RUGER AR-556 MPR
By Todd Burgreen
A Credit to the AR Platform
What comes to mind if someone mentions getting a multi-purpose rifle from Ruger? I bet many would consider the Ruger Gunsite Scout or even one of the Ruger Mini-14® or Mini-Thirty® offerings. This neglects the salient fact that the AR is the king of the rifle market here in the US. The AR is surpassing the other US icon—the 1911—in terms of available aftermarket parts and accessories, not to mention the number of different manufacturers and versions available. Ruger has decided to further expand its AR lineup with the AR-556 MPR (multi-purpose rifle).
It is definitely the heyday of the AR platform. Labels have emerged to help distinguish certain AR rifle types. Examples of this would be Recon/Recce, SPR, DMR, MPR, etc. The Recon and SPR ARs are multi-purpose ubiquitous weapons with flat-top upper receivers for easy mounting of optics plus a 16- to 18-inch, free-floated, medium profile barrel with 1:7 or 1:8 twist surrounded by a forend rail system. Each seeks to minimize weight and keep the weapon’s profile sleek for better handling while offering superior accuracy and longer range terminal performance than shorter barreled ARs. These ARs are required to be equally at home in CQB encounters characterized by multiple rounds fired rapidly with distances measured in feet while still offering precision fire out to 350 to 400 yards. It is easy to see how these characteristics could also benefit both personal defense and competition shooters alike.
The Ruger name in the same sentence with AR is a further indication of how popular AR rifles are. The Ruger AR-556 MPR represents the latest AR introduced into the US market. ARs can be had in everything from piston-driven varieties, multiple calibers, pistol configurations, flattops and various barrel lengths. The inherent modularity of the AR with its upper and lower receivers is its greatest attribute for adapting to individual preference; whether it is for competition, target shooting, military and law enforcement or personal defense. This same adaptability can also lead individuals astray as to what is desired versus necessary in setting up a...
This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V23N3 (March 2019) |
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