Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger American vs Savage Apex Hunter

Which is the better cheap rifle and why?

I held both today, is this somewhat accurate?

Reliability - Ruger (Savage known to have weak extract/ejection)
Accuracy - Equally good reviews
Stock - Savage (adjustable, looks better), Ruger (weaker forends?)
Trigger - Savage Accutrigger
Safety - Savage 3 position vs Ruger 2 position
Price - Savage ($369 after rebate), Ruger ($499-$519)
Finish/Rust resistance - ??
Customer Service - ??

Share your experience and thoughts…

I've got Ruger. Americans in:

300 BO
7.62x39
350 BM
.308win
.243win
.308win
All shoot well,no problems

I have 2 Ruger Americans
Both have been reliable
Both have been very accurate
Stock, people complain about them being wimpy on the Ruger but they have a very good bedding system
Trigger....both are garbage, but Timney hit a homerun with the Ruger trigger
Safety....never use one
Finish nothing special but no rust
Customer service, I screwed up a part that was my fault and Ruger replaced it for free

btw: in Utah you would be in the crosshairs of our state government.....The Names Dixie and Rebel have been deemed offensive to Black people, Mexicans and Native Americans, All schools and businesses have been re-named in the last couple of years. Hope they let you keep the name here

I have a bunch of Savages, bought 3 apiece for my three boys as they grew into others.
Not a bad one in the bunch.

Last year on advice of a rancher friend I bought a Ruger American Predator in .223. I thought it would be a good back up for a couple custom .243 I use for coyotes. Ha! That little Ruger is the sweetest most accurate shooter out of the box I may have purchased to date. It has replaced the .243’s.

The only drawback if any is the upward throw of the bolt after the trigger pull, is tight. It has gotten better with use. The one my friend has is just fine so maybe I got luck of the draw on that one.

Given the two choices I’d be Ruger all the way. That’s just me.

Osky

Example of one, and not mine, but the Axis I helped a guy bore sight the other day had issues with the magazine release and bolt release. Very annoying, and I suspect they don’t do any function testing, just slap ‘em together and plop ‘em in the box. Sometimes, that works and sometimes it lets problem guns get out the door. One of my pets, a Howa Mini 6.5G, only cost me $359 with two stocks. I’ve upgraded it quite a bit, but the bones were solid from the getgo. Those can still be found on sale, and Brownells sells the barreled actions very reasonably, also the full-size ones.

I’d consider an RAR, especially one for a straight-wall cartridge if I ever planned to hunt in one of the states hobbled with those rules. Most owners seem to like them pretty well, aside from some issues with magazines.

I have a Ruger Compact in .243 Win. For $464 I can't ask for too much more. I use it for deer hunting in the marshes where compact is best and a 30 yd . shot is avr. and a 50 yd shot is rare. I looked for the most compact gun I could find. I also have a Savage 12FV in .223 Rem. However that is a target gun. I like the trigger , it is accurate but that is where it all ends. The Ruger isn't all that accurate. I get about 2" @ 100yds. and that is it, but who cares.

A third option to propose- get a used variant of Savage 10, with scope?

I run mostly Savage rifles (both the Axis and 110 lines). I don't have a bad rifle in the bunch BUT RAR is a fine rifle as is Tikka, and a few others under $700. My list of rifles I don't care for is much shorter than the list of rifles I will shoot. I'll also add that in Arizona, in the summer when is 110+ degrees outside, plastic stocks like those on the Savage or RAR will tend to flex. Its usually the first thing I upgrade.

I have 2 Ruger Americans, a Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor and a standard in .243 Win. The Creedmoor is extremely accurate. I can get MOA groups from the .243 with bullets it likes, but it's nothing special in the accuracy department.

The rifles function fine and I tweaked the triggers with a lighter spring so they are at 2.5-3 lbs. I find the stocks a little tricky to shoot off a benchrest, but they're fine in the field.

There's nothing very esthetic about them, but Ruger Americans seem to be good functional rifles.

I have no experience with the Savages.

Great input from all of you. Thank you.

I have two Ruger Americans. One is a ranch rifle in .300 Blk, and it shoots really well. My Predator, in .223, hasn't shown me anything special in the accuracy dept. I don't think I've gotten better than 1-1/2" groups with it at 100yds, which is disappointing.

The factory triggers aren't horrible, but they're not great, either. The stocks are ugly, but they work.

I have considered getting a Boyds stock and an aftermarket trigger for my Blackout, but it shoots so well, I haven't messed with it.

$100 for the used rifle and 2-7 redfield scope.

