Ruger American

[NC Hunter]

This is just to let everyone know about my experience. My buddy bought a predator model last year in 308 to take on our CO elk hunt. Not too heavy and the gun shot great. I would say at least 1.5 moa. Killed a 4 point at 350 yds. My dad bought one earlier this year in 223 and the thing shoots awesome! 1 moa or less with almost any factory round we feed it. I would highly recommend the American to anyone looking for an inexpensive hunting rifle.

 

[pabearhunter]

My wife has one in 7mm-08 and it shoots great. For the money great gun.

 

[VikingsGuy]

I agree that for the price they are typically good shooters - but from my experience with them the stock is too flimsy to use with a bipod - putting weight forward tended to cause the barrel to inconsistently touch the stock. There are videos on how to stiffen the stock and both Boyd’s and B&C make stiff replacements so not incurable.

 

[maxx]

I won a 450 bushmaster last year at our wildgame feed we do. I put on the Leupold Freedom 450 scope. Here are my first shots after it was dialed in at 100 yards, that is two shots. The gun is a shooter.

 

[0uTkAsT]

I'll echo everything above - great shooting rifles for the price. Threading is well done and concentric. Bolt throw is nice and smooth with a shallower angle on the knob which is great for low mounted optics. Lots of aftermarket support for mounts and bases, at least one company making cheek risers and bolt knobs for them now. Magpul Hunter stock is an option which is nice because the factory stock is a piece of crap - it's both noisy and flimsy at the front, but it's lightweight and has a good pillar bedding system so if you're not loading it on a bipod or relying on it to be silent then it's serviceable. But, the Magpul stock is heavy so that is a definite downside. I'm not a huge fan of the rotary mags but that's a personal preference. Overall they're a good choice for a lot of folks, obviously depending on application.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I bought one in 6.5 a few years ago and it’s been sort of a project ever since. Before I ever shot it I had it cut down to 16.25 and threaded to used suppressed. It shot well enough in the factory stock but I just hated the fit and balance of it.
It now has a timney trigger in it and I bedded it into a Boyd’s two weeks ago. Have yet to shoot it in the bedded Boyd’s, hopefully this week.
I have killed five deer and a hog with it in the factory stock. The mags are a weak point as I broke one early on.
Tried a Magpul stock briefly but damn it added a lot of weight and no accuracy on my end. I need to put it up on the classifieds.

Overall I like the rifle and have looked at getting another. Next time around I’ll just get a B&C stock and not mess with the other options.
The Timney is a worthwhile upgrade.

 

[sbhooper]

My .308 has a thousand rounds through it and it is a 1/2 moa rifle with 150 Interlocks.

 

[memtb]

We bought one several years ago in 30-06. It was priced right, and we didn’t have a 30-06. With minimal load development, it is very promising for accuracy. I’ve heard some negative comments about, magazine/feed issues.....but negative comments have been made about every rifle manufacturer! I don’t regret buying it, but she’ll likely just be a “safe queen”. Just sitt’n there, waiting to be asked to the “Prom”! memtb

 

[Don Fischer]

For the money, what does that really mean? Does that mean spend more and you'll get something that shoot's better? Maybe. Someone mentioned the stock. For the money is that what's wrong with it? I always figured a rifle that shoot's well is a good rifle. A rifle I don't like looking at or holding I simply won't buy. Doesn't mean it's not a good rifle though. Seem's like most time's guy mention inexpensive rifles they always add, for the money! If you paid more do you thing it would shoot better? Probably paying more will get you a rifle you'd rather look at and carry. I had a factory plastic stock on a 700. I didn't buy it, it was a gift. Lousy shooting rifle and ugly as sin. Completely re-bedded it and it turned into a really good shooting rifle that was ugly as sin! Found a take off wood stock for it and swapped it out. Great shooting rifle that I like now. I would not have bought that rifle new myself, just to ugly but a girl friend though I'd like it. I replaced her with a new pup! I have about $80 in it for the stock. For a rifle like it that shoot's ae well as it does I'd pay a lot more than $80! But for the money!

