Ruger’s New Small Frame Autoloading Rifle (SFAR) in .308

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Small Frame Autoloading Rifle SFAR .308 AR10

From Sturm, Ruger . . .

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. is pleased to announce the latest addition to its modern sporting rifle lineup, the Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle, or SFAR. Chambered in 7.62 NATO / .308 Win., the SFAR combines the ballistic advantages of .308 Winchester with the size of a traditional MSR. The smaller of the two initial configurations of this rifle features a 16” barrel model and weighs in at just 6.8 pounds unloaded. By utilizing superior materials and engineering, the SFAR is bigger and stronger where it needs to be and remains smaller and lighter than comparable .308-sized rifles.

Utilizing many mil-spec-compatible components and fitted with the Ruger Elite 452 trigger, the construction and operation of the Ruger SFAR will be familiar to the millions of Americans who have already adopted traditional modern sporting rifles.

The upper and lower receivers are both CNC-machined from 7075-T6 forgings and feature an oversized magazine well, forward assist, dust cover and brass deflector. Barrels are cold hammer-forged with 5R rifling, a 5/8”-24 muzzle thread, and finished with black nitride for accuracy, longevity and easy cleaning. CNC-machined from high-strength super alloy steel, the bolt and barrel extension feature tapered lugs that strengthen the breech by adding material in key areas.

“Over the course of this rifle’s development, we fired hundreds of thousands of rounds to assess and enhance real-world performance and wear,” noted Ben Parker, Lead Design Engineer for SFAR. “The proprietary design and material selection of the bolt and barrel extension help deliver a rugged, reliable, and safe rifle that we are proud to call a Ruger.”

Small Frame Autoloading Rifle SFAR .308 AR10

SFAR rifles are fitted with a 4-position regulated gas block to achieve ideal function across the wide range of ammunition available in the marketplace today, whether running the rifle dirty or clean, suppressed or unsuppressed. The included, on-board 3/16” ball-end wrench makes for easy regulator adjustment, while the 2-port Boomer muzzle brake makes the SFAR exceptionally soft shooting.

The handguard features Magpul M-LOK accessory attachment slots at the 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 positions and sockets for QD sling swivels on both sides. Model 5610 features a 16” barrel, a mid-length gas system and a 15” Lite free-float handguard whose top rail has been docked in the middle for improved grip access and lighter weight. Model 5611 has a 20” barrel, a rifle-length gas system and a 15” handguard with a full Picatinny top rail. Both models feature Magpul MOE SL stock, MOE grip and ship with one, 20-round Magpul PMAG magazine.

Small Frame Autoloading Rifle SFAR .308 AR10

For more information on the SFAR family or to learn more about the extensive line of award-winning Ruger firearms, visit Ruger.comFacebook.com/Ruger or Instagram.com/RugersOfficial. To find accessories for the SFAR and other Ruger firearms, visit ShopRuger.com or your local independent retailer of Ruger firearms.

Specifications:

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66 COMMENTS

      • Back off man! Back off!

        Yo, ding dong man, ding dong ding dong yo!
        Question is, are you fat, or what?
        Said are you Fat? You ain’t fat you ain’t nothin’…

    • So long as it doesn’t have oddball reliability or breakage issues looking like a winner for post permit voiding court victory up here.

        • 6.5 and 6mm options will likely exist sooner or later if recoil is an issue. Should be better than a bolt action in the same weight range right?

  1. I’ll take a 5611 please. But then I’d rather build my own.

    I’m just not sure why anyone would click on the Facebook link when the Ruger link is right next to it. Facebook doesn’t make this gun.

  2. Looks like I woke up $1200 poorer this morning. 20″, please. Now to start a scope fund…

  3. Hmm,

    Generally, my experience with Ruger firearms has been fairly good. They have been reliable, reasonably accurate, less expensive (although not cheap) . . . not great triggers (although I’ve heard the new triggers are better), and often heavy as hell (Exhibit A: the GP100). Overall, no beef with Ruger.

    Most AR-10s I’ve dealt with were . . . less than stone reliable. The one Daniel Defense AR-10 I shot was an exception (I put 120 rounds through it without a jam or misfire), but I’m reluctant to rely on an AR-10. I’m interested to read some actual tests/reviews, but the idea of putting a 7.62 into BASICALLY an AR-15 frame does NOT give me the “warm and fuzzies”.

