I got to shoot a friends XCR today and we compared it with my SIG556.  These are just our opinions and only that.

Accuracy:  Both shot the same as far as we could tell.  We didn't use a bench or sandbags, just shot them from the standing position.

Charging: We both liked the charging handle on the XCR better, because we're both big fans of the FAL and the XCR was very FALish in this regards.

Gas Adjustment:  The XCR you need a tool to adjust and the 556 you just use your fingers.

Bolt release:  We liked the dual side push down lever on the XCR.  I could reach it with my trigger finger, which was kind-of handy.  The 556 was also nice, because it is similar to the AR system which we are both use to also.

Magazine Release:  The XCR's button is closer, but both were in reach of our fingers.  Both proved fine.

Trigger:  The 556 was definately better.  The two stage trigger is just awesome for out of the box trigger.  Also, the 556 offered a swing down trigger guard for winter glove shooting.

Barrel: The 556 has a 1 in 7 twist rate, the XCR 1 in 9.  Both were about the same thickness.  The XCR had a closed bottom A2 Flash hider and the 556 had a Phantom FH.  The 556 has an advantage here, if you want to shoot heavier bullets.

Hand guards:  The 556 handguards are removeable and both of us liked that feature, so that we can swap them out with something else later on.  The XCR has very nice one piece upper with integral picatinny rails.  We liked this on the XCR, especially on the top rail, because sometimes on AR’s its hard to match the rails up perfectly on the handguard to the upper.

Stock:  The stock on the XCR had been changed out to a VLTOR stock, which we both really like.  The XCR also folded, which we both wish the 556 would do.  Both stocks offered storage compartments for batteries.

Pistol Grip:  The 556 was more comfortable and offered a storage compartment.  The XCR’s is a standard AR type.

Shooting the XCR and the 556 side by side, we could definitely tell that the 556 seemed to have less perceived recoil.  We weren’t really sure as to why.  As stated earlier, both seemed to be equally accurate.  We were shooting in the standing position at some IDPA targets and other metal targets, plus just aiming at various objects strung out at the range.  All targets were easily hit with both rifles.

One problem we came across was the XCR did not like Wolf .223 ammunition.  Sometimes the ammo would feed into the chamber and other times it would not.  The cartridge would be about 98% into the chamber and then get stuck.  I had to butt stroke the XCR to eject the cartridge.  The SIG556 had no problem with any of the ammunition used.  We were shooting Federal XM193 and Wolf  62 gr. Ammo.

All in all, we both agreed a person really can’t go wrong with either system.  The fact that the XCR wouldn’t feed the Wolf ammo was a small concern and we started to wonder if it was due to the Wolf being .223 Remington and the Federal being 5.56mm, the differences being the case size differences, but with no other ammunition around to test, we are not certain about this.  We are going to test this out further later on.

We think that anyone who owns either of these rifles will be very happy.

If I could find a 556 for like $900, I would be on it like white on rice.  

You should double-check the XCR.  They do have a swing-down trigger guard. It's the same as the AR's, just that it opens the opposite way (towards the mag well).

bolster,

I will recheck it.  I must have just overlooked it.

Devin

Devin,

What gas setting was the XCR on when you tried the Wolf ammo?  Wolf is a little under powered and I find that my XCR needs to be on setting 4 to cycle it reliably.  All other ammo I shoot on setting 3.  If I am using my suppressor I use setting 1.

MadDog

Quoted: Devin, What gas setting was the XCR on when you tried the Wolf ammo?  Wolf is a little under powered and I find that my XCR needs to be on setting 4 to cycle it reliably.  All other ammo I shoot on setting 3.  If I am using my suppressor I use setting 1. MadDog

MadDog,

I don't remember what the setting on the XCR was.  However, the problem wasn't so much the gas system as it was the cartridge getting stuck in the chamber and thus the bolt wasn't able to lock down.  When I tried to eject the cartridge I couldn't do it with my own strength, I had to butt stroke the XCR on the ground to get the Wolf ammo to eject.  I'm assuming that the XCR just has a tight chamber or maybe its been reamed for 5.56 ammo instead of .223, because the same cartridge that got stuck in the XCR ran fine in the SIG556.

Devin

How many rounds through the XCR?  I had a few of these in the first 200 rounds and after 280, it feeds wolf just fine.  The other two XCR's in town had the same thing with wolf until around 300 rounds.  If the XCR is low round count, I would suspect it is the wolf ammo as it appears there is a bit of a pattern.

Quoted: How many rounds through the XCR?  I had a few of these in the first 200 rounds and after 280, it feeds wolf just fine.  The other two XCR's in town had the same thing with wolf until around 300 rounds.  If the XCR is low round count, I would suspect it is the wolf ammo as it appears there is a bit of a pattern.

I don't know, I would assume it has quite a few rounds through it already, as my friend has owned it for a few months now.

As someone who found it very, very hard to choose between a 556 and an XCR, and whom ended up with the 556 and second geussing that decision every other week, I thank you.

Quoted: As someone who found it very, very hard to choose between a 556 and an XCR, and whom ended up with the 556 and second geussing that decision every other week, I thank you.

Chris,

Your welcome!  My friend and I came to the same conclusion, that being, a person will be happy with either one and it basically boils down to a "Chevy vs. Ford" type of debate.  I'm very happy with my 556 and I'm pretty sure you will be too.  If you can find someone with an XCR, I'd definately ask him or her to let you try it out.  I would bet you'll find that your not any more happier with the XCR than you are with your 556.

Devin

Great review. Try the XCR again with a lower gas port setting especially if using 5.56 ammo. The recoil reduction between port settings is quite noticeable.

I have now shot right around 1000rounds of Wolf ammo through my XCR with zero problems.  The LARGE majority were on gas setting 4, while a couple hundred were on gas setting 3.  It's just odd that you say that, since I have used Wolf so much through my XCR with zero problems.  The first 300rounds were broken in with premium ammo.  I now have over 1500rounds through my gun, zero malfunctions, and as stated, the majority of ammo is wolf.  Odd in deed.  

And the XCR does in fact also have a swing down guard.

Thanks for the comparison though.  

Quoted: Quoted: Devin, What gas setting was the XCR on when you tried the Wolf ammo?  Wolf is a little under powered and I find that my XCR needs to be on setting 4 to cycle it reliably.  All other ammo I shoot on setting 3.  If I am using my suppressor I use setting 1. MadDog MadDog, I don't remember what the setting on the XCR was.  However, the problem wasn't so much the gas system as it was the cartridge getting stuck in the chamber and thus the bolt wasn't able to lock down.  When I tried to eject the cartridge I couldn't do it with my own strength, I had to butt stroke the XCR on the ground to get the Wolf ammo to eject.  I'm assuming that the XCR just has a tight chamber or maybe its been reamed for 5.56 ammo instead of .223, because the same cartridge that got stuck in the XCR ran fine in the SIG556. Devin

Maybe this particular XCR has a slight problem then?  I'll probably get to play with it again the first weekend in April.  I'll see if it repeats the problem and if it does, what may be wrong.

Malfunctions happen, and sometimes it is the ammo. On Saturday I was giving my brother-in-law his first AR experience and we had a spent round get stuck in the chamber in the first magazine on a clean rifle.  I dropped the bolt on it again and did the same thing Devin did to get it out.

Until this weekend, I had never had a problem with either this AR or Wolf ammo.

It could very well be the ammo, however, I took the same rounds that wouldn't work in the XCR, dusted them off and ran them through the SIG556 with no problems.  That's why I'm wondering if the XCR has a tighter chamber.