Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ruger American Go Wild

Does anyone here own one and can give me there review of it. Or if anyone has any feedback on this rifle it would be appreciate. I'm on the fence about getting one and I just didn't know if the standard Ruger American would be just as good or if the muzzle break makes a difference etc. I do like the fact that the barrel is Cerokote. How the accuracy is just using factory loads etc. I'm looking at a 308win. Thanks in advance.

buddy has one, he says it is great

I have one in 6.5 CM. I did two things to mine 1-got rid of the muzzle brake (Ruger sent me a thread protector no charge) 2- order 2 five round magazines. The rifle is accurate more so than I am. Don't think you can go wrong.

My personal opinion (and that is what this is, opinion) is that the Ruger American rifles are the best budget rifles on the market today. Is everything about them going to be great? No. The trigger needs some work, and I am not fond of the magazine set up (either the detachable rotary mags or the AICS set up). The stocks are not great either. But all of those items are functional, the overall gun is solid, and it is accurate right out of the box. The fact that they were one of the first makers to offer threaded barrels on budget guns is great too. All-in-all, it is hard to find that kind of performance in a sub-$500 rifle.

I have a RAPredator and am pleased with the accuracy. I couldn't take the stock and put a boyd stock in it. Athlon scope. Under $1000 as it is now. I would but another in 223 if I could lay my hands on one.

My son and grandson both have one in 6.5CM. I have been loading for each rifle. Both rifles are good for sub MOA.with my reloads and factory ammo.

i have a 6.5prc, put a new trigger spring in it, shoots 156 , 130 or 140 bergers .6moa out to 700 yards, easy to load for functions great, have extra magazine, also have a 223 with the 10 shot magazine very accurate feeds excellent

I have the American Hunter. It comes with the Ruger factory brake in it. I does reduce recoil, but there are better brakes out there.
The gun itself is boringly accurate. I have three different bullets weights it easily shoots into less than .75", which is all I need out of this gun.
A lot of praise out there about the RAR. Reminds me of the Remington 788 back in the 70s and 80s. It shoots way above its price point.

That’s what I was thinking.
Minor edit: it was the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, the 788 having come on the scene in the spring of ‘67.

Cheap and ugly.

All the ones I have handled felt cheap, the bolt slopped around while working it, the trigger has that little lawyer flipper on it and in spite of that, all shot very good.

I have one in 17HMR. It's a hideous goddam gun, and the cerakote isn't very tough, but it shoots pretty good with its favorite fodder. It can, as many American rimfires can, be prone to failure to extract. Most Federal ammo cases split with it.

I have the .223 compact. It may not be the most accurate rifle but it sure is handy especially when wearing a heavy coat. I almost bought a compact in 7-08 but I couldn't justify it considering I have a .243 that doesn't get used near enough.

kwg

I have 2 Ruger American predators 1 a 6mm Remington (Grice Ltd run) and the other a 6 mm Creedmoor like them both for what they are. The comparison between them and a 788 is on the money. Working rifles that don't have to be babied. Other than a scope and sling they are ready to go would not put dime one in upgrades to stock or trigger if you want something nicer start with it....mb

I have 3 Predators. A 223 that takes AR magazines, a 308 that uses the AI style magazines and a 6.5CM that uses standard 4 round magazines. All are way more accurate than they should be. The 223 and 308 have been reliable. I've had some issues with the standard magazines and the 6.5 CM.

I paid $350 each for mine and I feel that as long as you leave them alone, they were worth THAT price. Some guys go out and spend $300 on aftermarket stocks and other supposed "upgrades" and end up with $700-$800 in the rifles. If I'm throwing $700-$800 at a rifle there are better choices. The stock is flimsey, but it works, none of those upgrades make the rifle any more accurate than they are out of the box.

They were worth $350, but are selling for closer to $500 now, I've seen them priced at $550 and the Go Wild versions are even higher. At that price I'll pay a little more for a Tikka and buy a couple of spare 5 round mags. My Tikka's are the same weight, more accurate, and I've never had a magazine issue.

I got the RAR in 5.56. It’s the flush mag rifle. I got about $450 in it.
I screwed a M-16A2 flash suppressor on the end of the barrel and mounted a Leupold 4-12 Leupold on it and use it for a truck / 4-wheeler gun.
I have a 55 grain V-Max load that’s charged with Benchmark that will group just under an inch if I do my part. I feel it will do much better.
I would like to do some more load work-up with it. I have a lot of different bullets, lots of powder and a five gallon bucket of 5.56 brass but only have about 600 small rifle primers left so I’ve been making do with the V-Max load.
The bolt is rough, stocks cheap and it’s a little front heavy but it’s a neat, handy rifle for the price.
While I appreciate the comparison to the 788 from an economic or marketing standpoint, I do have a 788 in 222 and IMO there’s little comparison between the two.
The 788 will shoot circles around the RAR but I would never subject my 788 to the conditions and abuse that I subject my RAR to.
For the money, they are good rifles and I probably ought to buy another in a larger caliber for a back-up deer rifle.

I have a "regular" Ruger American (flush mag with black stock) in 7mm-08 with a basic Leupold 3 x 9 scope. I bought it for my son to get his start in deer hunting about 4 years ago. He has taken a couple of whitetails with it. I have also taken 6 whitetails with it. I have found that I end up taking it to the field when my son is not using it in lieu of my walnut and blue Remington 700 in .30-06. The RAR we have is a tack driver. We get sub-MOA with Hornady Full Boar factory ammo in 139 gr. GMX. I would definitely purchase another. In fact, I am eyeing a Go Wild version in .25-06.

I don't know if you're looking to buy a new or used one but I had one of the early ones in 308 and the magazines were junk. I think they've improved the design since then but that's something to keep in mind.

IMHO, rotary magazines are not "junk" . ,My . 308 Sporter , made in 2015 has been a very accurate and reliable little rifle so far. The original rotary mag and spare has run through about 500 rounds without a hitch. If you load a magazine improperly or use too long handloaded ammo you can make about any magazine missfeed. Many of the Ruger American mag problems are nothing more than user error- not the mag itself.

The new design is a staggered box that fits the same outside dimensions as the original rotary mag. The new mags are still flush fit but have indentations on the sides so they can be told from the originals.

I have a 223 that takes the AR mags, shoots 62 Bear Claws and 62 Barnes TTSX into 3/4 groups. Fun little bastard to use for a hunting buggy rifle.