Ruger American rifles

Lee Barner

Lee Barner

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I finally had a day without too much wind and perfect temperature to go sight in a couple of new Ruger American rifles. the first is the carbine in 5.56 with the tan stock. the second was my .243 Predator with the green stock and 20" barrel. both are tack drivers. I start at 27 yards to get on target and then moved out to 100 yards. I have Burris 3X9 BDC scopes on both. I have rarely hunted in several years because of my knees and am applying for a permit to hunt from a vehicle this year. I really miss having some venison in the freezer. lee
 
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Lee Barner said:
I finally had a day without too much wind and perfect temperature to go sight in a couple of new Ruger American rifles. the first is the carbine in 5.56 with the tan stock. the second was my .243 with the green stock. both are tack drivers. I start at 27 yards to get on target and then moved out to 100 yards. I have Burris 3X9 BDC scopes on both. I have rarely hunted in several years because of my knees and am applying for a permit to hunt from a vehicle this year. I really miss having some venison in the freezer. lee
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CONGRATULATIONS, Lee, AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR APPLICATION.......

OLD AGE IS NOT FOR SISSIES. DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO, IN ORDER TO STAY IN THE GAME, AS LONG AS YOU CAN......
 
Just fired a Ruger American last week in .270. This one had a stainless barrel. Accuracy was decent on my friends too. Second gun a Savage 111 in 25-06 with synthetic stock. I was shooting my Remington Model Four in .270. Am used to the old walnut and high polish blue from my era but these latest offerings will shoot great groups. Just have to live without the frills. Great to be able to shoot different guns.
 
Lee Barner said:
I finally had a day without too much wind and perfect temperature to go sight in a couple of new Ruger American rifles. the first is the carbine in 5.56 with the tan stock. the second was my .243 with the green stock. both are tack drivers. I start at 27 yards to get on target and then moved out to 100 yards. I have Burris 3X9 BDC scopes on both. I have rarely hunted in several years because of my knees and am applying for a permit to hunt from a vehicle this year. I really miss having some venison in the freezer. lee
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The pictures aren't loading....
 
I'm not much for the new synthetic stuff. I do like Rugers and I
have bought most models as soon as they hit the market BP,
before plastic. I have early production 77 in 270 and same in the
77/22. The 270 is outstanding and 77/22 is no slouch. My SIL
won an American 22/250 and we put a Pentax 4x12 on it. With
rough bore sight it took 7 shots to walk it into the bull. We had
Rem factory ammo and were shooting 1"- 11/2" 5 shot groups
at 100yds. I know other guys who bought Americans that are
reporting same results. What can I say they are ugly but they
shoot. In that respect they have to be the best value in their
class. With a better scope and bench instead of truck hood, and
some good handloads I'm sure the groups could be shrunk at
least 1/2".
 
I like Ruger rifles. I own four: an old M77 tang safety .243, a new 77 Hawkeye African .275 Rigby, a 10/22 International and a Ruger American Predator.

One thing you can say for the Ruger American rifles, they shoot. Honestly a rifle that feels as cheap as the American just seems like it shouldn't shoot as well as they do. At their price point they are darn hard to beat.

I picked up a Ruger American Predator chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor last year. Due to my job I could get a pretty good discount on the rifle. I wanted to play with the 6.5 Creedmoor on the cheap just to see if it was all the 6.5 fan boys say it is cracked up to be. I put an older Leupold Mark 4 scope on it and a muzzle brake. With the brake I get very little muzzle rise so I see the hits. It is a fun setup to shoot steel with it way out there.

It is a pretty consistent 1/2 to 3/4 MOA rifle with factory loads. My nephew has a .243 Win. that shoots every bit as well mine.

I think I'm buying another Ruger American in 6mm Creedmoor for a grandsons Christmas present this year. I'll toss one of the Ruger American compact stocks with a 12 1/2 in. length of pull on it so he'll be able to grow with it.

165830887.XhHjCUqe.SPLASHTARGET.jpg


165830886.CgU8b9Pl.RUGER.jpg


My only animal so far...okay I shot this antelope at 60 yards but I was ready for some long range shooting.

166457155.HIX1Z0c9.antelope20171web.jpg
 
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I've been curious about the Ruger American Rifles, but haven't had a chance to handle one, or shoot one. Nice to see some input from people who have!
 
CustomChevyGuy said:
I've been curious about the Ruger American Rifles, but haven't had a chance to handle one, or shoot one. Nice to see some input from people who have!
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When you handle one just know the plastic stocks feel flimsy and cheap. The machining on the bolts seem runs from pretty smooth to rough and buzzy.

Mine had very visible tooling marks on the bolt and was buzzy but some lapping compound and elbow grease smoothed it out.

The trigger is adjustable. Mine from the factory was set over 5 lbs. Now it is near 3 lbs. It is a good trigger but not a great trigger.

Of course with a price point below $500 one shouldn't expect much refinement in a rifle.

