Ruger SR-762 Semi-Automatic 7.62x51mm NATO (308 Winchester) AR-Style Rifle

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn & Boge Quinn

October 17th, 2013

 

Click pictures for a larger version.

 

 

 

 

Magazine release (top), safety/selector switch (center), bolt release (bottom).

 

 

 

 

Adjustable gas regulator.

 

 

 

 

Chrome-plated bolt and carrier.

 

 

 

 

Six-position M4-style buttstock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit over four years ago, Sturm, Ruger, & Co. entered the crowded AR-15 market with their SR-556 rifle. At that time, Ruger did not want to build just another “me too” standard AR, and they built the SR-556 to be one of the best gas-piston ARs on the market. It uses a simple, rugged, and reliable piston system with an adjustable gas regulator, to function under a wide variety of environmental conditions, and with a large variation of ammunition power and quality. Ruger built their rifle to be as functional and reliable as a semi-automatic rifle can be, regardless of the quality of the ammunition or the cleanliness of the weapon.

Almost as soon as the SR-556 was introduced, shooters have been hollering for a 7.62x51mm version. Ruger has added to the SR-556 lineup with variations of that rifle, and have now built their 7.62x51mm version; the SR-762.

I have been very anxious to see Ruger’s new SR-762 ever since hearing that it was in development several months ago. I had high hopes that it would be pretty much a slightly larger version of their SR-556 design, and upon opening the box which contained the new rifle, I was not disappointed. Ruger upsized the SR-762 to fit the larger cartridge as necessary, without making the SR-762 unnecessarily bulky nor heavy. The SR-762 weighs in at eight pounds, nine and one-half ounces on my scale, and balances very well. The approximately sixteen and one-eighth inch hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel is heavily fluted under the hand guard to reduce weight and to promote cooling. Forward of the gas block, the one-in-ten-inch twist barrel measures .695 inch diameter. Along the top of the upper receiver and continuing along the top of the aluminum hand guard is nineteen inches of continuous Picatinny spec rail for the attachment of optical and mechanical sights, as well as other accessories. Extra sections of rail can be attached as desired along either side or on the bottom of the hand guard, and two sections of rail are included with the rifle, as are three sections of rail cover.  The pistol grip is the very-comfortable textured Hogue unit.

The SR-762 retains Ruger’s excellent gas piston system, including the adjustable gas regulator. A piston gun is a bit harder to build and still hold the weight to a manageable level, but Ruger did a fine job in keeping this rifle handy and well-balanced. The two-stage piston is chrome-plated, and is a very simple and reliable design. The regulator has four positions, one of which completely closes off the gas, to effectively make the weapon a manually-operated design, if desired. The normal position for the gas regulator is position “2”, but it can be adjusted down or up as the situation requires, simply by rotating the regulator.

The SR-762 wears an excellent set of folding mechanical sights, with the rear being easily adjusted for windage, and the front adjustable for elevation. The rear has a folding aperture leaf, for use at close and long range.  The buttstock is the familiar M4-style six-position telescoping unit, and is attached to a Mil-spec buffer tube. The overall length measures between 34.75 to 38 inches, depending upon the position of the buttstock. The trigger is standard AR style, and the pull weight measured slightly over eight and one-half pounds on my scales, but the release was crisp and clean. For bench work and hunting, I prefer a lighter trigger pull, and any standard AR-pattern trigger can be installed into the SR-762 rifle. The bolt and bolt carrier are chrome plated for easier cleaning and durability, with the Ruger logo showing in the ejection port with the bolt closed and the dust cover open. The upper receiver has a forward assist and an A2 style empty case deflector.

The magazines supplied with the SR-762 rifle are the excellent Magpul twenty-round polymer magazines, and thankfully, three magazines are included with each rifle, as is a soft zippered, padded case to contain the rifle, magazines, and accessories. 

Shooting the SR-762 was both enjoyable and uneventful. As expected, the Ruger SR-762 fed, fired, and ejected every type and brand of 7.62x51mm and 308 Winchester ammunition that I thumbed into the Magpul magazines. For accuracy testing from the bench, I mounted a Leupold Mark 4 8.5 to 25 power scope, attached using an ArmaLite one-piece mount atop the rifle’s Picatinny rail. I boresighted the scope using a LaserLyte laser boresighter, and then proceeded firing on paper at twenty-five, then fifty, and finally one hundred yard targets to evaluate the rifle’s accuracy from the bench. I rested the SR-762 into a Target Shooting, Inc. rifle rest, firing three-shot groups at one hundred yards. Accuracy was, as expected, excellent. The most accurate ammunition tested was the Buffalo Bore Sniper 175 grain load that uses the Sierra Match King bullet. This load has proven to be very accurate in other 308 rifles, and was once again the top performer in this new Ruger, with every group fired measuring less than one inch. Other excellent performers were the Black Hills 168 grain HP and the Federal 150 grain soft point hunting load. Recoil, even from the bench, was light, due to the rifles design, delivering the recoil straight back into the shoulder, with no tendency to smack the shooter’s face at all.

With the new Ruger SR-762, Ruger has delivered an excellent rifle that has been long-expected, and delivered a rifle that is every bit the quality of their SR-556 rifle, but packing a lot more power with a very small increase in size and weight. The SR-762 is an excellent choice for a long-range informal target gun, a hunting rifle, or as a rifle for fighting, if needed. With just the addition of a target trigger and a quality scope, it would serve very well for long-range paper-punching and formal target shooting.

The Ruger SR-762 is available now, and as of the date of this writing, it has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $2195 US. It is not the cheapest semi-automatic 308 rifle on the market, but it is certainly one of the best, and you never regret buying the best.

Check out the extensive line of Ruger firearms and accessories online at www.ruger.com.

To order accessory rails and magazines for the SR-762, go to www.shopruger.com.

For the location of a Ruger dealer near you, click on the DEALER LOCATOR at www.lipseys.com.

To order the SR-762 online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.

To order high quality 7.62x51mm and 308 Winchester ammunition, go to www.buffalobore.com, www.midsouthshooterssupply.com,  and www.luckygunner.com

Jeff Quinn

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Click pictures for a larger version.

 

 

 

 

SR-762 comes with soft padded case, instruction manual, extra Picatinny rail sections, and three magazines.

 

 

 

 

Twenty-round capacity Magpul P-Mag.

 

 

Excellent set of folding mechanical sights.

 

 

 

 

Buffalo Bore 175-grain Sniper ammunition.

 

 

These 100-yard groups exhibit the accuracy shown with the three loads tested for accuracy.