Friday, May 15, 2009

Up To The Minute...


...well, as close to the minute as I can get, which often isn't very close at all.

Yeah, it's an AR. It's a nice AR, and not a "me-too." But at $2000, it is pricey. However, one of the other bloggers broke it down for me pretty well tonight on the high end component parts on the Ruger...the Troy quad rail, covers and folding sights, the Hogue grip, the 3 P-Mags and carrying case, not to mention the patent-pending gas piston system. 

Which, BTW, works extremely well...we put a bunch (like hundreds) of rounds through the gun at Ben Avery Range Thursday, from soft South African ball that won't run a bunch of my ARs (but will run in the gas piston FNH FS2000) to Winchester white box 55-grain, to Federal Lake City ball to Hornady TAPS. We could juggle the 4 position adjustable gas setting (using a 5.56 cartridge) and get anything to run. We also ran it in position 0, single shot, good for a very quiet suppressor. Again, no problems.

Anyway, high quality parts and the gas system translates into the price tag.  It puts the Ruger in the same price league as the Sig556 (from $1800-2400, depending on model), the POFs, and the rumored pricing on the H-k MR556 due later this year.

What gas is vented vents out the bottom of the gas block, which is a good thing. Some of the other piston guns vent the small amount of gas to the right or left (or adjustable in either direction) which does, in my albeit limited experience push the gun slightly in the opposite direction of the vented gas. Not a big issue, but one I've seen in two other gas piston guns.

Otherwise...ran fine; handled fine...Tom Hines from Tac-Sol, a veteran 3-gun shooter, said he couldn't tell a difference from any other high-end AR...more later, when we get the video up!


13 comments:

Anonymous said...

well ok close to the minute

Anonymous said...

I *really* like it.

People want an Ruger to make an AR, but when they make one they say "its just another AR" ... well of course it is an AR.

What did they expect? An AR with a gas-delayed blowback operating mechanism? An AR that takes rotary Ruger-style magazines?

Eric said...

Honestly, does the world need another AR? I hope Ruger has the free hats ready...

(This from the guy who's known as "Mr. Ruger" at the local gun store because I have so many Ruger single actions.)

AnarchAngel said...

Eric, I'd say getting Ruger into this market is nothing but a good thing.

In fact I did, in my post on the announcement.

At this point, every major firearms manufacturer makes an AR.

From a purely political perspective, having Ruger in the AR camp is an unambiguously good thing. Do you really think the largest civilian firearms manufacturer in the world is 1.) going to get into manufacturing an AR if they think it's going to be banned shortly thereafter and 2.) going to allow their millions of dollars in tooling and marketing expenses to go down the drain without a fight?

Anonymous said...

"Rugerfor responsible gun owners."

Anonymous said...

Not excited but I'm not really into EBR's anyway. I have an AK and that serves my purpose.

At some point tho the market is going to be saturated with these things and then a weeding out will occur.

ericire12 said...

Minute of elephant

Dan said...

Still waiting for Ruger to make a PM9 pistol. LOL.

nj_larry said...

Chris Byrne said: Do you really think the largest civilian firearms manufacturer in the world...Since when did Ruger become the LARGEST CIVILIAN firearms manufacturer? For all their guns they did approx. 175M in rev. in 2008. The last public filing on Remington had them around 500M.
Take a look at the Ruger 10K from Feb. And this is just US companies. I wouldn't even begin to venture what the big European firms do...

You guys keep believing all the marketing BS on the web and from the companies.

Anonymous said...

The Ruger hate needs to stop. It is not the same company it was.

I am not a fan boy and have been very critical of ruger in the past on my blog but as far as I am concerned they have sorted almost of their issues.

My last issue with Ruger is the price of the new high capacity Mini-14 magazines.

Dan said...

Ruger hate should stop. SR9, LCP, LCR and now the AR. This is not Bill's company anymore. Let it go.

gullyborg said...

It's pretty, but for the price I'd rather have 3 Ranch Rifles.

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