About 45 days ago I purchased a factory new Ruger American Rimfire Target Rifle in caliber 17 HMR.
I mounted a Weaver V-16 (4 to 16 power variable) in expensive Leupold rings on it and waited for a calm day to test fire it.
Finally 10 days ago I got a calm day and headed for my friends private range.
Alas the Rifle (scope!) ran out of windage adjustment before I could get the bullets impact centered on my point of aim!
Started "replacing" parts starting with the picatinny style base that came with the Ruger Rifle.
Next replaced the rings then finally found that the scope was deficient.
Gun shot great there at 50 yards just that the bullet impacts were 2" to far left when I ran out of windage adjustment (tube bent?).
Only two shot "groups" were shot while trying to sight-in.
Finally got around to getting a new scope on it four days ago when out of town Varmint Hunting guests showed up for a visit and a Safari.
The new scope I mounted and bore sighted onto the Ruger American is a Leupold 6-18 power variable Target model with fine Du-Plex reticle.
Did not get to the range with it but took it along on Safari "hoping" the new scope would correct the "windage" problem!
It did.
I sighted the Rifle in while afield Hunting with my friends and that did not take long or much effort.
Soon I was killing Ground Squirrels out to 150 yards using Hornady 17 grain V-Max 17 HMR ammo.
The trigger there afield was "pretty good" I may try to adjust it here soon, now that my friend have left (this morning).
Three minor problems with the Rifle need to be/needed to be "addressed.
#1: Rifle came from the factory missing one of its two "action screws"! This was corrected at time of purchase by the LGS owner "borrowing" one of these Allen head action screws from another Rifle.
#2: Magazine release will NOT release magazine properly - release lever, when activated (pushed), will not drop the magazine. Two hands must be used to remove magazine - it will not "drop" like other Ruger rotary magazines do.
One hand must be used to repeatedly push the release lever and the other hand is used to jockey (with much effort/difficulty) the magazine fore and aft to wriggle the magazine out of its well!
#3: The tang mounted safety is incredibly difficult to move fore and aft to activate and de-activate the safety! In fact it takes me two hands (two thumbs stacked atop each other!) a death grip on the stock with other fingers and MUCH effort to move the tang safety either fore or aft!
I would guesstimate the effort needed to move this tang safety as the same as moving 25 pounds (at least!) with my thumbs!
This is a problem I am greatly puzzled as to how it could have left the factory as is!
For that matter how that Rifle left the factory without both its action screws installed also greatly puzzles me.
Oh well.
Over-all I am VERY happy with the new Ruger American Rimfire Target Rifle, its trigger and its accuracy afield. The stock is very conducive to easy field shooting for Ground Squirrels (from pivoting benches, stand-up bi-pods, and from window mounted sandbags as well as big X" type sandbags over the hood). The short stubby heavy barrel (18") is handy and easy to manage when getting in and out of vehicles.
The 6 pounds and 8 ounce weight of the Rifle (not including scope or rings) also aided in sighting and stability afield.
I will get the Rifle to the range for exact grouping measurements ASAP but again my ability to hit standing Ground Squirrels out to 150 yards has convinced me "its a shooter"!

Link to Rifle: https://ruger.com/products/americanRimfireTarget/models.html

My friend and Gopher Hunting partner bought one of these same Rifles late last year and he has been amazed at the accuracy he gets with it. He is due here next month for its first Ground Squirrel Hunt.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Good report VG. Do you think the safety on yours is messed up, or are they all that heavy?

Aspencreek: Hopefully its just my safety that is "messed up" - my local gunshop is now sold out of this model (again!), they have sold at least ten of these that I have seen pass through the shop in the last 8 - 10 months.
These Ruger American rimfire Target Models also come in 22 L.R. and 22 Magnum.
To tell the truth I have not tried the tang safeties of any of the others that I have handled to date - so can't say for sure if the others are heavy (extremely heavy!) like mine - again, I assume not.
My friend with the identical Ruger American is due here in about 10 days and I will plead for him to let me remove his action from his stock so I can visually compare the two guns (safeties) side by side.
Just mortified a black and white flying nest robbing Varmint this afternoon with the Ruger American - only a fourty yard shot but one less nest robber for the game birds and song birds to contend with!
Thanks for the kudos.
More later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

what's the going price for this model

I thought a bit about one of those, but went with the devil I knew, a CZ 455 SS.

