New AR-15s of 2026: Every New AR, Compared
The AR-15 is America's rifle, and 2026 proved the market is anything but finished. Ruger re-engineered its AR line from the ground up, IWI and SIG went piston-driven, and two companies known for other things, US Palm and Shadow Systems, launched their first complete rifles. We track 5 new AR-15s for 2026, and 5 are confirmed shipping. Every spec here is from the maker.
Every new AR-15 at a glance
| Product | Status | MSRP | Announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| IWI ARAD 5 | Shipping | $1,499.99 | Apr 10, 2026 |
| US Palm Storm CAT4 | Shipping | $1,399.99 | Jan 20, 2026 |
| Shadow Systems U526 | Shipping | $2,199 | Jan 20, 2026 |
| Ruger Harrier AR-15 | Shipping | $699 | Dec 31, 2025 |
| SIG SIG516 G3 | Shipping | $2,179.99 | Nov 12, 2025 |
Compared by price, system and best use
| Rifle | Operating system | Barrel / twist | Weight | Best for | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruger Harrier | Direct impingement (mid-length or carbine gas) | 16.1 in, 1:8 | 6 lb 10 oz* | First AR, budget home defense | $699 |
| US Palm Storm CAT4 | Direct impingement | 16 in CHF, 1:7 | 7 lb | Ambi controls on a mid-range budget | $1,399.99 |
| IWI ARAD 5 | 2-position short-stroke piston | 16 in, 1/2x28 | 7 lb 8.3 oz | Piston reliability, quick-change barrel | $1,499.99 |
| SIG516 G3 | Short-stroke piston, adjustable gas | 16 in CHF, 1:7 | 7.7 lb | Suppressor host, hard use | $2,179.99 |
| Shadow Systems U526 | Direct impingement, intermediate gas | 16 in chrome-lined 4150 | Not published | Premium duty carbine | $2,199 |
*Harrier weight from American Rifleman. Other specs from each maker's product page. CHF = cold hammer forged.
The new AR-15s
Ruger Harrier: the re-engineered American AR
Ruger's Harrier is a fresh start for the company's AR-pattern rifles, built at its Hebron, Kentucky factory. It uses forged 7075 aluminum upper and lower receivers with a Type III hardcoat, a 16.1-inch black nitride barrel with a 1:8 twist, a 1/2-28 threaded muzzle with an A2 flash hider, and a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard. Ruger offers two launch models: 28600 with a mid-length gas system and 28601 with carbine gas. Pricing starts at $699, the lowest price of any new AR-15 we track. It's mil-spec compatible, so the whole aftermarket is open to you. Status: Shipping.
US Palm Storm CAT4: premium features, mid-range price
US Palm has made AR furniture and accessories for years; the Storm CAT4 is its first complete firearm. US Palm says it set out to deliver "$2,000+ rifle performance" at an attainable price, and the feature list backs that up: a cold hammer forged 4150 chrome-moly barrel with a 1:7 twist, 7075-T6 receivers, fully ambidextrous controls (safety, magazine release, bolt catch and charging handle), a Hiperfire EDT trigger, a Magpul DT Carbine stock and US Palm's Hurricane hybrid flash hider and compensator. Its Mono-Loc handguard keys into the upper receiver for extra rigidity, which helps keep lasers and lights zeroed. MSRP $1,399.99; US Palm's site showed it in stock when we checked.
IWI ARAD 5: a piston AR, now made in Tennessee
IWI US launched the ARAD 5 on April 10, 2026, built at its Tennessee facility. It keeps M4 lower parts compatibility and the M4 manual of arms, but adds a semi-monolithic upper, a two-position short-stroke gas piston (regular and suppressed) and IWI's patented quick-detach CamLok barrel lock-up. The 16-inch 4150 CMV barrel is threaded 1/2x28, and it ships with a B5 SOPMOD stock and a 30-round magazine. IWI lists it at $1,499.99. IWI's own store showed a waitlist, but dealers had stock when we checked.
SIG516 G3: the piston 516, updated
SIG launched the SIG516 G3 in November 2025 as a 2026-model update to its piston-driven 516. It has a short-stroke piston with an adjustable gas system, a 16-inch cold hammer forged barrel with a 1:7 twist, rear and side non-reciprocating charging handles, fully ambidextrous controls, a Matchlite Duo curved trigger, a free-floating M-LOK handguard and steel-reinforced high-wear areas at the cam path and feed ramp. SIG lists it at 7.7 lb and 33 to 36.5 inches long. The adjustable gas makes it a natural suppressor host. Retail MSRP is $2,179.99.
Shadow Systems U526: a pistol maker builds a carbine
Shadow Systems announced its first rifle on January 20, 2026. Shadow says it engineered the U526 "end-to-end" as a complete system: a hybrid-profile, chrome-lined 4150 CMV barrel, an intermediate-length gas system with a pinned gas block, a two-stage duty trigger, modern ambidextrous controls, proprietary furniture and a Maelstrom flash hider with a Plan B suppressor interface. An 11.5-inch E526 pistol version starts at $2,179. The U526 starts at $2,199, and Shadow's store says it's built to order due to demand.
