I live on a farm in eastern Va and I am looking for a small light rifle to take with me on my daily walks. It would be used for shots on everything from wild dogs to groundhogs.
The folks at MPI said that they could make me a stock with a shorter forend to match the 16.5" barrel. With a Leupold VX II 2-7 it should make a very lightweight handy rifle in .223.
My biggest concern is accuracy. I have had bad luck with Rugers shooting well. Does anybody here own one? How does it shoot?
Have one in 260 that shoots just above an inch with factory loads. You do have to be careful to get a good rest or hold though, as light rifles tend to wander more than heavier ones, if the rest is not good! JMHO TM
Some mornings, it just does not feel worth it to chew through the straps!~
Not any experience with compacts, but all my Ruger experience is good. Sounds like you like projects. I went with the minimalist approach and bought an inexpensive Stevens .223. With Savages, accuracy is the last of my worries. With a little Krylon paint for that strange colored stock, it is almost not ugly.
I just brought home my second one yesterday! My first is a .243 that shoots well, +-1.5" at 100. It's loud and for a .243, it thumps. The new one is in .308, a more flexible caliber for sure. Most of the hunting that I do involves getting in and out of vehicles, and the short barrel is a real plus. For shots inside of 150, and a "walking around gun", I think it's a viable tool. The 2-7 VXII is a good match, I put a 2-7 Kahles on the .308. Perfect!
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!
The Ruger Compact .243 is very good choice, accurate, light weight, shoulders fast, and stock is nice wood. The trigger was good on mine, crisp break, 4lbs pull.
Good performance for the price. Bought one for my kids to 'start on' a few years ago. I like taking it for just what you say, easy carry, light, quick pointing, and accurate.
Check the trigger if you can, they can need some work/or upgrade with aftermarket for tighter groups.
I think I'm going to take the plunge and get one. It really is a neat little rifle. The first thing it needs is a good trigger. If it shoots well I will look at having it restocked. With a fiberglass stock it should weigh next to nothing and be a joy to carry.
Very good choice in rifles. The Rifle Basix trigger is a great option. What stock are you considering? Relieving any pressure points will add to the accuracy (or changing to a synthetic stock).
Have not tried the Rifle Basix trigger before. I used a Timney trigger on my last Ruger. The people at MPI said they could build me a fiberglass stock with a short forend like the factory stock. I have had good luck with them in the past. The caliber will be .223. I am also an AR nut and have quite a bit of ammo lying around.
No compacts, but .223(x2), .22-250, .257 Bob (x2), and .250 Savage (tang safety) between 3 of us, all shoot less than an inch with selected handloads, most are quite a bit less than that inch. A 30 minute go with some stones and maybe a new spring will fix the Ruger trigger.
I had one in .308 that just didn't shoot for chit. It wasn't until I downloaded it for my Grandson that I learned it liked lighter bullets. It does well with 130 gr hps. Is a dream to carry, much like packing a 10/22.
My biggest concern is accuracy. I have had bad luck with Rugers shooting well.
Ruger's have always been "Hit or Miss" in the accuracy dept. There are many Ruger owners that swear buy them. There are just as many Ruger owners (like yourself) that swear AT them. If you want to gamble one more time on an accurate Ruger go for it. You may hit the jackpot, then again you may not. Me, I'll play the odds and stay away from the likes of Ruger.
Last edited by steve4102; 04/01/08.
Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Give a man a welfare check, a forty ounce malt liquor, a crack pipe, an Obama phone, free health insurance. and some Air Jordan's and he votes Democrat for a lifetime.
This could end up being a very expensive toy. If it does not shoot I will probably end up putting a Mike Rock barrel on it. In this particular case though I don't need an absolute tack driver. Most of the shots I take on my walks are probably between 20 and 150 yards. I have other Varmint rifles that are very accurate and will reach out there.
I picked up a super clean one with a Nikon Monarch 3x9 in .243 a couple of years ago in a pawn shop and foolishly sold it but kept the scope. Mine could easily fire an 1.5 five shot group using over the counter 100 grain corelocks or power points. And mine also had a fairly crisp factory trigger. Fwiw i have never owned a 243 that i though thumped my shoulder. These are great little rifles if you like carbines. Which i do very much.
My wife and daughter use the same Ruger Compact in 7mm-08 and seem to have pretty good luck with it. I put in a Timney trigger and mounted a VX-II 2x7. It is a sturdy little rifle, easy to carry around and shoots well. My 17 year old daughter has harvested 5 elk with it to date and my wife got this goat last fall.
Dude, you can't kill an Elk with a short barrlled 7-08!!!
I know its true, I read it in Field and Stream . . .
BMT
"The Church can and should help modern society by tirelessly insisting that the work of women in the home be recognized and respected by all in its irreplaceable value." Apostolic Exhortation On The Family, Pope John Paul II