 

[Woodrow F Call]

For the money, what does that really mean? Does that mean spend more and you'll get something that shoot's better? Maybe. Someone mentioned the stock. For the money is that what's wrong with it? I always figured a rifle that shoot's well is a good rifle. A rifle I don't like looking at or holding I simply won't buy. Doesn't mean it's not a good rifle though. Seem's like most time's guy mention inexpensive rifles they always add, for the money! If you paid more do you thing it would shoot better? Probably paying more will get you a rifle you'd rather look at and carry. I had a factory plastic stock on a 700. I didn't buy it, it was a gift. Lousy shooting rifle and ugly as sin. Completely re-bedded it and it turned into a really good shooting rifle that was ugly as sin! Found a take off wood stock for it and swapped it out. Great shooting rifle that I like now. I would not have bought that rifle new myself, just to ugly but a girl friend though I'd like it. I replaced her with a new pup! I have about $80 in it for the stock. For a rifle like it that shoot's ae well as it does I'd pay a lot more than $80! But for the money!

While I'd like to drive a $70,000 pickup truck with air conditioned seats to work everyday, for the money, I'd just drive my Tacoma.

 

[memtb]

Mor’n Woodrow, I see your from “Red Stick”! The town itself, or nearby. I was born and raised in Zachary! memtb

 

[RuRu12]

I bought my son an American in .243 Winchester as his first rifle. It is a great shooter, with or without a bipod. The only load we have ever fired in it is factory loaded 100 grain Winchester Power Point. As long as the shooter does their part the rifle will consistently produce 3/4” groups, and occasionally even smaller. I will agree that the plastic stock feels flimsy and isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but the rifle has proven itself to be a reliable tool.

I like it well enough that I just picked up one for myself in the new .350Legend to deer hunt with here in Ohio. I haven’t had opportunity to shoot it yet, hopefully I will remedy that this weekend. It is a light a quick handling piece, and I like how it looks.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I recently bought a Ruger American Rifle for my daughter in 243 and pink Muddy Girl camo at the Columbus Field and Steam for the clearance price of $180. It was an impulse buy but I didn’t think I could pass on the deal. Initially, cartridges were hanging up in the magazine but the issue cleared up after about 10 minutes of cycling cartridges through the rifle.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it shot three of the $13 a box Remington Core-Lokts into about an inch at 100 yards. My first attempt at reduced loads with H4895 and 90 gr ELD-Xs was very promising, with my last powder charge printing a three shot group of just over 1/2”. Also, I am pretty sure it has a 1:9 twist, which is a plus.

I won’t say it will shoot 1/2 MOA “all day long” (or even 1 MOA), but I am really impressed with it so far.

 

[X13]

I've got a Ruger American Rimfire .22LR and hace been very happy with it. Good action, solid bluing, and a raised cheek piece

 

[Preacher shaner]

I have one in 6.5 man bun and love it.

 

[NC Hunter]

I agree that for the price they are typically good shooters - but from my experience with them the stock is too flimsy to use with a bipod - putting weight forward tended to cause the barrel to inconsistently touch the stock. There are videos on how to stiffen the stock and both Boyd’s and B&C make stiff replacements so not incurable.

I have noticed this as well. My buddy with the 308 had to work on the barrel channel a bit.

 

[Walkathon]

I bought a Ruger American in 7MM-08 and it shoots factory Accubonds about 1.25" @ 100 yards. I put a VX2 on it when they were on sales and use the heavy Warne mounts. Great backup gun for all my out of state trips. I took the stock off and used a dremil tool to remove material off the left side of the stock because it was touching the barrel. I'm really happy with the setup. I don't shoot it with a bipod, just off a Bog Pod or a pack.

 

[Coyotehuntr]

I just picked up an american in 450 bushmaster, it is for an upcomming bear hunt but decided to use it to kill a whitetail this weekend. It is very accurate and i will be buying more ruger americans over the remington's that I have been shooting my whole life!

 

[ThunderNocked]

This is just to let everyone know about my experience. My buddy bought a predator model last year in 308 to take on our CO elk hunt. Not too heavy and the gun shot great. I would say at least 1.5 moa. Killed a 4 point at 350 yds. My dad bought one earlier this year in 223 and the thing shoots awesome! 1 moa or less with almost any factory round we feed it. I would highly recommend the American to anyone looking for an inexpensive hunting rifle.

I have really liked my American until this last hunt. Gun performs great, can shoot better then I can for sure. This last hunt I had several issues in my 6.5 Credmoor with the new AI Magazine feeding rounds. I shot a Caribou and then had 3 issues with ammo feeding. I took it to the range and had no issues when resighting it in... but I then I had it happen again the last day I went out. I'm a little confused if it is the colder weather, or if I'm doing something wrong in the field.

 

[tzone]

They're decent rifles for the money. I don't care for the stock. But, for how they shoot at that price point, I'll get over it.