon comes home, you find out that they’ve replaced all your expensive aftermarket or “modified parts” with official “genuine Ruger” factory parts.

(But let’s be real, shall we? The AR-15 is the 1911 of the rifle world, at least in the US. I know that some will say it’s the AK47, but here in Bubbaville, we see more AR’s than Chinese potshooters. Your mileage may vary. Getting back to the point I’m trying to make, the three most adaptable/modifiable gizmos in the civilized world are the PC computer, the 1911 pistol and the AR-15 rifle. All three are capable of, and constantly, handing tasks never imagined by their creators.)

And the #1 reason most people buy an AR is the ability to build/rebuild/modify it exactly the way you want it. Hopefully Ruger will realize this and give their loyal followers some latitude when it comes to factory service. For in order to survive it today’s marketplace they will have to, or perish by the sword they forge.

Here’s the bottom line; If you want to “mainstream” a weapon, you build the hell out of it. And that’s exactly what weapons manufacturers have down with the AR. If you see one, it’s evil. If you see hundreds of them, after a while, it’s just another rifle. Remington “reworked” a Bushmaster, and even gave it some color.

The point is, AR’s are everywhere, and a lot of people shoot them. That means a lot of good for gun-owners. I can’t see any Republican or Democrat trying to take AR’s down the AK path. It’d cost them their office, and all those lobbyist paychecks and gifts.

Like many others, I welcome the new Ruger and say “The more, the merrier!”

My only bitch is that law restricting the sale of more than 3 magazines per rifle. I’d like to have at least 10. Looks like I’m going after-market shopping…

What does this little gem cost? Well, MSRP is $1,995.00. Ouch! But, if you shop, you’ll find them going for considerably less. Figure on about $1,600 a copy. Pricey, but you get a quality weapon, with a good reputation behind it!

I did initially have a problem with the almost $2000 MSRP. But, if you look at it closely, that’s “out-of-the-box, ready for tactical application minus your optics system.”

If you take the base price of almost any AR model, and then add to it the folding sights, rail system, a Hogue handgrip, plus three 30-round Magpul magazines… yo’d be over $2000 on a good day.

And some guys poo-poo the rails, because “they don’t hang anything on their ‘carry weapons’.” Oh, Boo Hoo! If nothing else, that rail is ideal for customizing the handguard grip surface, and it looks good, too! Give me a “rail-less AR” and I’ll show you an unworthy AR.”

This pricepoint seems to compete rather advantageously with the LMT (Lewis Machine & Tool) CQB piston rifle, a monster rifle with basically the same price point and same quality.

Even though I wish it had come cheaper, Ruger will likely sell every one one of them they can produce, in a very short time, at that price point, for the next couple of years.

BTW: @ IMPACT Gun Company – $1,400.00 and change, out the door.

I talked to the owner of Impact Guns and he said he was killing prairie dogs past 350 yards with a straight 10x scope. That’s impressive. And he’s not lying, you can see his experience with it on their website.

$1,400 isn’t so bad. At that price, I may try to buy TWO. Hey, I can dream, huh?

Stay tuned!

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