Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Ruger doesn't stand still for very long

I am a happy owner of a 22mag RAR. It is a great gun for what it is. My only hunting rimfire. IMHO, This is a step in the right direction, if Ruger wants to sell me another or compete with CZ. Given I dont need another, it probably take a lot more to sell me another rimfire.

Another step would be too improve the 77/xxx trigger. A 3rd step might be a top grade American truly competitive with CZ or 77/xxx. Serious snob appeal - in a good way. The new design should be less cost to build and about as good as anything out there.

I like this wood option, but for a little more money the CZ looks better (style). Mechanically, or design, I prefer the Ruger American over the new CZ455. It just need a bit more hi class in the wood version.

I seriously believe Ruger is on the RIGHT track here. For every $100 price increase, I bet the market shrinks 90%. So; time will tell, how far up scale Ruger can take this thing. Has anyone one even seen a wood RAR?

No. Now this is sick (and not in a good way):



I could just as easy paste images of stocks painted by owners and posted with pride on the web.

Bingo! They gotta make a living.

The Reactionary Old Fart contingent makes a lot of noise about what the gun companies oughta make, but when they comply, the only ones who buy the stuff are the ROFs, who are noisy but few in number. I buy a few myself, but tend to go for the real deal (old Mausers, Sakos, etc.) instead of the "new classics". The old stuff may have a few love bites here and there, but when fed today's good bullets, they shoot right along with the new stuff and, THEY WORK. And, finding them is half the fun.

Not bad, but it would have looked better checkered like the Walmart Special 10/22s.

If I were King, they would have done a stainless version first

I am old. I like classic. I also appreciate practical and affordable. I like a good design too. The Ruger American is top notch, just as it is. Now what? Wood is good. Left is needed. Stainless is ok I guess. It is all up side from here.

I like the old mausers. I dont have one and dont really want one. I do have several CZ and they are real old school guns for pretty fair price. I have a No1, shoots so/so. Takes more than looks to be a great gun. The RAR has the guts to be great.

First time the above posted image was leaked to the web, I though it was wood colored plastic. Is it that difficult for Ruger to modify the 77/22 stock concept to this gun. Or just shamelessly copy the CZ American? In Walnut? Maybe a Predator bbl action: clean siteless barrel and scope base?

Here you go, posted by Jim:


This gun looks good. Ruger you get it? And include the magnums, please.

Boyds shipped my walnut stock for my RAR Predator today, will try to post pics when it comes.

Wood or plastic, I don't care, just start offering at least the 22LR in LH. I have a son that absolutely NEEDS one! Save him from me buying him a Savage...

A Lh 22mag would be nice

Pretty nice looking rifle that would cause me to bust out my wallet if I saw one locally.

There are several on gunbroker now with starting bids of one penny and no reserve. The ads have better pics than Ruger's catalog photo. Just search for "ruger american wood" to see several for sale.

Obviously they copied the plastic stock identically, right down to the forend shape and checkering pattern. I think a more traditionally shaped forend and standard panel checkering would have looked nicer but overall the rifle ain't too ugly in real life.

^YES!!^ I need one and my grandkids need a couple! I keep writing Ruger "Tell the CEO" but to no avail........ yet.

I'm with Jim on the first part of his statement. As for the last part of the statement, let's just say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. In this case I'm not a beholder

The nice thing about birch on a rifle is that most of it isn't hurt by a coat of paint, and the stability is only improved by greater attempts at sealing it. The bad thing about birch is that most pieces tend to be quite unstable regardless of how much effort is made to seal them.



I haven't seen a better looking plastic stock than this. The only 'u' word that needs to be applied to plastic rifle stocks is "utilitarian'; it goes without saying that they are ugly. (Some people just add paint to improve the opportunity for added adjectives….like gaudy.)

I follow 4 forums and to date not a single person on the web has purchased or even placed an order for one. I ask on every forum about the bottom metal - no reply. Plastic right? It does not look real promising. The gun buyer is a fickle creature.

I was kinda hot to buy a Browning Tbolt and looked over my first one and walked away. For $$$$ plastic bottom metal on otherwise a nice walnut gun. So I got an all plastic RAR for 1/2 the $ and I am very pleased. I also have a CZ, which is a looker and shooter.

The 77/22 and RAR use the same magazine. Would it take that much to tool up to make an American stock based on the exterior pattern of the 77/22 wood? And maybe modify the 77/22 bottom metal? And, delete the cheezy sites?

I seriously doubt that they want to try to turn their good, solid, economy-priced rimfire into a show piece. That's the niche the 77/22 fills.

The sights are considered a plus by lots of folks as they are becoming rare on rifle of all sorts these days. I do think that they should be screw-mounted so folks like you can remove them cleanly.

I think you are probably right. My reasoning is the RAR was designed with low cost manufacturing as a goal. I think I read that, now it could just be marketing or my bad memory. Regardless, the 77/22 strikes me as way over priced, although I am sure it has some following. The 77/44 and new 17 WSM strike ma as pretty nice or unique guns, bad triggers and all. Since CZ has dumped the 452/453 for a cheaper to build 455 less rigid design, I guess there maybe a niche for the 77/22. Maybe?

My vision is a gun priced competitive with CZ with nice wood and steel. Competitive in looks, accuracy and price. That may not be feasible, just a though. That would fall midway between 77/22 and RAR. That while keeping the current RAR at its excellent price for performance. Not replacing the value packed RAR but adding an upscale option. Walnut, steel and lower cost than 77/22. A lot lower.

A future option of receiver aperture and fr globe, might provide a chance for younger shooters to get a taste of better irons. Nothing fancy, williams and/or lyman quality. Perhaps best handled as after market along with appropriate stocks. Another passing thought. ...

How many 77/22's have you owned? If you're just looking at a $$ perspective maybe. The 77/22 shines on so many avenues I own 3 AND 3 453/2's .... not picking one over the other yet. .... The American 453 is still new to me, but could overhaul the 77/22 Varmint I built (blue/walnut with shilen varmint barrel) .... the 453 Varmint and my Ruger varmint run together ... still no real favorite (& I have the same cash in each rifle!!!)

I test fired a 77/357 but never owned any 77/xxx of my own. I like the concept of 77/44 but not able to justify the buy. Then after the test firing a 357, I lost interest anyway. I also like the 77/17wsm but 17 is not my cup of tea. I really did look seriously into buying a 77 in 22 hornet (years ago) but; rumored accuracy issues scared me away. IMHO, all nit picks aside, the 77 guns shine in the center fire versions.

I also never re-barreled any gun and I dont see that in my future. That is just me.

My main point is the better design and more efficient to manufacture Ruger American is an opportunity for Ruger to challenge the CZ at their price & quality level. I do have a 453 and its a great gun. I think the shift to 455 could be an opening for Ruger. Then agian, that maybe just me, most dont know a 453 or 452 from a 455.

This birch RAR with its a wierd design does nothing for me. So much more seems possible. I can wait. Just like the lefties, in time anything can happen.