[ditto1958]

Does any one know if Ruger has said anything officially about the future of the SR-556? I was a little surprised when they dropped all but the takedown model from their website. I'm curious as to whether that will be gone soon also, or, if in fact other versions of the SR-556 are being developed.

 

[GMC XL Denali]

When did they do that? I was just looking at the SR-556 earlier today.

 

[ditto1958]

When did they do that? I was just looking at the SR-556 earlier today.

A month or so ago? The models no longer listed are still available in the "pipeline." Just dropped from Ruger's catalog.

 

[foilist]

They dropped the SR556E when they made the AR556 DI gun. No way the SR556E would sell compared to AR556. I like the takedown model but it costs $2049 on the website. Then the 300 Blackout barrel kit is $449. I like the piston type, cleaner, cooler but I'm looking for a 300 Blackout barrel piston that I could have a local gunsmith put on my rifle. Trouble is most 300 Blackout's are DI. I emailed the Advanced Armaments Corp about a piston 300 and they told me that they had better results in reliability and sound reduction, using DI. Yet Ruger has developed a 300 barrel piston. I wish Ruger would develop a 300 barrel for use in the SR556. They probably won't. Bummer.

 

[bwinters]

I am not sure of the answer.

 

[GMC XL Denali]

I'm really curious about this, since I won't be buying until next spring. I sure hope they're still around!

 

[jwalts27]

One of my buddies works for a local commercial distribution company and said they were not selling well at all. May be the reason.

 

[Sundown Thursday]

They dropped the SR 556 Varmint model too. My LGS had two so, I went up and bought the one in the box $1,499. I'm told it is a tack driver by an acquaintance that has one.

Waiting to get a little extra cash so I can put a decent piece of glass on it. Can't wait!

 

[GMC XL Denali]

Bummer. I was considering building, but figured a finished Ruger firearm with warranty might be the better option. Now what? Build or go S&W or Mossberg?

 

[Whitesheep]

There are several available on Davidson's Gun Genie website. It would be too bad to see this rifle go as I really like mine.

 

[Iowegan]

I think the SR556 is an excellent product ... just too expensive. My guess ... it will likely be discontinued in favor of the much cheaper AR556. Don't be surprised to see additional DI models in the AR556 price range.

 

[GMC XL Denali]

Maybe I'm confused. Did they just drop the piston gun and keep the DI?

 

[1911operator]

Maybe I'm confused. Did they just drop the piston gun and keep the DI?

Yes and no. It appears the dropped all the SR's EXCEPT their takedown model.

 

[chicharrones]

. Don't be surprised to see additional DI models in the AR556 price range.

That sounds like a very good guess.

 

[fboyj]

CDNN is advertising deals on sr556 for approx 1300 bucks. So that probably means it's been discontinued

 

[ditto1958]

It seems kind of sad. I'm sure Ruger put a lot of time, money and effort into those rifles. I suppose there was no way a few years ago that they could have predicted what would happen in the AR market.

Back when dealers could charge $1,200 for a plain jane Colt 6920 and sell every one of them before they even got put on the display rack, it probably was a lot easier to sell a piston Ruger for a few hundred more. Ruger also put expensive features on the SR-556 that folks no longer want to pay for. Expensive metal sights, proprietary handguards, etc.

I wonder, though, if they would put their piston system in an AR-556, and sell it for around $700, if people would buy it?

 

[Varminterror]

Eh, Ruger's stock price is still riding up over 1, 2, 5, and 10yr trend, and doing well on the last 4-6mos also. Moral of the story, they're meeting or beating guidance, so they're not hurting to repurpose their lines against a DI version and dropping a piston gun.

They have the tooling, I'm sure they have a high parts inventory. If they aren't selling right now, why compete with your own AR556 product line? Just drop the product.

 

[Sundown Thursday]

If I were marketing for them I would do just what they have done.

Temporarily suspend sales of the SR556 bring out the AR556 at the lower price point and sell the living crap out of the AR's!

Later, I would at some point, bring the SR back into production because, at that point, there would be a ready made and eager market for the SR's. Not necessarily an upgrade sell but a sell to a more sophisticated firearm.

 

[Maddmax]

I'm not really surprised. As with ALL the piston driven AR's, they were/are doomed for failure from day one regardless of the manufacture. It's because of the (hard to get) proprietary parts and nothing is interchangeable between manufactures like the DI AR's.

"Fan Boys" (for lack of a better word) are Fan Boys and rarely switch sides for another brand. Especially if parts are proprietary to a model. There's just not enough "Fan Boys" to support any one Piston Driven model to support it for any given length of time.

I like all my different piston driven AR's, but not everyone can afford to have one of each. It's also not a feasible investment for someone on a budget looking for 1 or 2 weapons for HD if SHTF, along with easy parts availability if needed. Not to mention running a risk of buying a pricey weapon that (more than likely), will end up being discontinued down the road like many already have.

The manufactures can only blame themselves. They all should of got together and pulled the "Mill Spec Rabbit" out of the hat for a standardized piston driven model and not tried being greedy trying to corner a market that doesn't have corners... A Standardized Piston Driven model would have had a better chance to fit in, in-between the AR fan club and the Mini-14 fan club.

 

[2ffat]

FYI

Ruger is releasing the SR-556e according to this article from Shooting Illustrated.