    Will look for tests/reviews, as I would love a good 7.62 semi auto tactical rifle (that would also be good for hunting hogs or ‘yotes). Cautiously optimistic.

    • “…. . . not great triggers…”

      I had *zero* complaints on my butter-smooth, crystalline-break trigger on the Y2K-vintage Super Redhawk in .44 mag I sold like a complete idiot when times got tight…

      *sobbing* 🙁

      • Yeah, same on my non Super in .45notlongcolt. It’s pretty good, as is my much older single six. Can’t complain on my mini 14 either.

      • Shot a big fat 8 point buck with mine after heart surgery forced me to temporarily sit down bow and rifle.

      • Geoff,

        I’ve heard good things about the Ruger SA revolvers’ triggers, but I’ve never owned one. Personally, I’m a trigger snob, and I find MOST factory triggers “less than optimal” (obvious exceptions, of course – I’ve encountered few 1911s with bad triggers, for example, and those few were all cheap). Generally, one of my first “upgrades” with a new firearm is an aftermarket trigger. Have to admit, the old Python I used to have had a pretty nice trigger, but generally I find “stock” triggers. not to be to my liking.

    • This has already been tried and true by POF, they call it the Revolution. It’s been around a few years, haven’t heard any real issues out of them. Early AR-10 platforms had problems with the lower snapping at the buffer thread loop. I guess we are passed that problem with today’s machining methods?

        • 🤣
          That’s my personal hog hammer, Robar NP3+ coated. Had to get that Ti P99 because it matches the rifle finish so well.

      • James,

        For 7.62, I’m kinda partial to the 20″ barrel. Supposedly, 24-27″ is “optimal” for 7.62. I have a really solid older Remington 700 .308 with a 26″ barrel that is a tack driver, but a tactical/semi would be nice.

        • 👍
          I’m a firm believer in long barrels when it comes to rifle calibers. That 18.5″ is the absolute shortest I was willing to go when I purchased the P308. A few range buddies have the 16.5″ barrel POF 7.62 rifles, just much too short IMHO.
          I also went 18.5 with the possibility of adding a suppressor in the future.

    • “often heavy as hell (Exhibit A: the GP100)” The GP100 weighs about the same as other medium-large frame double action .357 Magnum revolvers, like Smith’s 686 and Colt’s Python and their original King Cobra. Ruger’s has built a couple of strong all steel double action .357s that are reasonably light. The now discontinued Security Six is a K frame sized designed around the .357 Magnum cartridge and the SP101 manages to be both beefy and small and light by virtue of having a five round cylinder.

      • Charlemagne,

        Have to be honest, I never did a direct weighing comparison, but I used to own an (original) Python 6″ (who I managed to ‘lose’ it is another issue). When I decided to find a replacement revolver, I chose the GP100, a stainless with a 6″ barrel. Not ragging on the gun; it’s a great revolver. But my SUBJECTIVE impression was that the Ruger was noticeably heavier than the Python. Not necessarily a bad thing; if you’re shooting hot load .357 out of a revolver, the weight certainly helps with the recoil. OTOH, a long range day holding that puppy is tiring.

        Again, NOT a bad revolver, but my impression is that it’s pretty heavy.

        • Ruger heavy can be a good thing. My brother got drafted, along with a group of other old farts that were idling away, to help a deputy sheriff interrupt a house breaking.

          My brother, armed with a .357 Blackhawk was sent to the side of the house with another old gentlemen packing a shotgun.

          Long story short. When the deputy went in with some of his posse the bad guy bailed out a window right in front of my brother and his new partner. Bad guy grappled with the posse member over his shotgun. Brother did not want to shoot for fear of hitting the other good guy so he stepped in and whacked the bad guy in the head with the Ruger.

          That fight was over and much blood was spilled without a shot being fired. And the Ruger suffered no side effects from the whacking.

  4. “…weighs in at just 6.8 pounds unloaded.”

    Hallelujah and Amen! Heck, that’s about what a Ruger PC Carbine weighs. Well done, Ruger. Now, send the PC Carbine to fat camp, too! 😉

  5. I’ll wait a minute, but then, I have a couple of 7.62 NATO rifles, and spare mags, and support gear, and ammunition. Unless you’re young; what’s your excuse?

  6. I’m curious how they were able to shorten the upper compared to other AR-10s and even the AR-15. The proportions look odd. Too bad it is gas instead of piston.

