RPR vs. High End Custom

[Straightshooter1]

For those who wonder how a factory RPR might stack up to a custom gun (like a Surgeon Scalpel):

"Over all the 150+ groups fired, the custom rifle only had a 2% better mean radius than the 100% stock Ruger Precision Rifle! What?! If you aren’t shocked by that, consider that the custom Surgeon Scalpel rifle has a price tag that is around $5,000, compared to the $1,300 I bought the Ruger Precision for off GunBroker.com. That shows the kind of impressive performance you can now get from factory rifles! Ruger, I tip my cap to you! The hard data I collected over 760 rounds shows the RPR delivers a ton of precision for the price."

This was from results in comparing various factory 6.5CM ammo.

6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Test Part 5: Live-Fire Group Sizes & Precision

Welcome to Part 5 of the results from my massive 6.5 Creedmoor ammo field test! This article wil...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[JEFFPPC]

Might say more about the particular custom rifle than the Ruger.

 

[ckaberna]

For those who wonder how a factory RPR might stack up to a custom gun (like a Surgeon Scalpel):

"Over all the 150+ groups fired, the custom rifle only had a 2% better mean radius than the 100% stock Ruger Precision Rifle! What?! If you aren’t shocked by that, consider that the custom Surgeon Scalpel rifle has a price tag that is around $5,000, compared to the $1,300 I bought the Ruger Precision for off GunBroker.com. That shows the kind of impressive performance you can now get from factory rifles! Ruger, I tip my cap to you! The hard data I collected over 760 rounds shows the RPR delivers a ton of precision for the price."

This was from results in comparing various factory 6.5CM ammo.

6.5 Creedmoor Ammo Test Part 5: Live-Fire Group Sizes & Precision

Welcome to Part 5 of the results from my massive 6.5 Creedmoor ammo field test! This article wil...

precisionrifleblog.com

2%?
Shooter or equipment?
factory vs reloading?

 

[Straightshooter1]

Might say more about the particular custom rifle than the Ruger.

It's all in that link. Or is there more info you're looking for?

"
When it came to the rifle and firing process, I used two different rifles. I do personally own a couple of high-end 6.5 Creedmoor rifles, but I know most of my readers aren’t using an $8,000 custom rifle setup. Also, a particular kind of ammo might perform better out of one rifle than another because of differences in the chamber, barrel, and other mechanical nuances. Since more people use factory rifles than custom rifles, I decided to buy a stock Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) to use in this test. Again, I bet if I had reached out to Ruger, they would have gladly loaned me a rifle for this test, but I decided to simply buy a brand new one from GunBroker.com, just like my readers would, to try to ensure it was representative and not a rifle that potentially had been cherry-picked off the line.


The custom Surgeon rifle featured a 22-inch barrel, and I decided to shoot the test without the suppressor attached (i.e. bare muzzle). I didn’t want to risk it somehow affecting the results if it came loose or somehow the heat caused mirage issues that skewed the group sizes. The Ruger Precision Rifle came with their stock 24-inch barrel, and I didn’t change a thing about the whole rifle. Both rifle barrels had a 1:8 twist rate."

 

[Mark W]

I have a first gen RPR in 243 Win that shoots way better than it should.

 

[Chiquita]

RPR with factory Hornady American Gunner ammo was a tack driver, until about 3000 then I changed the barrel.

RPR is excellent value for the rifle.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

When the RPR's came out every second guy on the line were shooting them trying to beat the customs and other high end rifles. 2-3 Years on you'll be lucky to see one RPR on the line over here. Its a good rifle/platform for what it is but your not making Nationals lying on your stomach looking for Xs with that against all the customs. I suppose in a more Tacktical PRS environment the odds are more in its favor and its probably what the rifle/platform was designed for. As said its very good value for money

 

[Kurz]

I suppose in a more Tacktical PRS environment the odds are more in its favor and its probably what the rifle/platform was designed for. As said its very good value for money

It's definitely NOT and F-Class rifle!

Ruger designed it for the Limited Class shooting segment in PRS. It's a really nice way to get started in PRS without spending $10,000 on rifle and related equipment. Other manufacturers followed quickly as they saw Ruger's success.

As suggested, when they first were released to the public we bought one right from the store so it was not cherry picked by Ruger as a loaner. It also gave us the opportunity to look at the barrel to get the dimensions for producing barrels for the clients who would asking for custom barrels.

It shot relatively well, at least for LC in PRS where tiny little groups hold no sway over success. We found at that time that the Prime Ammunition functioned and shot the best for factory ammunition. This was a 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[DngBat7]

I bought one when it first came out. Had a kreiger installed, lapped the lugs and replaced the trigger. Insanely accurate. But still not a custom.... still cheaper than one tho

 

[joshb]

Might say more about the particular custom rifle than the Ruger.

Yup, but it also shows that just getting a custom gun isn’t the answer to stellar accuracy. Finding a tuned load for a gun is!

 

[JEFFPPC]

Yup, but it also shows that just getting a custom gun isn’t the answer to stellar accuracy. Finding a tuned load for a gun is!

