Description

This IS a serialized FFL item. This WILL require shipping to an FFL or 4473 for local pickup. ALL ATF laws apply. Email or Fax (785-621-4491) FFL information prior to or immediately after ordering.
The EXTAR Extreme Light Pistol (EXP) 5.56 AR15 Pistol with 8.5" barrel, muzzle brake, and free float handguard
- MFG – EXTAR
- Model - EXP-556
- Type – Semi Automatic Gas Operated Pistol
- Caliber - .223 / 5.56 NATO
- Magazine -Includes (1) 30rd magazine
- Weight (unloaded) – 2.98 lbs (48 oz)
- Weight (loaded w/ 30 rd AR-15 mag) – 4.06 lbs (65 oz)
- Overall Length – 18” (45.72 cm)
- Barrel Length – 8.25” (20.96 cm)
- Barrel Length Including Muzzle Device – 9.25” (23.50 cm)
- Barrel Twist – 1:9 Standard ½-28 threaded barrel with included recoil reducing muzzle brake
- Width – 2.25”
- Fixed Sights -- Sight Radius of 12.38” (31.43 cm)
- Pistol Grip screw – 3/16” standard hex head
- Lightest 5.56/.223 pistol in the world
- Made in USA
- Compact Design With No Buffer Tube
- Ergonomic Pistol Grip
- Integrated MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny Rail for easy mounting of optics and accessories
- Extremely low recoil – can be held and shot with one hand with virtually no muzzle climb
- Crisp trigger pull of 5.5 lbs
- Reversible Safety To Accommodate Left Hand Shooters
- Why pay extra for parts? Comes standard with front anti-slip free floating hand guard and muzzle brake!
- Integrated winter trigger guard
WE WILL NOT SHIP THESE TO CALIFORNIA
Contact RifleGear.com for information regarding ordering from California.
SKU#: GUN-EXTAR-EXP556

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Comments (27)

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I have one, and as for reliability I haven't had any problems. I am a police officer and shoot it every time I qualify with my other weapons including my duty m4. I have put 800 or so rounds through it and have no problems. The magazine that was sent with it sucked but I use my p mags and have had no problems. I will say that it is broken in and the accuracy with aimpoint at a hundred meters is not as good as my m4 but pretty good. I have added the single point sling and the rails. I guess from 1 to 10 rating I give it a high 7 almost 8.

0 votes
0 votes

If you don't already have an AR pistol, and would like to experiment (play?) with one, $450 is less than the lower-less kit I got from PSA for my $500 black-friday 2011 deal. Granted it came with a longer and CHF 2x chrome lined barrel and yada yadda, but this offers standard trigger & grip components and interesting package for peanuts, even against Kel Tek stuff...

0 votes
0 votes

I'd really want to replace that barrel for a 14.5 with a welded FH and add a folding stock with an alum lower (to better handle the locking of thr folding adapter). End up with a carbine like the Para TTR for less than those go for... Is there a way to buy just the upper?

0 votes
0 votes

No, and you wouldn't be able to use the upper with a standard lower if you did get one. The back end of the lower is different to match the altered bolt carrier design required by the no-buffer-tube design. But there is a folding stock in the works. Get that and the replacement barrel and the stock EXP, and you'll have the same thing, but lighter.

3 votes
0 votes

Bummer, I thought that piece in the back was just screwed in where the tube goes:

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/attachments/ar-talk/21540d1370672626-extar-exp-5-56-pistol-extar-dis.jpg...

This is the best shot I've found of the thing stripped down...

1 vote
0 votes

You'd have to get the end cap that attaches to the lower in order to be able to use the upper. Otherwise, the recoil spring will fall out of the back of the upper.

1 vote
0 votes

The big question: WHY would I buy this over the very similarly priced and much better accessorized Kel Tec PLR-16?

5 votes
4 votes

I haven't seen a PLR this year from a dealer and haven't seen one for sale otherwise less than $650. Also if the videos are to be believed this appears to have much less recoil than a PLR.

1 vote
0 votes

Can you please give me a link where you can buy a PLR-16 anywhere near that price? I havent had much luck finding one.

2 votes
0 votes

I bought one as a project gun, with the intent of customizing it.

I got one in the first batch with the defective hammers, which did break. I replaced the polymer hammer, trigger, and safety with steel parts instead of getting a replacement hammer under warranty because I intended to do so anyway. I replaced the stock handguard with a 7" Midwest Industries free-float quad rail and mounted a laser and co-witnessed Troy flip-up iron sights and Fastfire red dot on the top rail. I replaced the stock gas block with a Syrac Ordnance adjustable low-profile block to fit under the handguard. I replaced the stock muzzle brake with a Yankee Hill 5C2, which pretty much eliminates the giant fireball and reduces muzzle flip, while keeping muzzle blast and concussion at reasonable levels for the shooter. I also mounted a sling quick connect mount to the rear end cap. To complete the build, I added a Streamlight TLR-1, Magpul AFG, left and right rail covers, and a sling. In this configuration, it weighs exactly 6 pounds with a loaded 30-round PMag attached.

If you want to customize an EXP-556, there are a few things to be aware of. The support rod above the handguard can be removed from the upper, but you will need a really long allen wrench to unscrew the screw that attaches it to the upper. If you want to replace the stock gas block or handguard, you will definitely want to do this, or the rod will make it impossible to mount anything to the top rail of the replacement handguard.

