DId it turn out as a marketing flop :Ruger 556

[nathan]

I didnt heard much after it was advertised last year .

http://www.ruger.com/products/sr556/index.html?r=y

 

[R.W.Dale]

IMO it was a case of bad timing.

Ruger has a great rifle with the 5.56 unfortunately it came out right before the bottom fell out of the black rifle feeding frenzy. So in this respect the ruger isn't alone as being a recently introduced black rifle that's hit the market pool belly first

 

[aka108]

Too late getting into the market. It should have gotten no further than the drawing board. Market is flooded with AR types, so many of them that you get tired of seeing'em.

 

[husker]

it was way to much that i do remember

 

[GunsBeerFreedom]

IMO, they should have done a high end AK rather than a decent AR.

 

[BridgeTooFar]

If it were significantly closer to $1000 in actual price, I'd own one today.

I just think it is a combination of the factors listed above that made it a less than stellar success story. Bad timing, high price, market flooded with variants just like it; all that came together to make it essentially flop (at least as compared to other Ruger successes of the recent past).

 

[greyeyezz]

The Sig 516 was an even bigger flop.

 

[kwelz]

Bad timing and a mediocre gun. It isn't really an AR and that turned a lot of people off. I don't have a problem with them myself but feel that for the money there are a lot better options.

 

[Carter]

I saw one at a gun show for $14XX (don't remember exact price). I was extremely tempted. It seems those people who have one love them. The lower supposedly has a crappy trigger, but thats the only real downside. Ruger's semi's haven't been known for their accuracy (mini-14's) and the other factors listed above led to less buying. Also, it seems piston AR's are held with a large amount of skepticism, that mixed with this being Ruger's first AR with a package that is almost too good to be true probably turned a lot of people away.

I'd get one if it came with a better trigger or they actually started releasing the uppers they promised a while back.

 

[Mot45acp]

Around here they were $1399. Came with KAC rails with covers, front and rear sights, Magpul CTR, 3 PMAGS, and soft case. You would be hard pressed to build a new, chrome lined, piston driven (with regulator) AR with a lifetime warranty from a reputable company for that.

The only problem I saw was typical of Ruger. Had shavings all in the action. Nothing an air compressor wouldnt solve.

I dont own one but I would love to. This would prolly be the piston AR that I would buy.I just never have $1400 at once for the gun budget.
So I just buy parts. I would be happy with just the upper.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Came with KAC rails with covers, front and rear sights, Magpul CTR, 3 PMAGS, and soft case. You would be hard pressed to build a new, chrome lined, piston driven (with regulator)

If that's what you're after, it's a decent deal. I'd rather have a DI with normal handguards and spend that extra $500 or so on more mags and a case of ammo.

 

[ArmedBear]

Nothing an air compressor wouldnt solve.

That may be, but the feel of the Hawkeye action sent me straight to the Winchester rack for a new Model 70, which I happily paid more for (and I want another one or two ).

When you buy an item that costs more than a bag of chips, and that you hope to enjoy for many years, impressions do matter. I wasn't going to trust that the Ruger would feel better after I screwed with it.

I'd rather have a DI with normal handguards

Yeah. I keep thinking about getting rails, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what I'd hang on them that I wouldn't just as soon attach in some other way (or not at all). The AR is all about choices. You don't build one to match the Ruger: you build one to match what you WANT.

 

[dobeman]

at $1500 it's just too freaking expensive. Maybe when prices - not just Ruger prices - come back down to earth, they'll sell a few.

 

[TheHossUSMC]

I bought a Ruger SR556 and don't regret one minute of it. With troy quad rails, troy front and back BUIS magpul collapsable stock, hogue grip, 3 p mags, a soft case that I can fit my Yugo AK in as well as my 556 and a full profile barrel you can't beat the price. It runs like a frieght train through wolf ammo, I love it. Only changes I made was ergo ladder rails instread of the troy rail guards, magpul afg, vortex flash hider, and a single point sling attachment. Oh yea the chrome plated bolt carrier group and bolt stay flawless for tons of rounds! Yea the dirt ends up at the front of the gun but it's a hell of a lot easier to clean.

