MasterPiece Arms MPAR556 5.56mm NATO | Gun Preview

MasterPiece Arms’ new MPAR556 may look like an AR at first glance, but its design is much more involved. In the upcoming June 2014 issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE, author Doug Larson runs it through its paces. Larson writes, “Budgets are nearly always a concern, so law enforcement agencies often look to save money while securing products that serve their needs. If an agency has budgetary constraints and is looking for a carbine chambered in 5.56mm NATO, the MPAR556, a new gun produced by MasterPiece Arms, might be of interest.

“With a price of only $950, the MPAR556’s price comes in below the mystical $1,000 figure that is a psychological barrier for some. The price is a bit surprising considering the MPAR556 is a piston-driven gun, (Click Here to read and watch video of the MasterPiece Arms MPAR556 Pistol) which always seem to be more expensive than direct gas impingement models. Much of the price savings can be attributed to the fact that although the MPAR556 looks a bit like an AR, the design and manufacturing methods are quite different.

“Starting at the front, the MPAR556’s muzzle device is what appears to be an A2-style flash suppressor that is threaded to the slim-profile, black-phosphate-finished barrel, which is rifled with a 1-in-9-inch twist rate. The black, two-piece, sheet-aluminum handguard’s top and bottom halves are held together with a series of hex screws, and it’s vented for cooling. However, the owner’s manual cautions that the handguard will get hot during sustained rapid fire, so gloves or a vertical foregrip should be used.

“Attached with screws, accessory rails run the length of the 10-inch handguard at the 6 and 12 o’clock positions. A short 2-inch rail is attached with screws to the front of the handguard at the 3 o’clock position, and at the 9 o’clock position is a quick-detach sling swivel socket.”

For more information on the MasterPiece Arms MPAR556 5.56mm NATO, visit: https://masterpiecearms.com/

To learn more of the MasterPiece Arms MPRAR556 5.56mm NATO, check out the June 2014 issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE, available on newsstands and digitally May 13, 2014. To subscribe, go to /special-weapons-for-military-and-police