After a chop to 20", open sights, aluminum bolt shroud, 2 used steel AI mags, retro-fit of boyds AI bottom metal: $677 all up.

I shoot nothing but 200 grain bullets out of this little 308 win. I shoot this American more than any of my other rifles.

They both make good rifles .
I have had plain Jane 110’s , 10T , and 116
Have had Ruger American , Ranch , and Compact
Couldn’t find fault in any of them , accuracy or dependability
In 308 , 270 , 30-06 , 300aac , 243 , and 223
Kenneth

I have 6 americans, 2-223, 6creedmoor, 6.5creedmoor, 6.5prc and a 7.62x39. All accurate, I would get the 22-250 but i doubt it would handle the heavier bullets with the 1-10 twist. 223's & creeds set up for aics mags and the 7.62x39 is set up for AR mags for the x39.

I get all rubbery when I see el'cheapo savage outshoot le based XYZ. Post em if you gottem (no Rugers here).?!

Got both, would go Savage if I had to make a choice, both fine rifles.

I have had one of each. Both shot well. Much prefer the stock on the savage.

Got a LH RAR in 308 some time ago as a cheap/beater rifle. Very accurate with about any 150 factory load I've put through it. Has become my go to for local deer. I treat it like my lawn mower. I would have several if they were still $350.

Won a Savage Apex in 260 Rem. at a local gun raffle it came with a cheap Vortex scope Crossfire i think it is. Sighted it in with some Federal Premium I had laying around then stretched it out to 400 yards shot 5 in 2 5/8 of an inch. Definitely going to get a better scope and some load work up.

I only have a RAR in 7mm-08. It shoots accurately and has held up well. I would definitely buy another one.

At one point in my life I had a Rifles Inc. custom rifle which I loved right up until the bolt handle broke off the bolt (Remington). Gun never recovered and I parted it out, sold what I didn't want and kept the rest. Decided that my experience with Remington was less than acceptable although I did put the scope and Jewell trigger in a second hand Rem. Model 78 I found in a LGS. Sold it to my nephew who has shot quite a few animals with it and loves it. I bought a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor. When all was said and done it shoots as well or better than the custom rifle, at least in my hands. MOA is not a problem with factory ammunition, it particularly likes Federal Fusion 140 gr. I would recommend the Ruger.

my vote would ruger

You put still shooting the Speer Hot Core? If so, how have they performed on game? Thanks.

The Apex appears to be built on the 110 series actions, not the Axis action, which is a good thing.

I have several Savage rifles with the 110 series actions and they are okay.

I have several Ruger American Predators and they are okay too.

In general, I prefer the Ruger to the Savage. Either will probably do the job equally well, so I'd say pick the one that feels and fits you the best. The one thing that I don't care for on the Ruger is the comb height, but a Beartooth comb raiser kit is a cheap and easy solution. I would not recommend pouring much money into either platform. I'd also look at Howa 1500s or Weatherby Vanguards, as they sell for the same prices that you've cited for the Ruger American.

260rem,

The comb height on the murcan stock is a good balance of acquiring open sights and scope in low rings. Don't need to smash my fkn cheek into the stock to find the darn sights, like some of these higher comb stocks.

Having iron sights is smart idea

Different people, different places, different preferences.

For me, open sights on a hunting rifle are purely cosmetic. Some rifles don't look complete without them, like bolt actions with Mannlicher-style stocks and most lever, pump, and semi-autos, but for me they are just an unnecessary protrusion waiting to catch on something.

I prefer a stock with a comb height that will facilitate the alignment of my eye with the scope when my cheek touches the stock, so for me, a Beartooth comb raiser kit is something I've installed on all my RAR-Ps with factory stocks.

I shoot savages exclusively for hunting. Can’t beat the accuracy for the money. I like the American also.

Nice rifle rest

I have 2 Rugers predators 6 CM, and a 6.5 CM both shoot very well with hand loads. Trigger issue was fixed easily by trimming spring. Finish is definitely on the cheap as well the stock.
I had to send the 6 CM in for warranty, it had a short throat as factory 108 eldm was jamming lands.They replaced the entire barrel. No complaints on accuracy, it's pretty much half moa.
I have one Savage used mainly for switching barrels. 243, 308, 7-08 which served its purpose. I rarely use it anymore but great trigger and awesome accuracy.

I’d take the Apex as it’s a 110. Sportsman’s had them recently for $449 and with a mail in refund it took it down to $369. I haven’t seen a Ruger Americans that cheap in a while.

I have both rifles, different, but one is as good as the other in my opinion.