Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ruger American Preditor Impressed me

I had never fired a Ruger American rifle before. Today I took a 14 year old boy and his father to the range. He has a new Ruger American Predator in 223. He had a cheap BSA scope on it that I couldn't even see through, he could better but obviously not by much. The groups showed that.

I took the Sightron SII 6-24 Dot recticle off my AR and put it on his rifle. Then the 5 shot groups went to one vertical hole that you could cover with a nickle. That was 25.3 grains of AR-comp lit with a CCI 450 primer and a 55gr V-MAX.


I am impressed to say the least.

Only issue now is that I showed him what quality glass looks like and daddy might not end up too happy about that.

They get great reviews, I bought a Vanguard S2, I'm amazed how well it shoots also.

I've heard lots of good about those rifles but no first hand experience with any of the centerfire models yet. You can tell his dad he can do a lot better than that BSA without spending an arm and a leg. I've only got one BSA scope and that's a 2-7x that been on an unmodified 10-22 used for general plinking, squirrels, and other small game. It's been on there since 1999 and it works well enough that I'm just gonna leave it on there until it dies or I decide to upgrade optics. I'll admit it's not the greatest but for my uses it gets the not too demanding job done. Can't see myself putting a BSA on a centerfire anyway.

Recently acquired a Ruger American Preditor in 243 to use as a truck gun/loaner.

After useing some miscellanious rounds that I had on the shelf to get it on paper, 3 shots with Federal Fusion ammo went into 0.86"

Then I fired 3 rounds with some 95gr Ballistic Tips and 4350 that I had loaded for another gun. They went into 0.68".

I have a bunch of 90gr Speer Deep Shocks, that I got a "deal" on. So next trip to the range, I took some of those, loaded with IMR4350. They went into 0.64", Quickest load development ever!



I love walnut and forged steel rifles, but I am impressed wiht what Ruger has done with the American Rifle.

I've had great luck with them. Not fancy or beautiful but, as accurate rifles, they are interesting.

That is actually the only rifle that is interesting.

Armednfree,

Congratulations on your RAR "discovery"!

Right now I only have four, one rimfire and three centerfires. The rimfire is one of the most accurate .22 Magnums I've ever shot, and better yet shoots all the ammo I've tried so far (at least 10 kinds) pretty well. It cost $179 at a local store.

I bought two of them for my son and oldest grandson. One is .30-06, one in .243. Both will shoot under an inch. They won't win any beauty contests, but for a rough and tough hunting rifle, the Americans are darn good. I'm thinking I need a predator in 6.5 for a really good truck gun.

I have Predators in 308 and 6.5 Creed as well as a Compact in 223. I bought the 223 1st and wanted the shorter barrel. If doing it today I'd buy the Ranch rifle in 5.56. My brother has a 6.5 as well. All 4 rifles simply amaze me with the accuracy and I paid under $400 each.

I had reservations looking at the magazines. The one that came from the factory on my 223 didn't work, but Ruger made it right with one that did. I've since bought a couple of spares for each and none but the 1st have failed yet.

One of the 22's may be next.

I think it is a credit to many of the gunmakers on how well their factory rifles shoot. I just bought a tikka 243 for my son and it shoots very well with 95 BT. Ruger, tikka, howa ,savage, you can go down the list.Great accuracy, for minimum money. It used to be that if you had a factory rifle that shot an inch group,you had a real shooter. Now if one doesn't shoot under an inch,you wonder what is wrong with it.A real testament to some of the rifle makers. Kudos.

I bought a stainless American .270 cheap via Gunbroker, just to have for a loaner/beater/rain gun. Everything about it gives me the willies...from all the plastic etc. But it's light and handles nicely and works well and I find myself liking it. It would be an easy rifle to grab off the rack, as long as I wasn't trying to impress anyone that day. I am amazed how inexpensively Ruger can manufacture a rifle in the USA that works so well.

They sure ain't pretty, but they shoot, and you don't worry about using one hard.

You all are making me want one.

I traded mine in 30-06 away and replaced it with a left hand Savage to fit the grandson who shoots much better lefty, neither wins a beauty prize but they do shoot well. I did just buy the rinfire and with a Leupold 1.75-6x32 on that little 18" barrel rifle in QD mounts with the quick change length of pull it is the best darn teaching tool I've ever seen. You can start junior off with low comb short pull iron sights and in a minute or less switch to longer pull higher comb stock and glass for dad to fine tune his accuracy and all with a very crisp 2,5 lb trigger that is easily adjustable.

You are a witness to progress.

I don't know how old you are, but it wasn't too long ago that people, poo pooed synthetic stocks and the increased use of polymers in non-critical areas of firearms. Not just the stock, but magazines too.

Most factory triggers were so-so (or poor) and required a trip to the gunsmith. These days, the triggers on inexpensive rifles are adjustable, albeit over a small range, but better than what was coming out of the factories not long ago.

CNC machining was a huge leap forward in rifle manufacturing.

Factory ammunition is better made.

Optics are improving.

It puts a more accurate rifle in the hands of those who either cannot afford big bux on a rifle, or do not use them enough to justify the expenditure.

Wonderful, isn't it?

My Ruger American Predator in 300 Blackout is deadly accurate. I liked it so much I bought another American in 7mm-08. It, too, is accurate beyond belief. I would not mind having another, maybe in 450 Bushmaster at some point in time.

my RARR in 300 BLK is acurate too..........

the 450 Bushy looks interesting...........

Have one in .223 and it is a tack driver... ugliest rifle I own, but shoot great.

I agree there are good shooting rifles from the factory.

You don't have to buy butttt ugly.

Jerry

An addendum :

"Only accurate rifles are interesting. "

Interesting does not make guns or women good looking.

I also understand, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

What I think is good looking - may not necessarily be good looking to others.

Jerry