Your so right. Tune , handle it, read conditions.....the big three.

 

[INTJ]

It's definitely NOT and F-Class rifle!

Ruger designed it for the Limited Class shooting segment in PRS. It's a really nice way to get started in PRS without spending $10,000 on rifle and related equipment. Other manufacturers followed quickly as they saw Ruger's success.

As suggested, when they first were released to the public we bought one right from the store so it was not cherry picked by Ruger as a loaner. It also gave us the opportunity to look at the barrel to get the dimensions for producing barrels for the clients who would asking for custom barrels.

It shot relatively well, at least for LC in PRS where tiny little groups hold no sway over success. We found at that time that the Prime Ammunition functioned and shot the best for factory ammunition. This was a 6.5 Creedmoor.

And it's DEFINITELY not a BR rifle........

PRS seems to be more about the course of fire and shooting positions than true precision. Because if that, a rifle like the RPR seems like a great idea for PRS and I wish we could find a way to do something similar in LR BR.

Savage tried, but they put the wrong stock on their dual-port LR BR rifle.

 

[Kurz]

PRS seems to be more about the course of fire and shooting positions than true precision.

PRS never claimed to be about 'true' precision, and the advertising for the Ruger RPR was always directed at the PRS shooters, especially those wanting to shoot in the Limited Class which has a price ceiling.

In fact, most of the folks who shoot PRS will tell you right off the bat that usually anything better than 1 MOA will serve you to get started. It's not necessary to shoot little tiny groups on the targets used in this style of competition. We shoot steel plates and movers, not paper. The additional difference is the stressors used throughout the competition. Time constraints, time management, physicality (running between targets, crawling through concrete pipes) and positions which go way beyond standing, sitting and prone.

The Ruger was designed for this type of shooting competitions, not the precision Benchrest or F-Class competitions.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Being an RPR shooter (.308 and 6.5 PRC), I found the results of this factory match ammo test fascinating, particularly since it involved the use of an off the shelf factory configured RPR. Though the test was about comparing factory ammo and not about comparing the two guns, the test was quite revealing as to how the two guns compare when using factory match ammo. There's no argument that a high end custom gun is going to outperform any mass produced gun. It's just how well this particular RPR did comparatively that stood out. Frankly, I feel similar guns, like from Tikka or Bergara, can do just as well and maybe even better. It's a niche market for those with limited resources that Ruger jumped on and produced a rifle that has been proven to provide very good precision for it's cost.

Both my RPR's cost me less than $1,100 and shot very well out of the box. With a few barrel manufacturers, like Krieger, Proof and others, providing high end drop in barrels, one can get substantial improvement in their performance. But still, high end customs rule!

 

[whatsupdoc]

I have a RPR and I have custom rifles. My RPR is on its third barrel, it came new as a 6.5 creed changed to
a 6mm creed and now its a 6.5 creed again. It has over 5100 rounds on the action.

I have beat up 5" steel plates at 1K yards many times with it. A 12" steel plate at 1k is almost no contest unless there are gusty winds. It is definitely worthy of the $2500 optic that sits on it

With that said it is a goofy design with cost and mass production being a primary concern so
for what it is it is great.

It is a good rifle for someone starting PRS shooting, you are not going to do poorly at PRS because
of the RPR.

 

[fatelvis]

I’ve used my Gen II RPR in 6creed to acquire High Master in Mid F-class, and just rebarreled to a Shilen 6BR, after 1200 rounds. Now it’s even more accurate, and I need to work on my shooting to take full advantage of it’s potential. I did change the trigger to a Timney 2-stage and the stock to a Magpul PRS gen3.

 

[garandman]

The test shooter on the Surgeon didn't "do his part."

Its like all the CZ 457 and Bergara B14R owners whipping all them Vudoo, Anschutz, etc owners butts, but never seen hide nor hair on the shooting line at Nationals.

 

[drover]

The test shooter on the Surgeon didn't "do his part."

Its like all the CZ 457 and Bergara B14R owners whipping all them Vudoo, Anschutz, etc owners butts, but never seen hide nor hair on the shooting line at Nationals.

It's like the old hot rod adage - "speed costs, how fast do you want to go?"

Whether it is guns or race cars it is that last few percent of performance that increases the cost. The sad part of it is that there are a lot of shooters, and hot-rodders, who think that buying the most expensive item guarantees them success.
This is a good example of an item that is almost as good for a lot less money, if you want to be just a bit better it is going to cost a lot more money. It is when you are in that upper percentage and have the ability to compete at that level that it begins to make sense to spend $5000 rather than $1000.

drover

 

[garandman]

@drover 100 %

 

[Enosiophobia]

And it's DEFINITELY not a BR rifle........

PRS seems to be more about the course of fire and shooting positions than true precision. Because if that, a rifle like the RPR seems like a great idea for PRS and I wish we could find a way to do something similar in LR BR.

Savage tried, but they put the wrong stock on their dual-port LR BR rifle.

It's what I use for my BR league...