Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Deep thoughts ......

With the RAR fever I've been reading about lately, is it fair to compare these rifles to the CZ wave of a decade ago??

Pretty fair assumption..

Don't know about those foreign jobbies but my RAR 22 lr Predator is the most accurate 22 I've owned, beats out my Mountie which is a shooter.

Interesting, I was not aware of the CZ wave. I may have been caught up in it. I purchased several 550's from CZ a few years ago. What happened was low cost for pretty good guns with a great old school classic design. Over time the old design's were modernized (557) and prices rose 50% on old models. The magic is gone. The 452 is gone. The 527 prices are up. Price was very important to gain a foot hold.

If there is a parallel, lets hope Ruger does not follow that same road. The same thing would happen with automobile models. Seems like a sporty little whatever got bigger and more expensive every year until the original concept was lost. Look at the jeep wrangler. A tank with butt warmers!

There was a time I could afford a Ruger No1. Did I change or did Ruger kill the goose. Why does a M77/22 cost so much and by most accounts not shoot any better than RAR if even as well? The trigger on an M77 is horrible. The RAR has a great trigger. Most CZ's have (ok had) nice set triggers. And god, I hope I hear how the trigger on $1000 M77 cam be fixed or replaced. Not interested. Ruger used to be a bargain for solid classic guns the industry no longer provided. In a way CZ in the 2000's was like Ruger in the 1970's.

The RAR does not require any fix. Price is right. Performance is better than expected for the price. Modern, not a classic, but a nitch filled. I think Bill Ruger would be proud. Back to basics, Value & Performance.

for a 'disposable' society.....

The CZ interest is still there. They do a special run of 500 452's for us every year. They usually ship in batches of 100 or 125. We sell through each shipment in a couple of days.

I'll add this. Ruger is doing some things to keep interest up on the rifles. Everybody wants something different. Here's another run they're doing..

The CZ rifles were pretty 1 dimensional compared to the RAR, as shortactionsmoker shows there working hard to keep the interest up where CZ didnt.

Regrettably, Ruger is in business to make money, not just cater to the preferences of a few discriminating customers. They have to focus their effort where the money is. Right now, that appears to be with inexpensive guns that shoot well, but don't make purists tingle all over. Fortunately, in the case of the Number 1, Lipsey's has stepped up to keep them in production by purchasing the rights to the line outright, which means they will continue to be available, but in limited numbers, cartridge choices, and probably at somewhat higher prices. The 77/22 is another item that fills a limited market demand, but at a price commensurate with the quality of construction. The Americans may shoot somewhat better on average, but that is likely related to the design being easier to bed well, not a reflection on the quality of the barrels. The 77/22 (and 77) trigger is easily tweaked for a better pull, but weight from the factory is somewhat heavy due, no doubt to liability concerns. My original 77/22, purchased in the mid 80s, had an excellent trigger. I had two CZ rimfires, a 455 and a 453 and neither trigger could be described as excellent out of the box.

Overall, Ruger has the lower and middle-priced rifle market well covered, with solid offerings at fair prices. The high end is covered by others, but regular perusal of theses forums shows that they're not without their problems. As an old, retired fat man, most of the new, nice stuff is out of my reach so I scratch my itch for nice stuff by buying older, good quality stuff.

No business would stay in business for very long if it existed to address the fickle demands of "a few discriminating customers". While I'd like to see a Remington 700 CDL-SF "classic" run in 256 Newton, I doubt that they would fly off dealers' shelves.

I have found Lipsey's to be less than easy to deal with for a small dealer.

That was my point, though I may have failed to make it clear.

I'm confused; who's the small dealer, Lipsey's or you? Regardless, they do order up some interesting specials (in addition to a lot of stuff that I just don't "get"). Ruger seems to have caught "variation fever" themselves, producing all kinds of color and feature options. It must drive the collectors crazy.

I've been toying with getting the long barreled RAR and selling my 77/22 target rifle.

If it shoots better and works better to throw in the truck when I'm going back to the farm and not be so fussy.


Any down side to selling off a SS barrel wood laminated durable design to a plastic design with a plastic trigger guard that is probably very stable... but leaves you with the same question of what will it crumble into in 30 years? right next to my plastic Glock 19...

Hmmm...

I dont see any reason to expect the Ruger American to be less durable then my 40 year old Marlin. The Marlin needed some work this year. I had to get used striker from Numrich Arms. Having been inside the marlin, so to speak, and looking closely at the Ruger American. I believe the Ruger is a better design. Not even close. I expect it will outlive and young buyer who gives it any semblance of proper treatment. Certainly should outlast the years and shots fired that my Marlin.

IMHO, the RAR is NOT disposable. I dont like plastic, but it works. Plastic performs. The metal work and design are top notch. I would say best in class. If you break the stock, buy another one. Same as any other gun wood or plastic, except less costly. I expect in reality, with hard use, wood is more disposable than plastic.

I like wood. I would like to see a wood stock RAR. Nice wood, not laminate, not wood color plastic. Priced right. It could happen.

I'm the small dealer. Lipsey's won't sell to me unless I provide financial information to them, despite the fact that I don't want to open an credit account with them. I would like to have bought a couple of the stainless 77 RSIs that Lipsey's has had made, but I won't provide them with financial information that is irrelevant, so I can't buy from them. Of course, Lipsey's has never had a firearm that I couldn't get by without having.

I will have a wood stock RAR 22 lr Predator, when Boyd's gets around to it. May get another for the 17 HMR Predator being delivered today. If the RAR is like the 10-22 then it shouldn't be a problem getting a new stock in 50 years or so. Probably won't be my problem.

all of this talk has got me interested.

but, what is the difference between a reg. RAR, and a Predator? either i can't read, or see a difference on the Ruger website.

A RAR Predator in 22 Hornet has got to be the ULTIMATE truck/porch gun. Gotta' think they'd sell more than a few if that was produced to sell for $300 +/-.

By the way, Whittaker Guns is a really good bunch to deal with. Ordered the 17HMR on Friday and got it the following Thursday. Good communications all the way thru.
(wife and g/kids have since proclaimed that it is their rifle - :o)

I think the RAR is the new 10/22. They're not going anywhere any time.




Travis

Threaded.




Travis

The Ruger American rifle in 22mag:
(choice 18 or 22" barrel threaded or plain)

http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRimfire/specSheets/8321.html

The Ruger American Predator in 22mag:


http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRimfireDE/specSheets/8335.html

Key difference: medium barrel (a bit heavier), 18" threaded barrel, weaver scope base, large bolt knob, clean no sights