But with all of that I've not talked to anyone that has a Ruger American that doesn't shoot and shoot pretty darn good.
 
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I did buy a Ruger American 22 magnum in the compact version. Shoots very accurate with the CCI 40 grain ammo. To me the stock does not feel chintzy but just my opinion. I did send for the standard stock module for longer length of pull. Pretty cheap at $20. Must admit I like the satin bluing on the rimfires over the matte on the centerfires. I admit they are not as eye appealing for sure but they seem to be able to get the job done.
 
My wife gave me a Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39 for my Birthdaty last Feb. I didn't get a chance to shoot it for a few months, then decided I needed to try it out. Mounted a used Bushnell Banner 3X9 on it I had taken off another rifle I had bought cheap. The Ruger had never been fired before I sighted it in. Went for 50 yards, and at 12 rounds (4 groups of three) it was dead on and the last three rounds would be covered by a nickle. Very little recoil in that round, decent trigger, light, short, and handy. All a brush gun needs to be. I was quite impressed. I went for that caliber as a complement to my other 7.62 stuff and not needing yet another different caliber around here!:)
 
Bought a Ruger American Compact in 7.62x39. Bolt has these little ridges that make a kinda screeching noise as you work the bolt. Those little ridges were from the CNC machining process.There were a few burrs left on the bolt but were removed by careful stoning. Couple on the action also now gone. Question, is the barrel a 30 caliber or 31 caliber?. Most 7.62x39 does use a .311 or .312 diameter bullet. And still figuring what scope I plan on using. Burris zee rings with the polymer inserts to hold the scope. Thanks,Frank
 
Lee Barner said:
I have rarely hunted in several years because of my knees and am applying for a permit to hunt from a vehicle this year. I really miss having some venison in the freezer. lee
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Just head over to Butler County in the Show Me State. Lots of hunting from vehicles there. At night. Out of season . . .
 
Ruger American

I bought one in 30.06 shortly after they became available on the market. I got it broke in and then started shooting from the bench and discovered that I must be a much better marksman than I know myself to be.:)

However, be aware that if you get set up to shoot and are using a tight sling for accuracy, the fore stock is flimsy enough that it can (and will) put enough side pressure on the barrel that you will entirely miss a 10" target at 100 yards.:(
 
I bought a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmore about two years ago. After about a year, I succumbed to the temptation of buying a really nice laminated wood stock for it, hoping to make things better. Well, besides spending half again as much for the new stock, my rifle really doesn't shoot much better than it does with the ugly OEM stock, and guess what, it's heavier now. The new stock does have a higher comb that allows a bit better cheek weld when looking through the scope I have mounted, but I still don't shoot it any better!

My experience with this rifle has been entirely positive. I'm not a really great shooter, and I don't normally shoot at things beyond 300 yards. I do have the rifle sighted for zero at 200 yards which pretty much allows me to shoot out to 300 with little if any sighting adjustments at animal sized targets. I really like this rifle! For me, pretty is as pretty does, and I'm seriously thinking of putting the OEM stock back on the rifle. I have more confidence in this rifle and it's caliber than any other rifle I have ever owned!

I had the opportunity to shoot at a 400 yard steel target for the first time in my life while the rifle was still pretty new to me. I made a slight sighting calculation based on my understanding of the trajectory of the round fired and barely missed the gong my first attempt. I made a second small adjustment allowing for a bit more windage adjustment and hit that gong on my second shot! I was very pleased! I was not shooting from a very stable position at the time either, nor was the weather very good, so who knows? But I still tagged that piece of steel. For what I need this rifle for, it's all I need. And for the money, all I can say is WOW! I know this is just a sample of one, and only one shooters experience, but having many years of rifle experience, I think it's valid, at least for me. Both the rifle and the caliber has been an eye opening experience for me.
 
Good luck on the hunt Lee. I just bought a Ruger American in 450 BushMaster as they are legal to use in shotgun areas of Michigan. A great utility gun that will take it.
 
oHere'a message to Ruger. Make the rifle with open sights! Some of us would like a utility rifle with open sights in .223 other than the CZ;
It is positively amazing that open sights of rifles have gone the way of the Dodo. If I want a Ruger in .223 with open sights I've got to double the price of the American to get a Scout rifle :mad:
Make a carbine length America with open ot peep sights and I'd be in line to buy the first one!!
Oh and while I'm complaining, how about flush mounted magazine for the Scout rifle
 
Glad to here that you own this rifle. But I think burris is not best brand to have a nice scope within value. I tried Vortex viper HS or leupold VX .Those are best hunting scopes and work very well at long range shooting.

You can try one for your rifle specially if you go for a long hunt season.
 
Steve, I have used Burris scopes for over 30 years and never had a problem with one yet. the new BDC scopes are spot on. I don't do "long" hunts any more either. I watch a lot of the long range hunting shows and if I were able to do that I probably would have a Vortex scope and one of those $3500.00 rifles(LOL). lee
 
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