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The AR-10 was famously designed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s, and has been adapted, modified and improved ever since. While different manufacturers have made some minor variations that have made differing pedigrees incompatible with each other, it wasn’t until September 2022 that Ruger introduced a more modern redesign…the Ruger SFAR (Small Frame Autoloading Rifle).
Tech Specs
- Stock: Magpul MOE SL
- Handguard: Lite Free-Float with M-LOK Attachment Slots
- Finish: Type III Hard-Coat Anodized
- Grip: Magpul MOE
- Sights: None
- Barrel Length: 16.1 in. or 20 in.
- Caliber: .308/7.62 or 6.5 Creedmoor
- Thread Pattern: 5/8 in.-24
- Capacity: 10 or 20
- Height: 7.20 in.
- Weight: 6.8 lb. – 7.2 lb.
- Twist: 1:10 in. RH
- Overall Length: 35.60 in. – 41.25 in.
- Length of Pull: 11 in. – 14.25 in.
- Grooves: 5
- Made in America
Where To Buy
Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication
A look at modern production firearms that were designed more than 50 years ago shows a trend to the bigger. More accessories, bigger calibers with more powder give us more capability than Stoner’s original plastic handguard design and more weight.
Ruger took the opposite route, opting for a lighter platform, made possible with sleek design choices, modern materials and an advanced operational design borne from roughly 70 years of AR-10 wisdom. Let’s break this gun down by component.
Ruger SFAR Upper Receiver
The upper receiver itself is noticeably smaller than nearly every other AR-10 variant out there. This is almost inch-for-inch the same size as a mil-spec AR-15 upper.
The bolt is smaller than AR-10s generally run, which would normally suggest a potential weak spot given the AR-10’s heavy bolt carrier, and the stout recoil of the .308 Winchester. An adjustable gas system helps reduce the velocity of the bolt carrier group, keeping the bolt lugs from shearing off and from recoil being excessive.
This system has four positions, numbered 0-3. This is progressively more gas, from 0 (gas off), 1 (suppressed use), 2 (normal use) and 3 (adverse conditions).
The barrel is made from 4140 chrome-moly steel with 5R rifling. A 1/10 twist, mid-length gas system and a two-port Boomer muzzle brake round that out. While including the brake is nice for competitive shooters, I’ll be swapping a suppressor on ASAP. Pretty nice that Ruger included a suppressor-friendly gas system, right?
Which means after initial review in OEM configuration, swapping the Boomer brake for a suppressor mount is mandatory.
With the increased backpressure of a suppressor comes more gas being blasted back toward the shooter through the direct impingement operating system. While the adjustable gas system will mitigate a lot of that, Ruger has gone even further. Vents in the bolt carrier and barrel extension keep the excess gas moving away from the shooter’s face. Nice.
Ruger SFAR Lower Receiver
Magpul’s MOE SL buttstock brings up the rear and provides QD sockets for a sling as does the receiver end plate.
The trigger is a Ruger Elite 452 two-stage piece, with a roughly 4.5-pound trigger pull. I feel like a good trigger is a make or break component for a rifle, and here Ruger delivers. As soon as I pulled the SFAR from the box and started with dry fire drills, the trigger stood out. There’s a little take up before you hit the second stage wall, then a sharp break. I was excited to shoot this.
The magwell is flared, meaning reloads with the SR-25/AR-10 pattern mags will be a touch more consistent.
The Whole Shebang
When viewed as a whole unit, the SFAR presents itself nicely. No component feels skimped on. Ruger definitely put in the work to engineer a beautiful rifle that looks like it will perform well. This gun feels like a heavyweight boxer in a middleweight body. Sub-7 pounds is a great place to start before the inevitable accessories get hung on. As I prepared to hit the range, I only started off with a Trijicon ACOG and a mag full of match ammo. Now let’s see how the Ruger SFAR actually shoots.
Range Days
With the 4x ACOG TA31 affixed, I got zeroed and grabbed a few groups at 25 yards. I tried a few groups with Federal 175-grain Gold Medal Match, 168-grain Gold Medal Match and a single six-round group of Norma 168-grain Sierra Matchking (all I had left).
The first few groups with the Federal 175-grain GMM started out a little rough, whether the gun was needing a break-in or myself needing a little warm-up. Groups around .6 inch (2.29 MOA) and .75 inch at 25 yards opened the day and shrunk to .43 inch and .3 inch (1.14 MOA) by the 5th and 6th groups. The Norma 168-grain group was .45 inch (1.71 MOA) for six rounds. Federal 168-grain GMM came in at .295 inch (1.12 MOA) and .7 inch (which includes a called flyer, without it was ~.4 inch).
