Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Another Ruger American review

I'd been looking at the Ruger American and a Tikka T3, both in .243, and a couple weeks ago plunked down my money for the Ruger. Cost wasn't really an object, I can certainly afford the Tikka which has a stellar reputation but I kinda wanted to see how the inexpensive Ruger did. Both have a lot of similar features as far as magazine feeding, plastic stock, free floated, etc., but the Tikkas cost almost twice what the American goes for. Comparing the two stocks I actually like the American stock better, the striations on the pistol grip are grabbier than the stippling on the Tikka.

It comes with Weaver #46 bases and a few days before I had ordered a Weaver K6 specifically to go on the new .243 to maintain the whole "inexpensive rig" paradigm. I was leaning strongly to mounting it with Weaver classic style rings just to maintain ideological purity, but they are a bit of a pain to level the scope so I went with some Burris Zee low rings I already had on hand. The K6 is definitely short and with the 3.6" or so eye relief I had to reverse the front base to get it far enough back for me.

First impressions of the rifle. It is light enough, 7 lbs 2 oz with the scope. Trigger is great. The manual says it can be adjusted from 3 to 5 pounds so the first thing I did was take it out of the stock and turn the adjustment screw. Got it down to 3 pounds easily and it's consistent - five pulls measured between 3 lbs and 3 lbs 2 oz. Very crisp, just a hint of overtravel, I'd rate it miles ahead of an out of the box Hawkeye trigger.

The stock is very light, the rifle weight is in the barrel and action. In fact it feels too light, kind of flimsy due to that light weight, but it works. It's nice and slender, I like the way it feels in the hand (for a plastic stock) and the flush fitting magazine doesn't interfere with a one handed carry. The pistol grip swells outward from top to bottom so you can get a really secure grasp on it. It places the trigger finger in a perfect position to pull straight back with the pad of the finger, at least for me. The two v-block bedding system is innovative - the manual says to torque both allen head action screws down to 50-70 ft lbs. I got a long allen key and cranked those suckers down tight.

With the light weight stock the balance point with the scope mounted is right under the forward edge of the action, that's more forward than most. It has a somewhat muzzle heavy feel which is kind of nice, it hangs out in your forward hand nicely but the overall weight is low enough that it still handles well and doesn't feel at all clunky or slow.

Mine is fully free floated with the barrel centered in the channel as were several others in the three stores I visited but several I looked at were bearing against one side or the other. I could have picked one up for probably $40 cheaper on gunbroker but the hit or miss floating made me buy one I could see and look at. I had also tried the triggers on several and some have a little creep, the one I picked out had none.

The magazine is very light. The light weight again gives you a feeling of cheapness but it's just a feeling. It works just fine to hold 4 down and feeds perfectly. replacements also cost a lot less than the platinum/gold Tikka magazines.

For lefties - One reason I liked this American is the 70 degree bolt lift and the bolt handle sticks out a bit further than some other rifles. You can dismount and work the bolt with your left hand without it banging into the scope. Mine is new and bolt lift is heavier than a Winchester but it's not bad, about the same as most Model 700's.

It has a tang safety and that never hurts - it's nice to have something that's truly ambidextrous for once.

The recoil pad is good but the comb is a bit narrow and for some it will be a tad low. You will want to try to find low rings for your scope. Ruger gives you a card that you can send in to get a free combo cheekpad/ammo holder but it's for righties only so I haven't sent mine in yet. Recoil is no big deal in a .243 but I bet this one could get a bit lively in .30-06.



Shooting - yeah, it's accurate. I had heard that but I wanted to see it for myself. The throat in this .243 is relatively short, the magazine allows a 2.9" OAL but all the bullets I measured from 85 to 105 grains hit the lands with an OAL of around 2.7" so there's no problem with mag confines.

