DPMS have teamed up with Gun Broker to auction off a pink version of their Lite 16" rifle.
100% of the proceeds with go towards Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization which supports breast cancer research.
Hat Tip: ericire12 @ Downrange.tv
Zel Custom are just about to put their 3rd generation Tactilite .50 BMG / .416 Barret AR-15 Upper into full production.
The new Gen-3 receiver is CNC-machined from a single piece of steel. It includes an integrated picatinny which is machined into the receiver.
Zel are also working on a quad rail system for the Gen-3 upper (see photo below).
MG Industries have developed an interesting quick change barrel / takedown upper receiver for the AR-15.
Tam has got her hands on one of them and has an interesting discussion going on about it on her blog.
DS Arms are now selling half-assembled AR-15 receivers. Half assembled means no bolt, bolt carrier or charging handle.
The introductory price is $275.
Guy Sagi, the Editor in Chief of Shooting Illustrated, has written about his experience hunting antelope with an AR-10.
It is great to see semi-automatic rifle hunting going mainstream.
Troy Industries have developed a nifty new diamond aperture (DIA) rear sight for the AR-15.
Troy claim the diamond shaped aperture helps the shooter acquire a sight picture faster than a round aperture.
The DIA has two aperture settings, one for 300 meters and another calibrated for 550 meters. The price starts is $140 and it comes in a variety of colors.
Thanks to Konrad for the info.
After having recently launched their first AR-15, the Ruger SR-556, Ruger have now unveiled the Ruger SR-22, a Ruger 10/22 in a tactical AR-15 configuration. For years we have been asking for it, and finally they have delivered!
You are probably thinking that the action in the above rifle does not look much like a Ruger 10/22. This is because a standard Ruger 10/22 action and trigger group sits inside a Nordic Components designed conversion chassis / enclosure.
The chassis allows a standard AR-15 stock and pistol grip to be used on the rifle. It also allows a standard Ruger 10/22 barrel, which attaches to a v-Block, to be used with a the AR-15 style handguard. This breakdown photo illustrates how it all fits together:
The mid length handguard is drilled and tapped to allow picatinny rails to be installed on the 3,6,9 and 12 o' clock positions, if desired. These rails allow all standard AR-15 accessories to be used with the rifle.
Another benefit of the SR-22 over a standard 10/22 is that the barrel is factory threaded and a Ruger SR-556 / Mini-14 flash suppressor is installed.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Receiver | Ruger 10/22 |
| Trigger Group | Ruger 10/22 |
| Caliber | .22 LR |
| Pistol Grip | Hogue Monogrip pistol grip |
| Capacity | 10 Rounds |
| Finish | Black, Hard Coat Anodized |
| Stock | 6-Position M4-Style (on a Mil-spec diameter tube). |
| Barrel Length | 16.12" |
| Groove | 6 |
| Twist | 1:16" RH |
| Overall Length | 32.35" - 35.25" |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs |
| Flash Suppressor | Mini-14 / SR-556 with 1/2”-28 thread |
| California Approved | No1 |
| Massachusetts Approved | No |
| Front Sight(s) | None |
| Rear Sight(s) | None |
| Other Features | Cross Bolt Safety |
| Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) | $625.00 |
The Ruger press release:
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announces the introduction of the Ruger® SR-22™ Rifle, an autoloading, rimfire rifle that combines the legendary reliability of the Ruger® 10/22® with the ergonomics and configurability of the new AR-style Ruger SR-556™. The new SR-22 Rifle allows shooters to use economical .22 LR ammunition, while still enjoying the look and feel of an "AR" and experiencing the reliability they have come to appreciate from Ruger.
Because it utilizes the unique rotary magazine supplied with the Ruger 10/22, the SR-22 Rifle offers the same gold standard for reliability in autoloading rimfire rifles. Like the 10/22, the AR-style SR-22 Rifle also has an extensive array of accessories available, allowing shooters to select a custom configuration that best suits their tastes and needs.
The SR-22 Rifle uses a standard 10/22 action inside a top-quality, all-aluminum chassis that faithfully replicates the AR-platform dimensions between the sighting plane, buttstock height, and grip. The SR-22 Rifle provides a Picatinny rail optic mount, and includes a six-position, telescoping M4-style buttstock (on a Mil-Spec diameter tube), plus a Hogue® Monogrip® pistol grip. Buttstocks and grips may be swapped out for any AR-style compatible option.
The SR-22 Rifle also features a round, mid-length handguard mounted on a standard-thread AR-style barrel nut. Picatinny rails, specifically designed for this handguard, are available from Ruger, allowing the handguard to be configured to accept any number of rail-mounted sights or accessories. A barrel support block is installed in the handguard, ensuring accuracy and allowing the standard 10/22 V-block barrel attachment system to be used.
The SR-22 Rifle is equipped with a precision-rifled, cold hammer-forged alloy steel barrel. The 16-1/8" barrel is capped with an SR-556/Mini-14 flash suppressor mounted with a 1/2"-28 thread.
More photos:
Ruger advertisement for SR-22:
Michael Bane has also created a video review over at the Down Range TV Blog. Michael hinted at the rifle earlier this week, but I must admit I did not imagine a tactical Ruger 10/22 was what Ruger had in store for us!
Ruger currently state that the SR-22 is not California compliant. This may be a misprint. ↩
You saw it here first! I had no idea that Sig Sauer were making AR-15 / M16 rifles but my DSEi spy spotted this prototype SIG516 1 PDW at the DSEi 09 expo. It features a 7" barrel, putting it firmly in the PDW class, and chambers the 5.56mm NATO.
I do not know if Sig plan on a civilian carbine version. If they did it would compete directly with their Sig 550 line of full length and short barreled rifles.
UPDATE: jcmiller points out that the lower receiver is semi-automatic. A production PDW would have to be fully automatic. Maybe Sig are thinking of civilian sales.
UPDATE:
The SIG516 Tactical Rifle line has three different models:
They are all piston operated and feature an adjustable gas regulator like the Ruger SR-556.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 5.56mm NATO |
| Fire modes | single shot, 3 round burst and fully automatic (except marksmen models which are semi only) |
| Controls | Ambidextrous |
| Gas system | piston system with 3 or 4 position gas regulator |
| Upper Receiver | Flat top with picatinny rail |
| Lower Receiver | forged 7075-T6 aluminum |
| Trigger | Milspec for all models except the Marksmen which have 2-stage match trigger |
| Capacity | Takes standard AR-15 magazines |
| Finish | black hard coat finish |
| Barrel | chrome lined, cold hammer forged, nitrate finish |
| Barrel Twist | 1:7" right hand |
| Stock | collapsible SOPMOD buttstock |
| Weight | 6 lbs. (PDW) - 7.28 lbs (Patrol) - 8 lbs (Precision Marksman) |
| Rails | Free floating aluminum alloy M1913 picatinny quad rails |
| Sights | flip-up BUIS (backup iron sights) |
| Magazine | Ships with 30 round AR-15 magazine. Marksmen models ship with 10 or 20 round magazine. |
| Other Features | 0.5x28TPI threaded muzzle |
| MSRP (Price) | not known |
Upper receiver assemblies will be sold. Just before anyone gets their hopes up, while it is likely that Sig will sell civilians models, this has not been confirmed.
Big thank you to Lusaka for the information and photos.
SIG 516 as in M16 ... get it? ↩