Hope you get yours ironed out. Seems almost every maker is having issues with QC of late. Penny-pinching, I suspect.

VG, your safety might be installed wrong. Mine was.... Pop your action outta the stock, undo the linkage wire, flip the tang button around, put it back together and see if it helps.....

The safety on your rifle is a bit of an annomoly..Of the half dozen or so RAR rifles I have shot and handled the safeties all worked about like a Mark 1 M77 or Number 1 or 3 safety, that is to say ,just fine..

As to your magazine not falling free, that is common these days on new Rugers as it usually takes a bit if time for the mag and mag latch mechanism to break in . After a bit more use it should snap in easily (locking up and then forward) and drop free. Mine took about 200 rounds to get broken in.

I don't feel its a QC issue but rather tight tolerances .I think Ruger wants to make sure that once broken in the mags lock tightly and don't flop around when the action is operated.

Sounds like your rifle is accurate ,though..

I would guess that the safety bar linkage is dragging on the inside of the stock.

Take it out of the stock and see if there is a bad rub mark.

Wow. In my opinion , thats absurd. It's like they didn't even look at it. Unacceptable number of flaws.

Well,that review certainly doesn't make me want to rush right out and purchase one. It sounds like that one should have never left the factory, only one action screw, magazine release that doesn't work properly and an unusable safety - WOW!

My shooting partner bought the same exact model a week ago. We took it out a couple of days later, and it shot very well but it failed to extract about one out of every third fired case, he was more than a little frustrated at having to pry them out with his knife.

Seems as though Ruger may need to up their QC.


drover

As best as I can remember, I've bought five new Ruger rifles in the last three or four years, but no Americans. All have functioned perfectly, with only minor tweaks like floating the barrel and mag boxes, and trigger work for better accuracy. Maybe the margin on the Americans doesn't allow for the same amount of care. I'm not making excuses, any product should work as designed, but maybe they should raise the price a couple bucks and check them out better. Personally, I prefer to spend a bit more for nicer goods, but I realize not everyone feels the same.

Without commenting on my personal experiences with modern day Rugers (that always seems to coincide with an unnamed members time of the month and then things get nasty) I will say that reading over at Rimfire Central will tell the OP that he is not alone with his QC issues.

Huntsman22: Thank you very much for that tip! And for the remedy to try.
I greatly appreciate it.

Dakota Deer: Thank you very much as well - I will disassemble my Rifle tonight and look things over with you's guys recommendations in my mind.
Thanks again.

Drover: I am NOT trying to sell YOU (or anyone else!) a Ruger American Rimfire Target Rifle in caliber 17 HMR!
I am trying to honestly portray my impressions/experiences so far with said Rifle - you make up your own mind.
I will say this, even with the previously mentioned "flaws/shortcomings" I am happy enough with the handy, handsome and accurate little small game and Varmint Rifle that its not going anywhere but Hunting with me.

Pappy348: I own plenty of "high end" 22 L.R. Rifles including those made by Winchester (Model 75 Targets etc), Kimbers of Oregon, Kimbers of New York (Super Americas, Model 22's, Model 82-G's Hunter/Silhouettes etc), Remington (40X's and 541-T's) and others but for one fifth the cost of some of MY "high end" 22's this Ruger American Target is gonna get lots of use travelling along on Varmint Safaris and small game Hunts.

More later.
Thanks all
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am still waiting on my Tikka T1X to ship the end of this month...Good Luck VG on your RAR Target. I am sure you"ll get the "kinks" worked outta it soon...

VarmintGuy, thank you for your write up. You are always thorough and I, for one, appreciate the time you invest in telling us what you are seeing. Regarding the trigger, I replaced the trigger on my RAR Predator 6.5 CM with a Timney from Brownells. It made a significant difference in the rifle and If one is available for the rimfire, I would recommend it be investigated.