It does not lend itself to bench shooting, the forearm is small and round and I had to dink around a bit with my sighters to see how it liked to be held and fired. But once I got that figured out it settled right in. I've only fired 9 groups so far, all with H4350, working up a pressure series for three different bullets but it put everything into no greater than 1 1/4" with most sub-moa, these are all 4 shot groups. Best group of the day was with the Sierra 85 HPBT (go figure! ) that put three into .526" and my inevitable flyer opened it to .749". I didn't let it cool at all between shots, just load and fire as fast as I could take good aim, and it always started the next group still warm. These were just my first trials and I haven't worked with any different powders or seating depths so we'll see if it can do a little better than this. I think it will.

Functioning was perfect, feeding was very smooth and it ejected cases about two feet to the right. Bolt travel is extremely smooth. The bolt is surprisingly heavy, it would be a good candidate for fluting but that would raise the price and this rifle is all about performance at a low price.




Overall it's fulfilling just what I wanted it for. An inexpensive (though not necessarily cheap) rifle and scope combo with a really good trigger and very good accuracy as well. No tinkering with bedding or trigger jobs unless you count turning the adjustment screw - just take it out of the box, clean the grease off, mount a scope and go shooting. It's not going to make anyone a prized heirloom but it flat works. I'm going to shoot the hell out of the barrel and when it's toast I'll send it back to Ruger for a new one.

I definitely like this one.


(Sorry for the usual long winded post, blame my mother for making me take typing class at an early age. )

Nice write up.

I've owned a couple and consider them a value -- especially in the accuracy department. A 223 version would FLY off the shelf....

BTW, both of mine were 243's too. I'd like to see Ruger's sales numbers by chambering...

Here's a good article o your gun compared to the Marlin "X" gun. Mike does a lot of writing on different things.


http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/m...g-ruger-american-against-marlin-xl7.html

Jim, your review makes me want to get me a .243 Compact American and drop an Aimpoint Micro on it! What a Truck Gun!

What's your data on the Sierra 85 gr BTHP?

Got a Micro on my Christmas '73 gift 788 .243 at moment, would like it a couple pounds lighter.

I have been around a few of these Ruger Americans and all have been MOA shooters, I can't say as much for the Hawkeye's I have experience with................Hb

I have one in 243 also that I just got setup with low talleys and a red field revolution 3-9 haven't got to shoot yet but will be as soon as I get to the range.

Marlin X guns are [bleep] but likely perfect for Yankees that shoot one deer every 5 years.

Only fired three groups with the Sierra 85 so far, starting low and working up - 40, 41 and 42 grains, and the best group so far was 42 gr. H4350 in Winchester cases for 3027 fps with the ogive at .020" from the lands. That's still well below a good max velocity for this bullet so I already have some more loads assembled with 43 and 43.5 grains to try to take it up to the 3100 fps area when I can get back to the range. Velocity progression was very even with all of the bullets and this powder, which is what I expected. Both 4350's - IMR and H - have always been good matches for the .243 and the upper half of it's bullet weight range.

This is my fourth Ruger rifle in the last couple of years, 3 Hawkeyes and now this. Their chambers are all throated nicely, not too long. Necks are dimensioned so that they're not overly generous but not overly tight. None of them have given any rude surprises in the pressure department but I still start low just to be sure.

I'm still waiting on a 223 but when I see it I will purchase it.

Lots of redundancy chambering a rifle in 270, 30/06, 308 and 7mm08 at first.

Scott,

I am both a proud Yankee and a fan of the Marlin X guns. I have several of them and like the fact that they can be easily and inexpensively rebarreled via Savage 110 specs (non-SAUM/WSM) barrels. My X guns in 22-250, 243,, 257 Bob, 25-06, 260, 7x57, and 308 have accounted for a few deer, a truck load of coyotes, plus a bunch of gsquirrels and pdogs, all in less than five years.

I've swapped some barrels, A&B/Savage/Stevens, and stocks, Boyds Prairie Hunter laminated style, and have been more than pleased with the results of both the factory specs and modified rifles. I am disappointed that Marlin dropped the stainless X guns, but that disappointment was eased a bit when Williams Wholesale was selling them for $312.50 back in 2011. Exercising 20/20 hindsight, I wish that I'd bought a couple more at that price as the basis for future projects.

