Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger American or?

I'm gonna try to make this as short and not whiney as possible lol. I had to sell 3 rifles in the spring of last year due to losing my job at UPS, I was off work for a good while but once my grievance was finally heard I ended up getting my job back and all has been good since. So fast forward. Hunting season is fast approaching and the rifles I sold were my 700s. Left me without my 2 that I use for deer season and my 221fb that I use for cats and coyotes. I really hated to sell but it was either that or my some of my Muskie rods, reels and tackle....so the guns had to go.

Im doing good with finances again, but I'm still short on my rifles. I'm still not ready to drop the amount of $$$ I had tied up in these 3 but I do need something to get me through deer season and predator season until I get my tax returns and can start building back up.

I hate the look and feel of most of those entry level rifles and really don't care for plastic stocks but I think I'm gonna just have to deal with it for this year. I'm Thinking of a ruger American in .243 and maybe topping it with a vx1? Maybe picking up a used 700adl for roughly the same price? What would you guys so if you were in my shoes? I'm not a big .243 fan but that's about as dual purpose as anything and should be easy to resell later on.

So what say the fire?

Ruger American is not a bad idea. Could also try the Marlin XS7 in 243. Palmetto State Armory had them for $200 last week.

There is a reason the marlin is $200. Get the rar and have fun.

How about $499 for a Ruger Hawkeye synthetic/blue in .308W, .280 Rem or .30-06? Add $50 for .280 or .30-06 in walnut.

http://www.cdnnsports.com/firearms.html?brand=2118&cat=14&p=3

Shipping to your FFL is $14.75, or at least it was on the .30-06 I bought late last month.

Although that is a pretty good deal and I'm a big 30-06 fan.

I've hunted a great deal with the 30-06 and a little with the 308. I'm just getting to the point where I'm wanting a smaller cartridge since our deer are a bit on the smallish side. Burn a little less powder, little less recoil, etc etc

I'd be interested in hearing those reasons. I don't see much functional difference between the RAR and the XS7. I have an X7 in 223 that shoots very well.

I've got an American in 7/08 and its a shooter. If i could get a 700 for the same money I'd take the 700 every time.

The PSA Marlin XS7s for $200 is a killer deal! I have a bunch of these rifles and they are very accurate. $200 for the XS7, $200 for a VX1 3-9x40 from Natchez, and somewhere between $15 and $50 for a set of Weaver-style rings to mount on the one-piece base that comes installed on the Marlin.

I wish that I'd waited to buy my XS7s from PSA when they dropped to $200 per unit. I paid $250 per unit and felt that it was a really good deal, but $200 per unit is SMOKING HOT!

Don't over thnk it, just get something to get you through the short term and then rebuild slowly and thoughtfully when you can. A used whatever might give you trouble when you can least afford it. I think a .243 is a good choice. I finally bought one last year after thinking about it for 40 years or so and could very well get by with it alone if I had to. Without any direct experience with either, I like the Marlin because I dislike detachable mags on bolt guns, but the boys do seem to love their RARs too. Don't overlook Amazon when scope shopping. They have the VX-1 3-9 for $195 and shippng should be free. They also have a good selection of mounts.

Congrats on getting your job back.

I've tried several and think the RAR is the best deal on a budget gun. I think they are best in short actions. A 6.25 lb 30-06 is just too light for most people. The 308 or 7-08 is a better option in my opinion.

The Predator with a slightly heavier barrel is only slightly more and they seem to be more accurate. I have a compact in 223 and the Predator in 308. Both are shooters, especially the Predator.

I have a 2-7X Redfield on mine, a $200 scope.

Yesp, same barrel threads as the standard small shank savage.
I love mine, turned one into a Creedmoor.
Anyone tells you they are junk, never owned one.

I'd buy a Ruger RAR in the 6.5 Creedmoor predator............oh wait I did

From a quick search it appears a 223 is legal for deer in Kentucky. A 223 kills a deer without any problems. The same chambering would be good for cats and totes. Or a 22-250. RARs are twisted correctly for the 22s.

Or you could use the 243 for the same.

The RARs in 22-250 are 1-10" ROT, so they'll handle my favorite .224" deer bullet, the 60 grain Partition.

I have killed a couple deer with the .223. Standard 55grain soft point. Also loaded a 50g Sierra soft point for my 221 a few years ago and killed a little 8 point with it lol....would have thought you hit him with Thor's hammer.

I just got a 223 in a tikka, I held the ruger American side by side, and there is simply no comparison. The ruger felt like it had sand on the action.
Sure ruger is a great entry rifle, I just don't care for it if I have little extra cash to spend.
There was or maybe is a steal on here for a TC venture in 06. They are shooters and great smooth action. That's just me.
I'm sure you'll be happy with ruger, they are popular for a reason.

There was a 243 American in a Boyd's stock recently in the classifieds. Was a good deal it seemed.

A short action RAR with a 3-9 vx1 is going to be tough to beat in the new rifle market.
You "might" find a military sporter with an old redfield for the same money.

Bought a RAR 7-08 in LH last season, I liked it. 3 deer didn't care for it.

Check out the RAR / Redfield package. Hard to beat that combination for the money.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/10129046/Re:_WTS_RAR_243_in_boyds#Post10129046

If I was wanting a RAR in 243, I'd definitely be looking at this one in the classifieds.