Ruger 10/22 & Ruger AR-15: Comparison and Differences
Founded in 1949, Sturm, Ruger and Co. designs and produces firearms for the military, law enforcement and civilian markets. The company makes revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, bolt-action rifles, semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. Ruger introduced the 10/22 in 1964, and the SR-556 was introduced in 2009.
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Ruger 10/22
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The Ruger 10/22 is a .22-caliber rifle. It operates on the direct blowback principle to cycle the action. It is fed from a 10-round rotary magazine and ships with either a hardwood stock or a black synthetic stock. A large aftermarket industry exists, providing numerous parts to upgrade and modify the 10/22.
Ruger SR-556
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The SR-556 is Ruger's first entry into the AR-15 platform market. Unlike AR-15s using the traditional gas impingement system, which bleeds off gas from the barrel to directly cycle the action, the SR-556 is a piston-driven action. The gas bled off of the barrel operates a gas piston, which in turn cycles the action. This keeps the rifle cooler and the action cleaner, as hot gasses are not fed into the receiver and bolt.
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Similarities and Differences Between the 10/22 and SR-556
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Both rifles are magazine-fed and semi-automatic. The differences between the two rifles are many. The 10/22 is chambered in .22 Long Rifle, while the SR-556 is chambered in 5.56mm/.223 Remington and 6.8 SPC. The SR-556 has a 16-inch barrel versus the 18.5-inch barrel for the 10/22. The SR-556 has a collapsible stock and a flat top with a series of Picatinny rails to mount accessories and optics. The 10/22 is a solid stock with no rails for accessories.
Suggest Retail
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The primary market for the SR-556 is the military, law enforcement, and civilian AR enthusiasts, while the 10/22 is aimed at beginning shooters and the youth market. The MSRP for the 10/22 is $299, while the SR-556 suggest retail is $1995, as of 2011.
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References
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