Lighten SR-556

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jlewis406

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I have a Ruger SR-556. I enjoy the rifle but the only gripe I have with it is the weight. I have an EoTech and FTS 3X magnifier on top, so this only adds to the weight. It's a good bench gun, but I want to use it in 3-Gun since it is my only AR that I would trust to be reliable enough. I would really like to lighten this rifle. Does anyone have any genius level ideas that don't require trading the gun in or the optics? I like the optics set up, just want to make the gun swing better and not burn out my shoulder and forearm. If anyone knows of anybody that makes some aftermarket parts that will fit the SR that would be awesome.
 
It is what it is.
It weighs 8 pounds empty, and closer to 10 with dual optics & a full mag.

Piston guns have more weight foreword effecting swing, the SR-556 has a fairly heavy barrel, and re-barreling them with a lighter barrel isn't quite the home workshop project a Gas Impingement AR-15 is.

SO, I don't know anything you can change that would make any meaningful difference.

rc
 
Curls and pushups will make the gun swing and come up easier. Outside of that, it is pretty hard to lighten the gun.
 
There are three things that make that rifle heavy, and swing poorly. First is the quad rail. Standard handguards would be much lighter. Second is the piston system. A DI system would be lighter, and remove weight from the front of the gun. Third, the Ruger has a heavy-ish barrel. Pretty much the only way to change these two things would be to either swap uppers or the complete gun, which you said that you really didn't want to do. Unless you change your mind, the weight is going to be the nature of the beast.
 
There really is not to much you can do as stated above with out replacing barrel or switching uppers maybe.
I work out... jk
 
Sell it and buy a Colt 6940.

SP6940 Specifications
caliber
5.56x45 NATO (.223 Rem.)

weight
6.79 lbs (3.07 kg)

overall length (stock retracted)
32 in. (81.28 cm)

overall length (stock extended)
35.5 in. (90.17 cm)

barrel length
16.1 in. (40.89 cm)
 
Well the Elcan SpecterDR was a little out of my price range, so that's why I went with dual optics. I honestly didn't think it would weigh as much as it does. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess. Yes, the barrel is rather beefy I thought about getting the barrel fluted but I don't really know how that would effect it. I also thought about replacing the handguards with something lighter but I can't find anyone. Damn proprietary technology! I guess I could dig out the Drimmel and trim up the insides of the handguards.

Thank's for the input guys. I will have to double up on my Crossfit days.
 
Isn't the quad-rail removable, or is it some one-piece thing? If so, at least get rid of that for a light-weight simple rail system. Also, do you use both sighting systems frequently? Finally, what kind of supressor/brake do you have on it? Though it's small, it's at the end of the lever-arm and could affect the swing rate.
Just tryin' to help.
B
 
Sell it and buy a Colt 6940.

SP6940 Specifications
caliber
5.56x45 NATO (.223 Rem.)

weight
6.79 lbs (3.07 kg)

overall length (stock retracted)
32 in. (81.28 cm)

overall length (stock extended)
35.5 in. (90.17 cm)

barrel length
16.1 in. (40.89 cm)
This. Or, there's the Smith and Wesson PSX. 6.5 lbs.
Gas piston weighs more, but they run cooler, cleaner, longer. Weights the trade off.
6940 and PSX are pretty light for GP.
 
It would be fairly easy to pop out the spring pins with a punch and hammer. I would just have to find the same size when putting it back together because the spring pins are one time use only. I am looking at the gun and it appears that most of the weight is a combination of the barrel and gas block. That thing is pretty beefy compared to a DI block. So I can't trim that dude down, but can probably get away with cutting some weight off of the barrel. I have the FB model so I can cut the barrel down a but and flute the barrel. If anyone knows of an after market hand guard that will somehow fit this gun, that would be great. I honestly don't think I could sell the gun for what I would need to get into a solid, reliable DI gun. Anyone wanna buy it, or the upper? Hahaha.
 
I have the SR556E model which has only the top rail. I did add the bottom rail, but left the sides alone so I presume that this makes the rifle lighter than the full quad-rail model. With the EOTech XPS2-0 sight it weighs in at about 8.5 lbs. By comparison my Mini 14 (wood stock) is about 6.7 lbs or so.
 
King John wrote:
There really is not to much you can do as stated above with out replacing barrel or switching uppers maybe.
I work out... jk

Certain Deaf wrote:
Be the popeyed one. Spinach

K1500 wrote:
Curls and pushups will make the gun swing and come up easier.

I know these comments may have been a little "Tongue-in-cheek", but there is some wisdom here.

IMHO, it's only ten pounds. Make your body harder, faster, and stronger. Ten pounds shouldn't be an issue.
 
While the gun is a little on the heavy side it feels even heavier because the weight is forward. Is the gas block permanently attached? If not, assuming the barrel is not proprietary, the biggest weight reduction would be had by replacing with a pencil barrel.
 
DSC05391.jpg

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Not mine, but owner claims just over 8# as seen with full mag of 5.56. New barrel is .625" under the forearm. Rebarreled to for a faster twist to stabilize some long bullets.
 
If you move the gas block it will change the pressure in the tube and will change the cycle rate of the firearm
 
Do you have a verticle grip? I had the same problem that you have. I picked up a verticle grip and the sr balanced right out? I know it sounds wrong but try it. It was $20 dollars for the grip as a last ditch effort to make it more shootable. I was freaked out at first because it felt like a different gun. Try it out for $20, if you still don't like it trade it in and look for something lighter. I had thought about trading it in but I didn't and I'm happy with it now.
 
That's a beast of an AR OP. Mine (standard DI rifle, 14.5" bbl, standard handguard) is just over 7lbs with an aimpoint micro. IMO that is how an AR should be... lightweight. I don't have anything against piston guns (I have several that have them, not AR platforms though), but them and quad rails only add weight to a rifle, without providing any significant advantages.
 
helium balloons. plus, when the match is over, you can give them to kids! or use them as targets. the balloons, not the kids.
 

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I do have a VFG sitting in my gun junk box. I have avoided using it because I just do not like them. I might give it another whirl. If I could get $1200 for the gun I'd gladly sell it or trade it for a 6.5lb AR that I felt I could trust my life to after it's been through the ringer.

Does anyone know about those roll pins on the handguard? I know traditionally roll pins are single use only such as in the GAU-2 (Dillon M134), but would I be able to get by with reusing them if I didn't mash them up too bad on removal?
 
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