Ruger has introduced the AR-556, an affordable American-made AR-style modern sporting rifle. Priced to compete with other basic ARs, the AR-556 is a standard direct gas impingement counterpart to the company’s higher end piston-driven SR-556. All major components are machined at Ruger’s Mayodan, N.C., plant.

“The AR-556 is the first firearm designed and built in our Mayodan, North Carolina, facility, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the finished product,” remarked Ruger President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Killoy. “Through extensive design review and product testing, our Mayodan team has delivered a solid rifle that our customers will be proud to own — and we are proud to call a Ruger,” he concluded.

The AR-556 has forged aluminum upper and lower receivers and a cold hammer-forged chrome-moly steel 16-inch threaded barrel with a Ruger flash suppressor. It has an A2-style gas block, bayonet lug, and an M4-style adjustable carbine stock on its mil-spec buffer tube. The single-stage trigger has an enlarged trigger guard and the pistol grip is shaped for better trigger reach. A Ruger Rapid Deploy folding rear sight is mounted on the upper receiver’s top rail. It comes with a Magpul 30-round PMAG magazine.

The Ruger AR-556 is built to mil-spec standards, making it easy to customize with the wide range of parts and accessories available for ARs.