    • It also means a thousand rounds of 147 gr. FMJ ammo at $1000. Then there is the optic, another $350 or more. At least that is what it cost me in the last month.

  7. So it’s a lower end POF Revolution, at less than half the price, from a large and reputable company? Damnit Ruger why do you hate my wallet 😭

    A full power semi automatic rifle is one of the few niches I don’t currently have filled, and this is suddenly a top contender

      • “Ruger loves your wallet, long time.”

        …especially if your name is ‘Joe’… 😉

    • I’ve been very pleased with my DPMS G2 Recon. Same idea, stuff an AR10 into an AR15 footprint. The Recon comes decently appointed, but by the time I was done replacing parts, the only original things remaining are the barrel, upper and lower. Stock, handguard, trigger, safety, all upgraded. Still, a nice starting platform.

  8. Your options for reducing kick on a 308 AR, if you are building for maximum weight reduction, are pretty much limited to a multi-stage buffer spring to smooth it out some, and/or a muzzle blast amplifier. 🙂

  9. Yawn.

    Another MSR, soon to be offered in 6.5 CM and the other SA super calibers. I will say I don’t use my AR10 much, I’ll grab my M1A over it any day. Of course it doesn’t look as mean but it did me well in DCM/CMP service rifle. I also used it as my MN deer drive rifle for years.

  10. I’m shocked at the light weight of this rifle. The 20″ barrel spec reads 7.3 pounds? How’s that even possible? If this thing shoots well and cycles a lot of different ammo types, i do believe Ruger may have just hit a grand slam.

  11. Oops, I’m out on this, all this ingenuity and they use 4140 for the barrel. That’s a solid no go for me.

  12. Had a Sig 716 and still have a PSA Gen 1 308 AR. Neither were fun to shoot but the Sig was reliable. The PSA has not been. If Ruger is not using a rifle length buffer, I see the same problems as I have with the PSA. Came with a carbine length buffer and tube. I changed out to a rifle length and a lot of the problems went a way. Still very picky about ammo. And no a small base die is not a cure all.

    • Jimmy,

      Other than the DD AR-10, those were the problems I’ve seen/experienced with other AR-10s – picky about what you feed them, definitely tend to jams/failures-to-feed. The DD was an exception (at least the one I shot, which was supposedly box stock).

      Believe me, I’d LOVE a good 7.62 semi (without the amount of whip out required for the FN SCAR, or the weight and crappy trigger of an FN FAL), just skeptical of the AR-15-ish platform. Love the weight, though. If reviews prove my concerns are unfounded, I’ll buy a 20″ barrel version in a hot second.

  13. I got my 16″ Monday afternoon. I went to the range Thursday after slapping on a Lupy 1-4X VX-R optic in a one piece mount I had laying around. A couple rounds to get on paper at 25 and I moved back to 100 yards. I shot 3 five round groups that measured 1MOA, 1.1MOA, and 1.2MOA with one flier in each group discounted. The fliers opened the groups up to around 1.5-1.6MOA. I was shooting off a bench with a soft rest and rear bag. I discounted the flier because for one it wasn’t an optimal bench, I’m not the world’s best bench shooter, and a gun this light was jumping around quite a bit in recoil. I was using 168 gr Federal Gold Medal Match. The point of this exercise for me was to quickly assess if this gun could be an acceptable replacement for my older 700 LTR. That gun prints under 2″ at 300Y so the answer is not at the moment, but with a good barrel break in, some JB polishing, and shooting it off a bipod in the prone I’ll test it again. If it’s a 1MOA rifle, It’ll be good enough.

  14. Why does it use a A5 buffer tube with Carbine buffer? It runs just great and very soft with H3 on setting 2 but I’m interested why a A5 buffer wasn’t used?

  15. When I was told about this rifle 3 weeks ago, I was hooked. I’ve had it a week but haven’t shot it due to the snow accumulations. When the range does a melt off, I’ll hit the benches. My impressions so far, is this is one serious rifle.

  16. After giving the SFAR a lot of consideration, I think I’m going to go with the Adams Arms P1 MOE .308 instead. I like the idea of a small frame AR in .308- but I REALLY like the idea of a piston driven small frame AR .308 instead of “dirty” DI.

    And seeing that they’re selling for $1,299 at several retailers right now- I just might be adding one to the collection very soon…

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