Pappy348: I own plenty of "high end" 22 L.R. Rifles including those made by Winchester (Model 75 Targets etc), Kimbers of Oregon, Kimbers of New York (Super Americas, Model 22's, Model 82-G's Hunter/Silhouettes etc), Remington (40X's and 541-T's) and others but for one fifth the cost of some of MY "high end" 22's this Ruger American Target is gonna get lots of use travelling along on Varmint Safaris and small game Hunts.

Our opportunities for that kind of shooting are very limited here, actually non-existent, as public land is almost all wooded or brushy, and guns not allowed in the wooded areas except during regular game seasons. Getting permission on private land is very difficult as well. That situation makes the concept of "burner" rifles less compelling. I'm still considering one of the stainless models for my grandson's first rifle, as most reports on them are positive, and the availability of youth stocks is a big plus. His would be a .22, and IIRC, most problems seem to be with .17s.

I'm envious of how you guys out West get to ride out to public land and just go shoot, but it's too late to change. Squirrel season is about the only chance to use our rimfires afield, but you don't get all that many shots doing that.

Again, good luck getting yours sorted out.

Pappy348: I count my blessings very often when it comes to "public lands" uses here in the Rocky Mountain west.
I Hunt Elk on public lands almost exclusively and often Hunt Antelope on public lands as well.
Many Varmints I Hunt though are on large privately owned/controlled farms and ranches.
Tomorrow I will be Hunting Jack Rabbits, Badgers and Ground Squirrels on a private ranch.
Load up that grandson and bring him out SW Montana way and we will get him a 500 round count Varminting day or my name ain't VarmintGuy!
Helped host a wonderful dinner last night that had 3 great guys from down south (Florida) who flew to Montana and rented a vehicle - all of them had a 500 round+ day yesterday - and the weather wasn't that good.
Just yesterday my local gun shop put out a new version of the Ruger American Rimfire Target Rifle - it was similar to my Target heavy barrel blued Rifle except it had an ambidextrous thumbhole laminated stock!
It might be adjustable in length - I will double check that today.
Its priced at $428.00 - as compared to $399.00 for the standard laminated stock like mine.
This new version of the Target has a flatter forearm than the rounded one on my Rifle - that would be an improvement as most all my shooting with the Target has been and will be from sand bags or rests of some kind.
Hope to see you soon.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Rings should be here in a day or 2. My $199 seems pretty sound trigger etc. hopefully shoots as good as it functions

I want to wrap my Ruger 22 around a tree, I have never had a rimfire shoot like this ever. 5" groups at 50 yards. Granted I paid 225 for it new but WTF. Maybe they shipped me the smoothbore version

I am buying one as well

I got RAR’s in 22 lr 22 Mag and 17. Haven’t shot the 17 yet but the other 2 are dandy’s for the $....

Pappy348: I double checked the ambidextrous R.A.R. Target at my local gun shop and indeed the stock IS adjustable (removable and replaceable spacer system)!
And I double checked the action screws (all there) and the safety (works easily/fine) and I would gladly have waited for this thumbhole model stock had I been aware it was coming along.

Oldelkhunter: Which model of Ruger did you get for $225.00?
Sorry its not performing well (sorry its performing horribly!) for you.
Maybe you remember me telling this story here some years ago, when I got a smoothbore Smith & Wesson Model 647 (8 3/8" barreled six shot revolver in caliber 17 HMR) and indeed it did come new to me from the factory with a "smoothbore" barrel!
Quite a story behind that and I am glad I did not harm/blind myself when I first took it to the range not knowing it was a smoothbore!
It had been drilled and reamed (the barrel) but had NOT been "rifled" - so the tiny 17 caliber bullets could NOT expand into the rifling and much shrapnel came blasting back into my face as the bullets had no where to expand as they traveled into the barrel.
Factories make mistakes (we are all human!) but that un-rifled barrel should NOT have gotten past inspection and out of the factory.
The replacement Model 647 they eventually replaced to me shoots like a Rifle (extremely well!)!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Judman: Good news that. Hope the 17 HMR shoots equally as well.
Let us know please.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Ruger American Standard. It shoots like a shotgun for sure, even though the barrel is rifled.

Good On You Jud! You got that 17 hummer at a steal of a price...What are you gonna scope them with??? Swarzo? S&B? Leica? Don't say Leupold dawg...Ha, ha...Loopy's Rock! Big Grin to all the haters!

