Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ruger SFAR—-308

Anyone have any input on this rifle? Seem to be about the lightest AR 10 going.

I bought one recently. Don’t have a lot of time behind it but so far accuracy is around 1.5 inches at 100 yards. Function has been flawless with my suppressor. Looking forward to working up some better shooting loads but can live with 1.5 if that’s the best it can do. I’m going to mount my thermal and use it for nighttime hog hunting.

The early ones had some growing pains, gas problems mostly. Seems complaints about them seem to have slowed down considerably.

Hopefully they're getting good to go, a neat rifle for the coin.

I've looked at a few of them, on the rack, and I got to put a few rounds through one at the range. The owner wanted to shoot my suppressed .300 Blk, and he offered for me to try his 16" SFAR. I liked it enough that I'll probably end up with one of my own!

Unlike they other AR10s I've handled, I liked the weight and feel of the SFAR.

Emphasis added.
Sample of one. I am reminded of the Mini 14 once described as a most expensive plinker. I suppose a useful tool for changing times. Mostly I write to object most strongly to classing the Ruger with the AR10 family. Ruger most explicitly did not build an AR10 here. Ruger, as they will tell you over and over, engineered the lightest and handiest AR style chambering a .308/7.62x51. Looking for example at the Ruger website one finds:
For my money if it shares no meaningful parts with an AR10 then it's not an AR10. Given the full power cartridge and such accessories as telescoping stock and a choice of optics with simple operation I could send my wife into deer or elk or bear country with the Ruger S(mall)F(rame)A(autoloading)R(ifle) and expect recoil to be acceptable and results good at any reasonable range. I have no idea at all how well the Ruger would perform in 6.5 Creedmore. My opinion is that it would disappoint out of the box but could be made to shoot well. Again I have no knowledge of the Creedmore but I'd expect to pay more to get the most accuracy out of the cartridge. If not then the Ruger is a great bargain.

👍

Hoping to be able to test drive a 6.5 SFAR on Monday at SHOT Show range day.

Post back after you do.

This morning, before the rain started at SHOT Show range day, my buddy and I each shot Ruger’s sample 6.5 SFAR.

First, our conclusion: We’re each enthusiastically gonna get one!



Now, for the details: The sample 6.5 SFAR had a can screwed on the front, so recoil and blast could not be properly assessed, though recoil was certainly lighter than expectedq. Precision also could not be properly assessed because questionable Aguila ammo was all that was provided, and the scope was mounted about 3/8” too low (it was a real struggle to get a full field view). The Ruger dude in charge said the ammo had been iffy for them, and he was not happy with it. But, it must have been the cheapest that could be found. (We nevertheless easily busted the clay pigeons set out at 100 yards [yawn], and the Garmin showed 2,450-ish.) The rifle ran perfectly for me, but my buddy had a feed jam on his last round (after the photo). Though it was not a perfect showing, the rifle was a very attractive specimen, with which we were most impressed. An attribute which we found quite compelling is its precision rifled, 5R, nitride treated barrel. My personal experience with Ruger 5R rifling and nitride treated barrels has been extremely positive with my AR-556 MPR and my Ruger Precision Rifle, both in 5.56 NATO, as well as with my Black Nitride treated, pre-WW II Savage 219 with its conventionally rifled .30-30 barrel. With proper ammo and break-in, I have very high hopes for our 6.5 SFARs, when we get them.