Full specs
Spec comparison
Key specs as published by each maker (from our product detail data). A dash means the maker hasn't published that spec or we haven't recorded it yet.
| Product | MSRP | Caliber | Barrel | Stock | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWI ARAD 5 | $1,499.99 | 5.56 NATO | 16 in 4150 CMV, 1/2x28 | B5 SOPMOD | 31.875-35.375 in |
| US Palm Storm CAT4 | $1,399.99 | 5.56 NATO | 16 in cold hammer forged 4150 CrMo, 1:7 | Magpul DT Carbine | 33.5-36.8 in |
| Shadow Systems U526 | $2,199 | 5.56 NATO | 16 in hybrid-profile, chrome-lined 4150 CMV | — | — |
| Ruger Harrier | $699 | 5.56 NATO (.223 Rem compatible) | 16.1 in, black nitride, 1:8 twist | — | — |
| SIG Sauer SIG516 G3 | $2,179.99 | 5.56 NATO | 16 in cold hammer forged, 1:7 twist, 1/2-28 | 6-position Magpul | 33-36.5 in |
Piston or direct impingement?
Two of this year's five new ARs, the IWI ARAD 5 and SIG516 G3, use a short-stroke gas piston instead of the AR-15's original direct impingement (DI) system. Here's the practical difference:
- Direct impingement routes gas back into the bolt carrier. It's lighter, simpler, and has the biggest parts aftermarket. The Harrier, Storm CAT4 and U526 are DI.
- Short-stroke piston uses the gas to drive a piston near the gas block, keeping hot gas and fouling out of the receiver. That's why piston guns are popular suppressor hosts. They're typically heavier, and some parts are proprietary.
- Adjustable gas, on the ARAD 5 (two positions) and SIG516 G3, lets you turn the gas down when you run a suppressor.
How to choose a new AR-15 in 2026
- Budget: the Ruger Harrier is the clear value pick. Spend the savings on a good optic, a light and ammunition.
- Ambidextrous controls: the Storm CAT4, SIG516 G3 and U526 all have them. That matters for left-handed shooters and for anyone who trains to shoot from either shoulder.
- Barrel twist: a 1:7 twist (CAT4, SIG516 G3) stabilizes heavy 70+ grain bullets. A 1:8 (Harrier) handles most common 5.56 and .223 loads.
- Suppressor plans: look at adjustable gas (ARAD 5, SIG516 G3) or a suppressor-ready muzzle (U526's Plan B interface).
- Know your state's laws. IWI notes that sales of the ARAD 5 may be restricted in certain states and the District of Columbia. Several states restrict AR-15s and their features, and the rules change. Check before you buy.
On the radar, not on our list yet
We only add a rifle once the maker publishes it. These were shown in 2026 but aren't tracked yet:
- PSA AXR SSP. Palmetto State Armory revealed the AXR SSP, a bufferless short-stroke piston rifle with swappable barrels shown in 5.56 (14.5-inch) and 300 Blackout (6.5-inch). PSA says the AXR family is "not based on the AR-15," and it had no published price or ship date when we checked.
- Daniel Defense DD4 X1. Shown at SHOT Show 2026. Daniel Defense hadn't published a civilian product page, price or release date when we checked.
Release dates and shipping status
Here is where every one of the 5 new AR-15s stands as of our latest checks. Shipping now (5): IWI ARAD 5 ($1,499.99), US Palm Storm CAT4 ($1,399.99), Shadow Systems U526 ($2,199), Ruger Harrier ($699), SIG Sauer SIG516 G3 ($2,179.99). The most recent announcement in this group is the IWI ARAD 5 ($1,499.99), announced Apr 10, 2026. Each product page shows the exact date we last checked and the source behind its status, so you can judge freshness before you shop.
How we chose
Every product here comes from our release database, which tracks new products from announcement to shipping. To make the list, a product had to be announced for 2026 (or in late 2025 for 2026 availability) and have a cited maker or trade-press source. We grouped products by job using maker specs, then weighed MSRP and verified shipping status. If two did the same job, we favored the one you can buy today.
We haven't range-tested these products. Picks are editorial judgments based on published data. Prices are maker MSRPs, and status comes from our latest dated check on each product page. Read how we track releases and our editorial standards.
More: the best new rifles of 2026, our 22 Creedmoor vs 22 ARC comparison, new suppressors, NIJ armor levels explained and every new rifle.
Frequently asked questions
- What new AR-15s came out in 2026?
- New 2026 AR-15s we track include the Ruger Harrier, US Palm Storm CAT4, IWI ARAD 5, SIG516 G3 and Shadow Systems U526.
- What is the cheapest new AR-15 of 2026?
- The Ruger Harrier, from a $699 MSRP, is the lowest-priced new AR-15 we track.
- Which new 2026 AR-15s are piston-driven?
- The IWI ARAD 5 (two-position short-stroke piston) and the SIG516 G3 (short-stroke piston with adjustable gas).
- Is the Ruger Harrier mil-spec?
- American Rifleman calls it the latest evolution in mil-spec AR-pattern rifles, and it takes mil-spec-compatible parts. It uses forged 7075 receivers, a 16.1-inch 1:8 barrel and a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard.
- Is the PSA AXR an AR-15?
- No. Palmetto State Armory says none of the AXR firearms are based on the AR-15. The AXR SSP is a bufferless short-stroke piston design, unpriced when we checked.
Sources
- Ruger: Harrier models
- US Palm: Storm CAT4
- IWI US: ARAD 5 specifications
- SIG Sauer: SIG516 G3
- Shadow Systems: first 5.56mm rifle and pistol (January 20, 2026)
- American Rifleman: 7 New ARs for 2026
- Palmetto State Armory: The AXR Series
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