OE, I truly know the feeling....Except mine was a Kimber Varmint in 204 Rug...I wanted to use the barrel as a golf club. I spent a few hundred bucks trying to get it sorted out before giving up and ordering a new tube from Pac-Nor. Mission accomplished...But an expensive mission! Hope the Tikka shoots tiny little bugholes...

He's a bit young, only nine, and his enthusiasm span is still a bit short, in other words, he runs hot and cold on just about everything just now. Long-term plans for him are pretty risky at present. I am setting up a Howa mini youth model for deer hunting which will get upgraded as he grows.

Thanks for the tip about the ambi-RAR. The jury is still out on which eye is dominant for him. That one would work either way.

+1 to this ^^^^ Thanks VG!

Will do buddy

Haha had a 4-12 leupold for it, decided to go full cheap ass and and got a 4-16 TASCO world class, just to piss people off!!! Grin

Fine scope...Just fine 🤪

Judman: Took the Ruger American Rimfire Target in 17 HMR out today for a 4 hour Safari.
Shot 200 rounds of Hornady 17 grain V-Max ammo. Not a single misfire, misfeed, failure to extract or failure to eject!
Safety is working somewhat better - probably down to 10 pounds push off.
Magazines are extracting somewhat better but still not acceptable.
Need to work on those two things.
Probably ran right at 80% hits/kills on Ground Squirrels and I was trying NOT to shoot anything closer than 100 yards.
The Leupold 6x18 variable is just an exceptional optic for this shooting at these ranges.
Furthest kill was probably 160 yards - difficult to laser these tiny vermin on flat ground/fields.
Hosted several "crackers" from Florida and they just had a ball - all shot 17 HMR's, all heavy barrels (Volquartsens, Ruger 77/17 V/T's and CZ's with one A-17 which I forget its brand).
Let three folks shoot my Rifle and all commended its trigger, handiness and accuracy.
Just been to busy chasin guns, hosting dinners and Hunts to get that R.A.R. Target to the range or even to try and fix its minor flaws.
More later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Progress... just right

OSU Sig: Thank you for the kudo's - just trying to share my experiences and impressions - its fun for me to share.
Thank you for the trigger suggestion I am saving it.
Another Varmint Safari is on line for tomorrow (Saturday) so I am going to clean my Ruger American Rimfire Target with a cleaning rod tonight.
I have cleaned it with the "snake" type cleaner three times while afield so far.
We'll see how that cleaning "affects" things.
More later
Hold into the wind
VamintGuy

Just ordered some Talley lightweights for mine, should be in bidness next week...

Varmintguy, got my rings today, scope mounted ready to roll. This is the “budget tweety bird rifle”...

photoupload
Everything was in sale except for the rings.... grin

Yeah buddy...There’s your small soft fur grenade thrower...Try and face shoot a possum with it and he’ll likely laugh at you 😎

Ya I’ve shot several grinners and coons with a 17, never impressed with it. Should be a good rat rifle

JM, Try a couple boxes of that “CCI A17” Ammo. It runs about 200fps faster than Hornady and the rest. Buddy took some rat hunting. Did really well...Mo money, though....Grrrr 😡

Judman: That is a handsome "modern" looking Rifle you put together there!
I hope it shoots as good as it looks.
My Ruger American is perking up a little - on occasion I can get the safety off with one thumb and on occasion I can get the empty magazine out in under 5 seconds.
I have been on Varmint Safari for the last 3 days (plus a morning Hunt today) and the Ruger American is still performing very well accuracy wise.
Feeding and extraction/ejection have been flawless.

Beaver10: One of my friends has been shooting the A17 ammunition through his bolt action CZ 17 HMR and he is very happy with it so far, this young season.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Ya I’ll probably shoot er Tuesday, I’ll letcha know how she does varmint....

VG, we’re just getting started...I do love turning them suckers inside out...It’s an illness with no cure...😎

Jud, did good, didn’t he...That little set up will inflict fatalities out to 200 yards with NO wind. Your “Hold into the Wind” is so true when flinging small, lightweight 17 grainiers. I was shooting in 15-20 mile winds and pulling 1 to 2 dogs left and right at times to make hits. Good fun and practice. 😎

Varmintguy, just got mine dialed. She’s a shootin sumbitch, flawless function actually like the tasco. Good little budget rat rifle.

