Anyone using Ruger American rifles??

[Litehiker]

Anyone shooting Ruger American rifles? They have a lot of features for not much money. But with the factory plastic stock I did have to Dremel out a channel for an aluminum arrow and bed it in with JB Weld to get a stiff fore arm.

I have a 6.5 CM Ruger American Predator with a Timney trigger and (now) a Boyd's Classic laminated stock. This rifle shoots 1/2" groups 140 gr. Hornaday ELD-M factory ammo. Amazing, to me at least, for a rifle that inexpensive. The Timmy trigger made the most difference in getting those groups.

I realize there are now a lot of "lower priced" very good bolt action rifles like Savage and Mossberg but I like 3 lug bolts and thus the choice of the American.

Eric B.

PHOTO UPDATE: OK djm 670, here ya are, photo of my RAP with Boyd's Classic stock and SWFA 3 - 15 x 42 FFP, mil/mil scope.
-> I replaced the Boyd's sling studs with flush cup limited turn swivels so I could shoot off my bench rest W/O catching the stud on it. Magpul Modular Sling is my choice for this stock.

 

[Dosh]

My grandson has an American in 7mm-08 with a Boyd's Pro Varmint. It is very accurate. I was quite surprised.

 

[Backcountry_IDN]

Had a .25-06 in the predator. Shot very well. I wished I'd of kept it but had 3 other rifles for different applications (elk size, deer size, varmints) .300 wm I built, 6.5-284 that's almost done and 6.5creed in the Ruger Precision for my varmints.

 

[Deputy819]

I owned and hand-loaded for a Ruger American Predator in .22-250 about a year ago. Was the most accurate, unaltered rifle I've owned thus far. Definitely one of the most fun I've ever owned. It now haunts me right along with a Remington 700 Mountain S/S in .280 I used to own. I'll get another Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster soon and I WILL NOT deprive myself of it.

 

[Barrelnut]

Prefits are starting to show up. That's a good sign. I like three lugs on a regular hunting rifle.
http://patriotvalleyarms.com/tikka-and-ruger-american-prefit-barrel/

 

[Canhunter35]

Prefits are starting to show up. That's a good sign. I like three lugs on a regular hunting rifle.
http://patriotvalleyarms.com/tikka-and-ruger-american-prefit-barrel/

Other than three lugs, is there any advantage of an American action of the savage if you're wanting to do prefits?

 

[Barrelnut]

Other than three lugs, is there any advantage of an American action of the savage if you're wanting to do prefits?

Not an American owner, so don't personally know of any real advantages. Couple things I always question about the American though is the lack of a traditional recoil lug. The Tikka and Savage Axis are also this way... I just think a real recoil lug allows better mating of the action to the stock for a more rigid setup. The American has a tang safety like the Savage, but the American's is only a two position safety, unlike the three position on the Savage. I do think the American's non-rigid style recoil lug and action bolt setup is way better than the Savage Axis or Tikka though.

 

[Vortex!]

I have a Ruger American rifle in 243 and it is a sweet gun. Stacks bullets on top of each other all the time. That's just with cheap federal 100 gr sp. It's the rifle I used to kill the coyote on my profile pic.

 

[Litehiker]

Barrelnut,
Ruger actually has two recoil lugs. There are notches milled into the bottom of the action to receive the V part of the two Y-shaped "bedding blocks". These stainless steel blocks serve both as recoil bedding blocks and action bolt pillars, the pillars being the bottom part pf the "Y" blocks. Very clever and it works very well as long as the Y blocks are well glued in at the factory..

The 3 Lug bolts pick up cartridges from double stack magazines much better than traditional 2 lug bolts as the bolt-bottom-to-cartridge base tolerance does not need to be nearly as exact.

FYI - When putting a Boyd's laminated stock on a Ruger American Boyd's blocks are only V blocks (not Y blocks) and they require that you epoxy bed them when re-assembling the barreled acton and stock so they precisely fit the action notches. Very narrow pillars must be used if you feel the need on these Boyd stocks as there is not much wood around the action bolts to play with.

Eric B.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Ruger now offers the American Predator series rifles in 6.5 Grendel, it has a 1:8 twist 5/8x24 threaded barrel, and it uses 6.5 Grendel AR mags. One day I will get one.

 

[mrjashu]

I have a RAP in 6.5CM and like you Litehiker I put a Timney trigger in it. I really love the rifle. I used it to harvest a Coues whitetail last fall and a Javalina this spring. It's such a nice handy rifle and shoots very well with my reloads. It is really accurate with factory ammo but I decided to reload to get better velocity and velocity consistency. I'm shooting 143g ELDX at about 2770 fps. Only thing I don't like is the stock. It shoots well enough that I'd be willing to drop it in a nice composite stock if one was offered. The price to fun ratio is really high!

 

[Litehiker]

mrj,
As I mentioned I have a Boyd's laminated wood stock on my RAP. Boyd's makes three or four styles of stocks for Ruger American rifles. I got fish scale checkering for my Classic model and for $35. it was well worth it. The checkering is perfectly done by a CNC laser cutter.

Eric B.

 

[Timeout]

Anyone shooting Ruger American rifles? They have a lot of features for not much money. But with the factory plastic stock I did have to Dremel out a channel for an aluminum arrow and bed it in with JB Weld to get a stiff fore arm.

I have a 6.5 CM Ruger American Predator with a Timney trigger and (now) a Boyd's Classic laminated stock. This rifle shoots 1/2" groups 140 gr. Hornaday ELD-M factory ammo. Amazing, to me at least, for a rifle that inexpensive. The Timmy trigger made the most difference in getting those groups.

I realize there are now a lot of "lower priced" very good bolt action rifles like Savage and Mossberg but I like 3 lug bolts and thus the choice of the American.

Eric B.

I have a Ruger American Ranch model in 223. Shoots pretty darn well and handy as pockets on a shirt. I own some custom rifles and most all my rifles have aftermarket barrels. I still think the American is a pretty sweet little rifle. It is 1 in 8 twist and came threaded for a brake or suppressor. I have two modified magazines that allow me to load the mags with Hornady 75 grain Amaxes to a length that reaches the throat. I'm seating bullets for hunting rounds .010" from the lands. Drawback is that factory stock mags will not allow the heavies seated anywhere near the lands. Kind of dumb to build a 1 in 8 twist and then design a magazine that won't let a person load for maximum accuracy.

 

[djm670]

mrj,
As I mentioned I have a Boyd's laminated wood stock on my RAP. Boyd's makes three or four styles of stocks for Ruger American rifles. I got fish scale checkering for my Classic model and for $35. it was well worth it. The checkering is perfectly done by a CNC laser cutter.

Eric B.

Pictures Eric??? Worth a thousand words as the saying goes. Thanks!