However, as with most things, YMMV.

I guess I have to wait 5 years for the next one.

That's why they win almost every bargain gun shoot off even against guns costing 50% more?

that's why they have won many fans over the years since they have been introduced?

that's why my 30-06 "X" gun has over 2500rounds thru it and still shoots less than .75" day in and day out?

that's why my 308 "X" gun with over 700 rounds thru it has shot the smallest group I've ever shot out of a deer rifle in 30+ years?





I'd say someone needs to get off his high horse and actually do some shooting and reading. Mike Price thought the same about the Marlin "X" guns, until he actually spent some time shooting one.

Nice deer. How did you come to own a "X" gun? You're not a "Yankee"? lol.

My friend has a 270 just like that.

Was born and raised in Wisconsin, can't get much more "Yankee" than that.
Just saw all the good things wrote about the X guns a couple years ago and wanted a .25-06 so I ordered a XL7C, JM stamped because that's all there was then.
You and I have had a spirited debate before on Marlin Shooters about keeping the stock pressure points or free floating the barrel before. There is a current thread about this now, I just have not commented (yet).
But it is hard to argue against the results that you and some others have had by using them as is.
Although not loaded with every single feature, these are very good guns for the money.

So you made the move I almost did 20+ years ago.

I'm from the KISS school of thought, and I don't mess with things unless needed, but debate is always good.

I've looked at the Ruger American, but they really don't offer a caliber I need or desire. If they come out with one in 250savage, or 35 Whelen, I'd look at getting an American.

Yawn

Instead of being an ass, maybe you should actually spend some time shooting a "X" gun. Tens of Thousands of shooters have had no issues with them and they shoot game all over the world with them.

After working up my pressure series with the American I went out to shoot some serious groups this morning. As noted in my first post, this is not a benchrest rifle. That skinny little buttstock and small rounded forend are not suited for BR, so you really have to concentrate on form. You can see where I really threw one flyer badly.

But overall I am still very happy with this rifle. These are all 7 shot groups - actually a 4 shot group, let it sit and then another 3 shot group at the same aiming point. If I really wanted to post some braggin' groups I could have posted the first three shots of each one, those first three all went into about 1/2".

Top group is 6 shots into .883" - I threw out the called flyer since I obviously blew that one, bottom left is 7 shots into 1.019" and bottom right is 7 shots into 1.101" with five of those into .841". These were all shot with the Weaver K6 6x scope, btw.

I've still got some playing around to do with the loads. They look like they're double grouping a bit at .010" off the lands, I'm going to move them back to .030" to see if that tightens things up and the bottom left has some vertical stringing although that could be my shooting. But that's just looneyism, none of these are anything to be ashamed of.



Not too bad for an inexpensive rifle. Speaking of, naturally, three weeks after I bought this Sportsman's put them on sale for 40 bucks cheaper. Story of my life...

I have a 270 in a Marlin X gun... darn thing.. I shoot three shots at 100 yds with handloads and I have one hole... I have no idea where the other two shots keep going.....

and for informations sake, I live in Oregon, but I am a Virginian born and raised...and descended from folks who got off the boat at Jamestown... so ya can't get more Southern than that....

Haven't fired the American .30-06 Dad gave me last weekend but have no doubts it will be a shooter. Probably not benchrest accurate but then neither are most of my rifles.

What I do expect out of it are a long service life and good accuracy. The trigger is very good, better than many rifles costing much more. The bolt operates smoothly. If it gets wet, well, it gets wet and I won't worry about it like I do my wood stocks, even though I try to keep them well sealed. Dings in the stock? Not a concern. Might try to camo this one but probably not as satin black is OK by me.

I do plan to replace the scope Dad put on it and get something with a ballistic compensating reticle.