Beaver10: For the past several decades I have been tying a doubled 4 foot length of bright red yarn onto my VarmintMobiles radio antenna each spring and I am finally getting pretty good at watching it and transposing the degree and direction the wind is pushing that yarn into first round hits (during WINDY times) out to 125 yards or so - beyond that I give up and pay very strict attention to first shot bullet impact on the ground besides the Colony Varmints I am Hunting. Then I transfer that observation to "hold into" windage.
Rimfires are fun but sometimes frustrating when the crosswind is 8 - 10 M.P.H. and above.

Judman: Hosted two more Washingtonians late last week for Ground Squirreling and late the first day the afternoon thunderstorm/squalls came up (winds at 12 to 18 M.P.H.) and one of them declared he had to hold four body widths of the Sage Rat (standing body widths) at 90 yards with his 17 HMR to hit a standing Gopher!
By the way this fellow bought (for $428.00 - no sales tax) while he was here, a brand new Ruger American Rimfire Target with ambidexterous laminated thumbhole stock from my local pawn/sport shop. It is in caliber 22 L.R. and is identical (except for the stock) in barrel length and features to our Target 17 HMR's. He already has a R.A.R Target in 17 HMR.
No chance while they were here to get the new Rifle "on-line" but he promised to share range results once he gets back to Yelm, Washington.
I am just living with the "sticky" magazine release operation of my Target and the safety is slowly improving in energy needed to engage and disengage.
The 6x18 Leupold I have on my R.A.R. 17 HMR Target is just "Bonzai" for Gopher Hunting!

I think Ruger has a winner with this relatively new Target model R.A.R. in 17 HMR, 22 Magnum and 22 L.R.

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am trying to enclose a link to the spiffy looking new Ruger American Rimfire Target with thumbhole stock.

Link: https://ruger.com/products/americanRimfireTarget/specSheets/8360.html

Hope it works.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The link works for me and I took the time to read the particulars and no mention of this model being offered in 17 HMR or 22 Magnum?
Interestingly the stock is replete with "bedding block system".
I am not sure if my 17 HMR with standard laminated stock has a bedding block system or not - shoots great though.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Breaking her in on starlings. Funner than a shotgun.

that DOES look spiffy.

Judman: The starlings just last week returned here to the high country in SW Montana.
I wonder how many millions of these little poopers and nest robbers there are in America now?
I try to shoot my share but they are "slippery" - I think I got 40 or so last year. Better get started again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

N8dawg6: I took my left handed friend to the local gunshop/pawnshop last week where they had ONE of these Rifles and I showed it to him - he threw it up to his left shoulder looked at it for 5 seconds and laid it down on the counter and got out his wallet!
Just that quick, he bought it.
Of course he is from "taxington" (Washington state) and his purchase of this Rifle here instead of back in taxington saved him $40.00 and change in sales tax (no sales tax in Montana) - so that is another selling point (prompter!) for my friend!
I am assuming that the folks at Ruger will most likely offer this model in 17 HMR and 22 Magnum in the future - but I don't know for sure.
More later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My brother and I killed a small truckload of those in the last century. He even popped one with his AMT Hardballer. They're not as common as they were in years past. I suspect that like crows, their habit of nesting in big flocks makes them easy targets for West Nile virus.

Don't think they eat eggs or nestlings, but they eat tons of insects, and clean my feeder out in short order. My main beef with them used to be that they took over my martin gourds, but the new ones have doors they can't fit through, so now I have English Sparrows instead.

I love mine in 22 LR. Haven't had any issues with it at all.

Nice shooting
If you have not done so already, you NEED to try some of the SK Jagd Standard Plus (Black and yellow box) anmo in your rifle
In my American sporter groups were about half that size ( 1 moa)

That ammo has also shot superbly in a half dozen other 22LR rifles I own..Its good stuff.

That's one I haven't tried, Ill give it a try. Thanks!

It's yhe same load that Wokf used to sell as Wolf match Target.
It runs $5 to $6 per $50 but if you chevk around online you can find it for $50 per brick.
You usually have to go to ammo costing $10+ to get better groups.