Replacing the stock handguard is not for the timid. Removing the stock handguard is easy, but installing the replacement is not. The barrel nut thread on the upper is about 1/16 larger than the standard 1.25"-18, so unless the replacement handguard can be attached to the stock barrel nut (which is 1.80 inch OD), you will need to get a 1.25"-18 die and re-cut the threads on the upper before you will be able to install any replacement barrel nut. If you don't do this correctly, the new barrel nut and handguard will mount crooked, and you probably won't be able to adjust your sights on target. I chose to re-cut the threads, but I set up a jig to hold the upper square to the die while doing so.

The stock gas block can be adjusted, via the set screw on the front face closest to the barrel. There are actually 2 of them stacked on top of each other in the hole. The first one is there only to lock the second one in place. Unscrew the first one and remove it completely, and then you can access the actual adjustment screw. Once you have the gas impulse dialed in, screw the first screw back in to lock the second one in place.

Out of the box, the only issues I had were with the polymer hammer breaking, and over-gassing. It chucked the empties about 30 feet at 5 o'clock, which made left-hand shooting an adventure. Fired cases fit very tightly in the chamber because the bolt was unlocking while there was still pressure in the chamber. The hammer issue has been fixed, and the gas impulse can be adjusted. The stock sights are not intended for any kind of precision, but are easy to see in good light. They are not suitable for low-light work, though.

As-is from the factory, the EXP-556 is fun to shoot, but not particularly well-suited for home defense or other serious use. But with a quad rail, sling, light, and better sights, it can easily shoot minute-of-punk out to 100 yards or so in daylight or low light. Mine (as configured above) is now my default things-that-go-bump-in-the-night investigation kit. After dialing in the new gas block, it cycles reliably without excessive vigor, and I can shoot 8-10" groups at 100 yards with a sling. This is not as good as what I can do with a full-length rifle, but much better than what I can do with a standard pistol. Overall I'd give it 4 stars out of 5. Buy one if you are looking for a fun range toy, or if you are looking for a compact, reliable, low-cost, lightweight starting point for a pistol build project. Change the barrel nut threads on the upper to the standard size, and I'd raise it to 4.5 stars.

21 votes
1 vote

Why is this getting downvoted? Are they junk?

3 votes
2 votes

From what I have heard they are junk. They had issues with the originals breaking hammers. Some even shipped broken. They took care of the issue, but at the end of the day it's still a Polymer AR-15 pistol variant....pretty much the most useless platform on earth.

8 votes
18 votes

Thanks for the info. Hopefully they get these issues fixed, extend the warranty, enhance the quality and they get down to $350. :)

3 votes
3 votes

Gangsta yo ! Can you hold it sideways ?

9 votes
25 votes

break yo self.... FOO!!

4 votes
3 votes

your wrong "dipshit" these were out last year. look it up before you post.

3 votes
17 votes

There may have been some prototypes being shown around last year, but they were first sold to the public May 2013. I bought one of the first available in June. They were added to the NFA web site on May 20 2013; see the date at the bottom of http://newfrontierarmory.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=245_388&products_id=58515...

7 votes
0 votes

Check out this video if you want to see it shooting with what I would call almost no recoil. The muzzle actually goes down a little when you shoot instead of jumping. This guys shooting it with one hand.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=261582673983968&set=vb.482710411745846&type=2&theater...

8 votes
3 votes

I have one and love it. Got one of the first ones out. They replaced the hammer during a recall on 100 or so units and even though mine wasn't broke, I changed it out. I have 700 rounds through it and everyone that's shot it or seen it has loved it.

Funny how the guys talking shit don't have one and have no idea what they're missing. Good deal at $599 (from someone that actually has one!)

17 votes
4 votes

I have one of these and have had no problems . I don't know anything about this supposed recall. They did send a hammer to replacr original in case of failure ,which has not happened yet. I do know that the hammers in question were in a limited number of early models. The gun is a blast to shoot. The percussion is immense and it is extremely loud. That has been my personal experience with this gun.

14 votes
3 votes

WARNING:

Do not buy this crap. A friend of mine bought one about 6 months ago and after 40 rounds MULTIPLE parts broke. He sent it in and they "fixed" it. About 100 rounds later the inside of it pretty much exploded.

He threw it in the dumpster at the shooting range before we left. No bullshit.. hahaha

8 votes
37 votes

Funny since these weren't out 6 months ago dipshit. I got one out of the first 100 that hit the market and that was in May just a few weeks ago. Stop posting bullshit on the internet that you have no idea about.

32 votes
5 votes

Junk......these things were coming with broken hammers and I think they recalled them. Buy at your own risk. They are probably stuck with these things and can't get rid of them.

5 votes
22 votes

I almost want to buy one just to see how they do it (with no tube). The reviews on Joebobs are mixed. Only two reviews. One seemed to say they are good once it was fixed. Company fixed whatever was wrong. Not sure how long it will last but interesting. Waiting till the price drops at end of year barring any Nobama actions.

5 votes
5 votes

All they do is modify the bolt. they shorten it up.

1 vote
7 votes

Like a 22LR bolt? Spring system? Seems like that would not be enough to take force of recoil. Thanks for info. I still want to see it though. Perhaps if I win the next powerball.

6 votes
1 vote

There is no recoil. I have one, go try one. Or listen to someone that actually owns one and not just spewing BS out their ass.

They had a recall on 100 units, big deal, so has Remington, Ruger, Bushmaster, etc, etc....

24 votes
4 votes
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