 

[CoRoMo]

Bad timing for sure and the market is overly saturated with less expensive alternatives too. It never had a chance of being the type of runaway hit that the LCP or LCR became. That being said, I think it is a good gun and the price, when I see it in the $1,300-$1,400 range, is about right IMO. So, I hope it hangs around, but if it doesn't, no big deal. I might end up with one someday, might not. There are just so many options out there.

 

[Mot45acp]

TheHossUSMC said:

With troy quad rails, troy front and back BUIS

You sir are correct. I confused Troy with KAC, my mistake.

 

[rangerruck]

I agree with all that has been written here thus far , when it comes to all the good things being said about it. But it does have a good bit of proprietary parts to it, so if you are expecting much interchange ability with an ar, you can forget that. But then it is well built from the ground up, and I think they did a very good job of it.

 

[-dW]

My buddy has an Ruger 556 and I've shot it a few times.. It is an awful nice rifle and it is pretty well tricked out so that somebody could buy it and hit the ground running with a custom-ish rifle.. but yeah the price doesn't make it any outstanding value in the market, especially to somebody who would be inclined to customize their own rifle or who wasn't looking for all of those features..

I think some people in the market for a rifle like that may also remember that Bill Ruger was a big proponent of the Assault Weapons Ban and felt that guns like that really didn't belong in civilian's hands.. I think people should stick to what they know best instead of always trying to use their positions in life as a pulpit, but I digress..

That said, the 556 really is a well made rifle and Ruger's other recent additions to their catalog like the SR9 and the new additions to the 10/22 family to name a few are all outstanding in their own ways and I like the direction Ruger is headed in..

 

[JR47]

at $1500 it's just too freaking expensive.

Most everyone admits to paying $1399, or less.

 

[ThomasT]

Market is flooded with AR types, so many of them that you get tired of seeing'em.

Thank you. I feel the same way.

 

[Rexster]

Well, around here, they have tended to sell immediately upon arrival at the dealers, and then the dealers waited forever for the distributor to get more. If they are flopping, it is not occurring at the dealer-to-consumer level. I could never even get to look at one, when I was somewhat interested. My interest in the the AR15 has largely waned. (I do own an HBAR, and am only looking at carbine-length and middy uppers nowadays.)

I just checked Davidson's inventory; they have 13 of the #5902-RUG, and are out of the #5904-RUG. I have no idea what the difference is between the two models. Thirteen is not a huge inventory for Ruger's largest distributor.

 

[BamAlmighty]

the SR-556 can hardly be called a flop, it has been a success for Ruger and despite the current economic downturn, sells well for its price.

 

[Uncle Mike]

the SR-556 can hardly be called a flop, it has been a success for Ruger and despite the current economic downturn, sells well for its price.

.....it has been a success for Ruger.

According to some of the Ruger clan, it has been something for Ruger, but not a success!

.....and despite the current economic downturn, sells well for its price.
Not in our shops, matter o' fact, the SR is the 'slowest' mover of all the piston drive AR's

The design is sound, as is most of what Ruger does, but the piston AR's are not generating the enthusiasm and sales we all expected.

 

[ArmedBear]

the piston AR's are not generating the enthusiasm and sales we all expected.

Why was this expected?

The Army is swapping out M4 barrels, but not changing to piston gas systems while the guns are being worked on. Apparently, the military does not see DI as the problem that marketers claim it is.

As a result, there's no standard for piston-driven ARs. There are several proprietary systems, including Ruger's. I'll bet that, if the US military adopted a system, it would sell like hotcakes. However, unless that happens, this remains a niche market for tinkerers.

While Ruger's CS has been great for me, and I've had them send parts to me for free, no questions asked, they are also known for "factory-only" parts and repairs. Personally, I don't buy an AR so I can mail it to Ruger if something breaks!

Finally, I still figure that the market for >$1000 ARs is oriented towards customizing, not upscale take-it-or-leave-it configurations. The AR is a relatively expensive peashooter -- but it's downright cheap as a custom rifle due to its modular construction.

 

[ny32182]

If it is a POS, then any price is too much, but assuming it is not... it is the best bang for the buck in the marketplace. I think this is the first time I've heard anyone say it is overpriced. It is at least $500 less than most of the competition, and if you look at the retail cost of all the stuff it comes with, you are getting the base piston rifle (no handguards) for sub-$1k.