Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ruger American opinions???

I have a .243 stainless compact left hand. Way surpassed my expectations. I already had a Cooper in .243, so I certainly wasn't looking for an upgrade in accuracy. I just wanted a "beater" rifle to take out when I didn't care about damaging wood or rusting metal.

I bought a standard length stock from Ruger for $55 shipped. Ended up selling the compact stock for $80. I don't care for that short of length of pull, and I don't have any kids old enough to shoot it yet.

The only mods I did is scrap the scope bases that came with it, and used Warnes. On the stock, I took the recoil pad off and filled the butt with great stuff foam. The factory uses Styrofoam beadboard jammed in there. Also, I filled the voids in the forend with black silicone. Not necessary, but I felt it would keep crud and water out. Some guys are filling them with epoxy putty to add strength. The new style stock is not floppy like the first versions, and I have had no problem with that. The two modifications to the stock added about 4 ounces.

I like the short barrel. Haven't noticed too much muzzle blast or flash, but I have shot it during the day at the range with ear muffs on. A few times I thought I should have just got the 22", but that is what my other .243 is, so it's nice to have this one shorter.

The trigger is great. Backed the screw out and it is under 3# and crisp. Accuracy is impressive. Both times at the range, it shot 2 or 3 shots touching at 100 yards. I'm shooting 62, 70, 75, and 80 grain bullets, and it loves all of them. I tried some 87's that I had the first time, and it didn't do as well with those as with the lighter ones.

I certainly wouldn't pay double the price for a Tikka now, because of the Ruger American.

Sounds like you don't have a clue what your talking about. Have you ever shot one in a Boyds stock? What you do end up with is a very accurate very consistent rifle for around $450.

Any truth to the rumor that Ruger has stiffened the forend, so it's not so mushy?

Does anyone shoot 180 partitions out of their 30-06's

The RAR Predators have "X" shaped stiffeners in the forearm mold partitions and are pretty stiff for an injection molded stock.

I'm going to take the 204 and 223 on a coyote hunt in the Sandhills, near Tryon, NE, later next week. Hoping that the coyotes will come to our calls and haven't started to shed their winter coats yet.

Thanks for all the input, think I'll try one!

They started rubbing in february......

Planning on getting one in 300 bo, much cheaper than another AR upper.

I have a left handed blued .223. Had it a week, so far it shoots the only load I have into less than an inch at 100 yards. Federal 55 grain boat tail.

The stock for-end must be reinforced, no real play.

Put on a spare Bushnell 3-9 and will definitely upgrade to better glass.

Bought one in 308 from the used rack at the LGS couple months back for $249.00
It was unfired.
With hand loads it shoots 165 Ballistic Tips into 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards.
I just wanted something light to use as a beater/truck gun or hunting out of a climbing stand where long walks in and out are involved. Fits the bill perfectly.

A buddy of mine in Oklahoma wanted a truck gun for various small varmints on his ranch, and asked what I thought of a RAR .17 HMR, because he thought they were too "cheap." I told him it would do nicely, so he repressed his suspicions and bought one.

Didn't talk to him for another month or two. By then he had 4 RAR's, the .17 HMR and three centerfires....

I've been pondering one in 17 HMR and wondered how they shoot.

SuperCub no issues it dropped right in.You have to glass bed the recoil lugs in but that's really simple.

Boxer recently posted that he feels that the RAR in 17HMR is the best 17HMR out there. Or, at least that is how I interpreted his post in the RIMFIRE forum.

I'd love to see Ruger bring out a 22 hornet American.

Make that a 17 hornet for in SS for me!

I bought a Ruger American compact in 223. It is one of the earlier ones with the forearm that has a little too much flex. I glassed in a couple of carbon fiber tubes made from an arrow shaft and Ruger just wishes their Model 77's and Number 1's shot as good as my 223 compact. History is going to show that the Ruger American is Ruger's 788.

I just wish that they had at least put a wood stock on it. They seem to have a bunch of cheap, sorry looking wood on hand because they are putting it on their other guns.

All the current ones have the X spacers in the forend instead of the straight across = type. Not completely unbendable but a heck of a lot better

Of course my 223 is an early one.

My blued/synthetic in 7mm-08 shoots okay.







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