Ruger AC-556 Select-Fire Automatic Rifle (1980)
The select-fire Ruger AC-556 became a militarized version of the popular Ruger Mini-14 rifle, a design based on the Vietnam-era M14.
The AC-556 retained its gas-operated, semi-automatic features and was chambered for the 5.56x45mm cartridge firing from a 20-round curved detachable box magazine. The system was given a receiver-mounted firing selector which allowed for a conventional single-shot, repeat-fire, semi-automatic fire mode as well as a three-round burst facility and full-automatic fire. Provision was also made for a bayonet mounting at the front of the weapon (near the forward sight) and the barrel was cleared to fire non-lethal rifle grenades for riot control. A flash suppressor was added to the business end of the barrel while a perforated glass-fiber handguard protected the operator's support hand from the generated heat of the barrel during firing. The design was strengthened where possible for the rigors of military service while retaining many of the proven quality features of the Mini-14 before it - including its notable compact profile.
Original AC-556 production versions were marketed with fixed solid wooden stocks. The later AC-556F and AC-556K models brought about use of a folding stock which collapsed under the weapon for a shorter overall length. These latter versions were, therefore, forced to install a full pistol grip under the aft-end of the receiver in the usual way. A thirty-round capacity magazine appeared for AC-556s for a short time. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
Ruger AC-556
Select-Fire Automatic Rifle
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Company - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1980
Overall Length: 984mm (38.74in)
Barrel Length: 470.00mm (18.50in)
Weight (Empty): 6.37lbs (2.89kg)
Cartridge: 5.56x45mm
Action: Gas-Operated, Rotating Bolt; Select-Fire
Feed: 20- or 30-Round Detachable Box Magazine
Muzzle Velocity: 3,400ft/sec (1,036m/sec)
Rate-of-Fire: 750 rounds per minute
Range: 656ft (200m; 219yds)
Sights: Iron front and rear
Variants:
AC-556 - Initial Production Model Designation; solid wood stock.
AC-556F - Folding Stock; pistol grip
AC-556K - Folding Stock; pistol grip
Operators: United States
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• British Guns
• French Guns
• German Guns (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italian Guns
• Japanese Guns
• Soviet Guns
• US Guns
• US Infantry Regiment-Level Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
