Anyone have trouble with Ruger American Predator 308?

[atl5029]

Hi Everyone,

A friend of mine got a Ruger American Predator rifle in 308 with the 18" threaded barrel that we are having some trouble trying to get it to shoot. I had actually recommended he look at that rifle based on the stellar reviews I have read on here about the same rifle in 6.5 CM with the longer barrel, so I'm feeling kinda bad. He has a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8 mounted on the rifle in good Leupold rings. We've checked that all screws are torqued to spec, checked the rail is tight, shot it off sandbags and the bipod, and have shot several different types of factory ammo through it including 180 gr Core Lokt, 165 Superformance SST, 178 gr ELDX precision hunter, 150 grain Barnes Vortex, and 165 Grain Win Power Points. Both he and I shot it, and the best groups we could get consistently were about 2 MOA with the cheapo Winchester rounds. Very occasionally it shot a nice group, which right now I'm attributing to just luck. Anyone have similar experiences with these rifles, and if so what did you do to fix them?

Right now we thing the main culprit is the stock, it seems kinda flimsy even though it is supposed to have a bedding block. We shot it both with and without a suppressor, and with the suppressor it shot a good 3-4 inches lower, as if the weight of the suppressor was enough to bend the forearm of the stock up towards the barrel? Thoughts?

 

[HARPERC]

...Anyone have similar experiences with these rifles, and if so what did you do to fix them?

Right now we thing the main culprit is the stock, it seems kinda flimsy even though it is supposed to have a bedding block.

I hear some reliable folks saying they've had positive experiences. I didn't! Fortunately it's not mine, and the owner has very limited goals for a spare rifle. He was in a bad MVA, and had a couple of us sight it in for him.

3-4" groups were what we were getting. I folded a target, and with a partner pulling the barrel and stock as far apart as he could, stuffed as much as I could in the fore end. Got us down to 1.5"-2". Pretty much reduce the contact to a single point.

I wouldn't put that much effort into one if it was mine. Inexpensive rifles either work or they don't. Throwing good money after bad, and the headache isn't worth it.

 

[cinch]

Have you tried a "known" scope?

 

[atl5029]

Have you tried a "known" scope?

Hmmm...no. We should have.

 

[Canhunter35]

I agree a known scope is a good place to start.

Also whenever u hang something off the end of the barrel it will change the poi

 

[COUNTRY]

Mine shoots lights out, always sub moa. I have only shot it with reloads which are 168gr Barnes TTSX with Varget powder and CCI BR primers.

And it always has a TBA suppressor mounted.

The only bad thing I can say about this rifle is the mag sucks, If I load more than 2 rounds in the mag it hangs up.

As soon as Magpul releases there new stock for the Ruger American, I will have mine in it.