I was shooting from a Bog Deathgrip tripod, which while a major upgrade from leaning against a pole, isn’t as stable as a good bench and sandbag. I could tell where each round was going based on my trigger pull, calling rounds predictably even if they only opened up the group a tenth of an inch. I’m interested to get this gun on a good bench to prove my hunch about just how much smaller I could get those groups (spoiler: a lot).
Yes, the Ruger Elite 452 is as nice in live fire as it was in dry-fire drills. This is the kind of trigger people usually pay around $175 to move up to. There are better triggers for benchrest shooting, but for something you might actually use in the field, I think this is an excellent piece.
I moved on to some basic close quarters shooting drills, seeing how the SFAR handles. The gun is nicely balanced, definitely not too forward heavy, which is nice since the suppressor will inevitably tilt that balance further forward. The weight definitely feels centered in the receivers. You’re not dragging a heavy barrel upwards.
Moving out to 100 yards, the SFAR had no trouble keeping all rounds on the mini e-type target, but also kept the impacts clustered together despite a pretty hasty firing pace.
The SFAR recoils much more lightly than I’d expected, and when follow up shots are necessary they come in much faster than with my last AR-10, despite being a full three pounds lighter than that old hog. The recoil is definitely more than your average 300 BLK AR-15, but not by much. It wasn’t until I was on my fourth mag that I started to feel the old shoulder fatigue that normally sets in after a few rounds of .300 Win. Mag.
I’ve taken the Ruger SFAR out for a couple more range days while working on reviews for a red-dot optic and a thermal optic, and this further experience has just hammered home the point: the Ruger SFAR is versatile, accurate and effective in many roles. If you wanna hammer some hogs or coyotes under the cover of night, the SFAR will drop your rounds right where you sent them.
Bottom Line, Bottom Dollar
Any gun that passes basic safety standards has a market. If the performance matches or exceeds the price. you’ve got a good deal. The Ruger SFAR has an MSRP of $1,329, and a street price of $980 at the time this article was submitted.
For that sub $1,000 price tag, you get one of the most refined and streamlined AR-10 variants available. You can take it in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor with barrel lengths of 16 inches or 20 inches. My review sample showed this rifle is extremely accurate even before being broken in. The Ruger SFAR is light, well balanced and has been totally reliable at 300 rounds so far. The adjustable gas system and advanced gas porting help to future proof the SFAR for suppressor use, and the trigger is very good, bordering on excellent.
Under $1,000, I’m not certain what more you can ask for in a modern production small frame AR-10 from a reputable manufacturer, made right here in the USA. For my money, the Ruger SFAR is a straight up good deal. Check it out!
–Check out more articles from Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer or visit him on Instagram @Rexnanorum.
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“The AR-10 was famously designed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s, and has been adapted, modified and improved ever since.”
The AR-10 while is was designed by Stoner did not actually start out as the AR-10 nor actually as an Armalite rifle. Coincidentally, Stoner joined ArmaLite at a time he had just developed what he called the M-8, an ‘autorifle’ that subsequently became known as the X-01. The X-01 was chambered in .30-06 and not the newer .308 T65 round then in development. This was actually the first step towards what Stoner would develop as the AR-10 under Armalite branding, it was a continuation of Stoners development of his ‘M-8’ X-01 under an Armalite design sequence branding. Had Stoner not joined Armalite, what we are calling the AR-10 today would be known as the M-8.
The Ruger is nice and light and like most of the ARs today the look has become homoginized and strays far from the Stoner originals.
All 3 of my 308s are identical and started on stripped Aero Recievers, each weighs close to 9lbs 11.5 oz with a Garand sling and modifiel 6-9″ Harris Style Bipod…continued gotta check on our new dog/brat…
continued…and all have Fulton A1 style stocks, A2 shorty style rear night sights and gas block attached front night sights, to tell them apart each use a different brand charge handle.
Things I do not like about the Ruger 308 begin with the clamp-on handguard, the adjustable stock, LOUD muzzle break, adjustable gas block and the open trigger guard lower receiver. Things I like are the price, trigger, the possibility an AR-15 carry handle would look right and last but not least the out of the box 300 rd. reliability and the accuracy the review example displayed.
Bottom line…If you do not know the ingredients and tricks to take the finicky AR-308 directly from stripped receivers to reliability then the very, very noisy and too light Ruger may be for you.
I don’t think shooting a red dot on paper at 25 yards is a useful evaluation of a .308 gas gun. Nobody is spending $1.15 per trigger pull to put Sierra 168s into paper 25 yards away.
Nor, given the documented gas key bolt shearing, gassing, and general durability issues, is four magazines a useful evaluation. It’s a thousand dollar rifle that needs a $600-1000 optic to not be essentially wasting match ammo.
SFAR has so far had poor reviews😕