"Entry-level" AR: Ruger AR-556 or S&W M&P15 Sport II Update: purchase made

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January 31, 2018, 06:33 PM

egregore

"Entry-level" AR: Ruger AR-556 or S&W M&P15 Sport II Update: purchase made

Would the non-standard delta ring prevent a different handguard from being used? I have seen the Ruger with different styles of handguards. There was one with Magpul "furniture" for about $30 more.

I wonder why the Mini-14 costs so much more. I had one in the early 2000s. 100% reliable with brass-cased .223 and factory magazines, but between the federal AWB in effect then, the California magazine ban that came online in 2000, and old man Ruger still being in charge, five-rounders were the only ones you could get. An aftermarket 10-round I tried was complete crap, not even feeding the first round - the bolt overrode the base of the cartridge. New Mini-14s remove all those objections and are also set up for 5.56.

January 31, 2018, 07:29 PM

Bisleyblackhawk

Nope...the specs are the same on the delta rings, except that the Ruger is threaded...I replaced the standard Ruger hand-guard with the Magpul...
Same with the buttstock...the Ruger buffer tube is mil-spec diameter (as well as the S&W)...just slide the factory off and slide the Magpul (or other) on in its place if you choose to...

About the only thing you will run across on hand-guards will be the length...The Ruger and Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport, Colt 6920, among others, will be carbine length gas systems. There is also a "mid length" and "rifle length" gas system...each one takes a different length hand-guard.

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February 01, 2018, 11:26 PM

FRANKT

I have the Sport II and it's been flawless.
Can't speak to the Ruger.

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February 02, 2018, 10:26 AM

mhughes

30$ for magpul furniture is a good deal for the grip stock and hanguard

February 09, 2018, 06:59 PM

egregore

Planning to make a purchase this weekend. I believe they only come with one magazine. Obviously this isn't enough. What are good brands?

February 09, 2018, 07:47 PM

Leemur

Hard to beat magpul

February 09, 2018, 08:10 PM

Bisleyblackhawk

These are also excellent GI aluminum magazines, either 30 round or the 20 round (I do like the shorter 20 round mags for shooting of a bench)...

http://www.44mag.com/product/o...d/223_ar15_magazines

The Lancer translucent magazine are also great magazines even though they are a little spendy...being able to see your ammo and the steel feed lips are a plus (sometimes Brownell's will run them on sale)...

https://www.brownells.com/maga...30-rd-prod95203.aspx

February 10, 2018, 05:52 PM

egregore

I bought the Ruger today. Also (for now) a second magazine and (also for now) 200 rounds of 5.56 55-gr. FMJ. I'll take it out to the range tomorrow.

quote:
Originally posted by Leemur:
Hard to beat magpul

Interestingly, the one that came with it is a MagPul (30-round). So I got another one just like it.

March 01, 2018, 09:37 AM

chellim1

quote:
I'll take it out to the range tomorrow.

Range report?
Also, how much do you have invested in the entire package?

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March 01, 2018, 08:09 PM

egregore

It took a great deal of cranking down the front sight to get it zeroed, but other than that, ~350 rounds now with no failures to feed, fire or eject.

There was a single failure of the bolt to lock back after the last round, which did not repeat itself. I got three more MagPul mags and a carrying case from Midway.

March 02, 2018, 07:38 AM

soggy_spinout

Late to party as always.

Yours shoots, that's always a good thing. The vast majority of AR-556s work just fine, but we did have a period of time just before Christmas of last year that we had to send in for customers about a half dozen of those back to Ruger for various issues. We not had to do that with a single Sport 2...yet.

March 02, 2018, 03:26 PM

lyman

quote:
Originally posted by soggy_spinout:
Late to party as always.

Yours shoots, that's always a good thing. The vast majority of AR-556s work just fine, but we did have a period of time just before Christmas of last year that we had to send in for customers about a half dozen of those back to Ruger for various issues. We not had to do that with a single Sport 2...yet.

see my post one the first page,