Ruger Precision Rifle 308 win

[Sniper338]

Anyone have one? Know someone that has one? I have a buddy that is buying one, he wants to get into long range shooting and reloading with me.. he got a good deal on it price wise, but im just wondering about first hand reviews on accuracy, target photos would be neat to see too!

 

[Mark W]

My RPR in .243 has proved to be a sub 1/2 moa shooter out to 500 meters. I think your buddy has a fair chance of getting a good one like I did. If it turns out to be a dud there are already options for a custom barrel that is much more certain to give great accuracy.

 

[WyleWD]

An acquaintance of mine has one in 6.5 Creedmoor and he has shot numerous groups under 1 inch at 400yds. So, I'm thinking some of them are pretty decent. WD

 

[rardoin]

I have one in 6.5 Creedmoor. With the factory 24" barrel and handloads it was .75MOA or better aggregate of 5 shot groups but I shot several e shot groups under .5 MOA during load development (and shooter development). I have a LRI 24" tube on it at present and it will agg under .5MOA at 100yds off F-class rest/rear bag. For the money and entry level firearm it is a fair deal for a reasonably precise shooter.

 

[TimP]

An acquaintance of mine has one in 6.5 Creedmoor and he has shot numerous groups under 1 inch at 400yds. So, I'm thinking some of them are pretty decent. WD

The ability to shoot numerous groups under .25 MOA says a lot for the rifle no matter what the cost not to mention the skill level of the shooter. Not an easy task even if the rifle has the capability.

 

[r bose]

308 model only has a 20" barrel on it. you'll probably get good groups but if he wants to shoot long range, getting velocity and keeping a bullet supersonic might be a problem

 

[boltman13]

Trying to get any 20" barrel in 308 Win to reach 1,000 yds at mach 1.1 or better is going to be a real effort. My advice, get the 6.5 CM or rebarrel ASAP with a 30" barrel.

 

[Archis]

My RPR in .243 has proved to be a sub 1/2 moa shooter out to 500 meters. I think your buddy has a fair chance of getting a good one like I did. If it turns out to be a dud there are already options for a custom barrel that is much more certain to give great accuracy.

Yep, same here. With proper reloads it is a real shooter.

Trying to get any 20" barrel in 308 Win to reach 1,000 yds at mach 1.1 or better is going to be a real effort. My advice, get the 6.5 CM or rebarrel ASAP with a 30" barrel.

Yeah, I'll never quite understand that decision on Rugers part. I know a lot of people like shorter barrel .308's for dragging through the brush so as to not get hung up but the RPR is a HEAVY rifle and not something you want to drag too far from the truck. With a full magazine, optic and bipod it is nearly 16lbs.

Hamstringing it with such a short barrel seems like a bad idea. With everyone's goal these days seemingly being able to shoot 1MOA groups at 1000yds you will need every FPS you can get. I agree with rebarreling it. The takeoff barrel should fetch around $250, that gets you halfway to a new custome barrel.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Personally, the first thing I'd do would be to have a new barrel cut for it anyhow, so barrel length and chamber specs wouldn't be such a huge issue. It would certainly add to the cost of a budget rifle, but is the simplest mod I can imagine to get it shooting the way you'd want it. There are 3 separate threads devoted to this rifle at Sniper's Hide (Ruger Precision Rifle Parts I, II, III), probably a lot of first hand info if the OP is interested:

http://www.scout.com/military/snipers-hide/forums/5514-bolt-action-rifles

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

It has plenty of competition pricewise, and most of the others have 24"-26" barrels.

 

[carl1575]

One of my best shooting friend and I ordered them about the same time 6.5 creedmore, after a few months I was in Cabalas on a Sunday morning at 9:03 to buy something else and the young man that I have bought a couple of guns from brought out the first one I ever saw. I said to him if its not a 308 I will take it, it was a 243, I knew it could out shoot me and I wanted to be the first kid on the block with one, 1300.00 now you see them around 1000.00 for 308s&234s and you still cant find 6.5s. Jerry got his a couple of months after me and started working on loads, I mean full time, X Jar Head. He just stopped by our dealership to night to show me his( Wallet target) so small I wont even say with out a picture, It was way sub 1/2 inch. He started with 1 to 3/4/inch got to 1/2 inch in a couple of months and been working his way down since, great gun and a great shooter. Carl in Yakima

 

[XTR]

Unless he wants to shoot F-TR there is really no reason to get the 308, unless he wants to rebarrel it.

There is s multi thread series about the RPR over on Snipers Hide with thousands of posts. Lots of info. Lots of info on the secondary market stuff for the rifle too.

 

[jpx2rk]

A friend of mine has a RPR in 243 with a 26" factory barrel. He just shot his first 600 yd match at 65 y/o, don't remember his scores, but I do remember seeing more 7/8/9's and a few X's than anything else. Did see a few 6's but not that many.

 

[carl1575]

I have sold for Ruger, 4 of these rifles by letting other people at the range shoot mine. The most bang foe the buck I have ever owned. Carl in Yakima

 

[Phil3]

I have a friend who has one, rebarreled in 6.5x47. He likes it, and is still working on load development (last I know). But, he is happy with it. I thought about an RPR myself, but am wondering about its newly announced competitor, the Howa HCR. I personally like the looks of the Ruger a bit better, but the Howa is inexpensive at $1,299, and does use a standard barrel mounting arrangement vs the Ruger's barrel nut. Your call on whether that is a good or bad thing.

Phil

 

[carl1575]

Phil I have not seen or handle the new Howa HCR, but have read all the reviews, and I think I would still go with the Ruger RPR. Easier barrel change lots more (stuff available for it), If you are a gun smith the standard barrel mounting system might be better, but If you are not the Ruger - Savage system is better way to go for us amateurs. Carl in Yakima

 

[Chocdawg]

I recently rec'd my .308W RPR. More of a personal experiment than anything else at this point. I'd like to fire it in NRA mid-range sling matches. Pending on one's comfort level with the RPR stock system and your body type the stock might be okay as is. After monkey-shining around with it dry firing prone I'll put on a WOA adjustable stock shortly (I have one on a NRA match rifle and love it). No substitute comfort at this stage in life. I hope to get range time this weekend and foul-up that short barrel (wow, what was Ruger thinking, give us at least 24").

 

[XTR]

Ruger was marketing to perception not shooters when they put the short barrel on the 308. It's tacticool and all.

Notice that the chamberings that compeditors are more likely to use have a more effective barrel length.