MSAR STG556 Modifications, Review, and Field Strip

Review of my own personal MSAR STG556. These rifles are clones of the Steyr AUG and are made by Microtech Small Arms Research. At the present time, both the rifles and accessories are scarce. In the midst of high demand and lowered pricing, dealer EXCLUSIVITY has been granted to Ratworx USA, which makes purchasing and setting up these rifles even more difficult. If you are dead set on getting one of these, either shop around for older stock or prepare to sit on a waiting list and have a lot of broken promises. If you need accessories and can't get the factory ones, Promoted Pawn is your source!

Category:

Science & Technology

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• stg556
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• 556
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• ratworx
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• ratworxusa

[Alexn1067]

I hate how small and little the gas piston is, makes it seem frail

[boricuaDV]

@Alexn1067 I've never heard of one breaking, but if it does, then you'll be praying that a Steyr piston fits and works! MSAR filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy a few weeks ago!

[Alexn1067]

@boricuaDV thats a shame, never a good thing when a gun company goes under...well...maybe Glock

[boricuaDV]

@Alexn1067 Tony Marfione ruined his own gun company. He changed the specs of the MSAR to make it incompatible with the Steyr, he used backwards testing methods for quality assurance, he lost all his good employees, and he screwed over his parts vendors by not paying them. He basically ran it into the ground. Glock, on the other hand, seems to run off a solid business model. They aren't works of art by any means, but their guns work and sell like hotcakes.

[tama240z]

@boricuaDV According to the guy I spoke with at Ratworx as of 11-14-2011 MSAR is resuming production and they are expecting the next batch of rifles and components after the first of the year 2012.

[boricuaDV]

@tama240z I'm not sure what this implies, but it can mean many things. Apparently MSAR did not pay their barrel vendor/supplier and also had some issues with the company that did the castings of the receivers. If these are actual new production rifles, the vendors must be different, or Ratworx is heavily vested in the project. Unfortunately, I've found that Ratworx are not honorable/credible people to do business with, so MSAR still isn't an option for me.

[boricuaDV]

@TMHonfire102 Unfortunately, we have a lot of blanks to fill in. You said to watch all your videos on the MSAR, but that video series ends on a happy note. We can only assume that your new rifle had problems and that you were at a point where you just wouldn't be happy with an MSAR, period. If that's the case, I can understand that. I've done the 'rounds with companies and after a few times, you just get soured on the whole deal. Folks would be surprised if I started naming names...

[boricuaDV]

@TMHonfire102 maybe we are missing something. The last video i saw about your MSAR you were saying that MSAR made right on your defective rifle and you were eating a bit of crow. Now you are saying MSAR flat out sucks. What happened? What are we missing here?

For what it's worth, my "pile of crap" is now 600 rounds, trouble-free, with cheap-o Wal-Mart under-powered ammo...

[elox02]

Yes I was so excited a few months ago when I found MSAR but it quickly faded out as I did research a d talked to ratworx I think I may just save up a little more then what I saved for the MSAR and build another AR or SCAR-H. But I have a hard time with the price.

[FiveTwoSevenTHR]

@tama240z Are they the same specs as the originals or are they the new ones?

[993isgawd]

Btw I forgot this before (+ not enough room first time around): Manticore Arms makes a replacement charging handle that doglegs away from the optics for us 'palms down' shooters, though it works great charging palms up as well. Easy install; just need a small punch and a hammer.

[993isgawd]

Cleaned the piston on my MSAR; with only 300 rounds down my rifle's pipe I really wasn't expecting the caked-on fouling that I found. The regulator wasn't too bad, but both spring and piston took a long soaking in some potent chemicals & lots of scrubbing w/ a hard nylon brush to make them clean again. Took nearly an hour just on those parts alone. Thanks for the bit and advice on the piston removal. A great gun so far, especially after swapping out the folding grip w/ a 2020 Precision rail.