Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Ruger American target rimfire

Who all has one and how do you like it?

I'm guessing it has the same quality of barrel they put on the 10/22 target models. I have an older Tactical 10/22 bought about ten years ago, that's the one with a 16" heavy barrel and a Hogue stock. With no alterations it can put 10 rounds of good target ammo into the .4's. That one replaced a 20" Target 10/22 which was also capable of raggedy hole groups.

Don't see them mentioned here much. A few folks have the Precision Rimfire which (again, assuming) has the exact same 18" threaded barrel as the target model but an MSRP of about 20 bucks less so I'm guessing for the money or other reasons people go with the chassis model. Or they just step up another hundred bucks or so and get one of the CZ Varmint variations.

I have one of the laminated/blued models that I traded for a couple of years or so ago. It's very accurate with a wide variety of ammunition. Since acquiring it, it's became my most used rimfire by a long shot.

I like mine so much that I had my local dealer order me another one in 17 hmr. Unfortunately, it's still on backorder, and has been for well over a year now. If Ruger were to ever offer it in the 17 m2, I'd probably jump on one of those too.

If you're looking for an accurate, handy little 22 with the ability to use the great Ruger rotary magazines, I don't think you can go wrong with this model.

Jim in Idaho: I have 4 (four ) of the rimfire Ruger American Varmints - love them all and I think they WERE (as of a year+ ago!) the best rimfire bolt action Rifle value on the market.
Three of my Ruger American Varmints are 22 L.R. (2 blued and 1 stainless) and the other is a 17 HMR stainless model.
All give very good accuracy with small game and Varmint type (hollow-point) ammunition.
I have NUMEROUS friends and Hunting partners with the Ruger Americans and they agree with me - good value (back a year plus or more - I don't see them anymore on shelves/racks).
And this - I have NOT seen the need to replace/modify the factory triggers as yet on any of my Ruger American Rifles - they are "Okay" for my uses.
And of course these Rifles use the unsurpassed Ruger rotary magazine!
Good luck if you decide to try one.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Is the 10/22 target barrel the heavy barrel with the hammer forge marks on the outside? I assume they hammer the rifling into those heavy barrels, and leave the “design” on the outside.

All hammer forged barrels by any maker are made pretty much the same way, a mandrel with mirror image rifling is inserted into the barrel blank and then hammers pound the barrel around the mandrel.

In looking into this a bit more I answered my own question that the American Target barrel isn't exactly the same as my 10/22. The 10/22 barrel is .920" in diameter while the American Target barrel is .860", so not quite as heavy. But they are both made by Ruger's hammer forging process which is why I'd assume they are of the same quality.

Got this pic off of the internet but it shows the Tactical model 01230 I have, they made them for a short while about 10 years. No expert on the subject but since they create hammer forged barrels with smooth exteriors and some that are longitudinally fluted that would indicate that they put whatever design they want on the outside after the rifling is done. This spiral design was in vogue 10 years ago, now having a threaded barrel is what all the cool kids do.