Ruger Ranch .223 Target

[1deadpdog]

I recently picked up a this Ruger Ranch .223 Target 1in9, bought it right NIB. Bought a case of Horn 52gr BTHP with. They seem to cycle well, pattern well.. 2" @100yd. I'm getting a little frustrated trying to reload for it. Biggest issue is cycling.. Tried TAC, X-Term, Thought they were dreadfully dirty, couldn't get the fps where I want, didn't cycle either. Have tried several powders, have not tried Benchmark yet (not in my stash) The Hornady loads shoot exceptionally clean, 3330fps(on box) 23.8gr ball pwdr. would be happy if I could come close to this.. Have not gone with lighter bullets, as my thoughts were that twist is a 60gr+..so have been working with 60,65 and 69's..
Thought it might be a good pdogger,, Any suggestions, or should I unload?? Or what the heck am I missing> ? I have no issues with getting my bolt guns to de-cap a dog at 250yds..
Frustrated in Wyotie

 

[ddkearney]

I would try H335 or Win748. Also, you may want to try to located some of the new Hornady Superperformance powder and try that as well.
Don

 

[MrMajestic]

I own a Pre-Ranch Mini and had it modified by- http://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/index.php
Harmonic Balancer, Adjustable Gas Block, 3 pt. Bedded, Shock Buffer, 3.5 lb. Trigger, and HD Guide Spring. It shoots the Nosler 69gr. CC's pushed by Varget loaded Mag length to 1 MOA. It may be a little slow for the abbreviated barrel length and if I recall they only chrono'ed at 2750'ish however I quit after seeing the targets. I strongly recommend the above organization and turn around was weeks not months or year!

 

[KMart]

I have an old one that was redone by Accuracy Rifle Systems out of Odessa Tx, a long time back. It has a 10 twist Lothar Walther barrel and it shoots 52 grain Speer Varmint HP very well with 26.0 gr of Benchmark. If I had it all to do over, I would not do it.
If you start modifying anything on it and you have to send it back to Ruger, they will put it back to factory, keep your parts and charge you for it. They are not customer friendly when it comes to modification.
If you want to play with something that helps the performance,http://www.accuracysystemsinc.com/index.php has some gas port bushings that seemed to help mine.
Here is a site that has a lot of Mini-14 info on it. http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ Good luck with your rifle.

 

[Dans40X]

Ruger & Target shouldn't be used in the same sentence.
Sell it!

Purchase/Build up an AR-15 platform w/ 1:7/1:8 twist Bbl,floated & life will be less frustrating.

 

[markm87]

Ruger & Target shouldn't be used in the same sentence.
Sell it!

Purchase/Build up an AR-15 platform w/ 1:7/1:8 twist Bbl,floated & life will be less frustrating.

Amen, BRO!

Ruger shouldn't even be SPOKEN on this site.

 

[MGYSGT]

Harsh, very harsh. I don't own one, but they look good.

 

[timeout]

I recently picked up a this Ruger Ranch .223 Target 1in9, bought it right NIB. Bought a case of Horn 52gr BTHP with. They seem to cycle well, pattern well.. 2" @100yd. I'm getting a little frustrated trying to reload for it. Biggest issue is cycling.. Tried TAC, X-Term, Thought they were dreadfully dirty, couldn't get the fps where I want, didn't cycle either. Have tried several powders, have not tried Benchmark yet (not in my stash) The Hornady loads shoot exceptionally clean, 3330fps(on box) 23.8gr ball pwdr. would be happy if I could come close to this.. Have not gone with lighter bullets, as my thoughts were that twist is a 60gr+..so have been working with 60,65 and 69's..
Thought it might be a good pdogger,, Any suggestions, or should I unload?? Or what the heck am I missing> ? I have no issues with getting my bolt guns to de-cap a dog at 250yds..
Frustrated in Wyotie

I had a r Ranch since they first came out. Used H335. Kind of shot in the general direction you aimed for but, always functioned/cycled flawlessly. I also have a R Target. Have not shot it much yet. It also cycles on H335. I had trouble though with fired casings not being extracted and then anther round being jammed into the spent round.

 

[1deadpdog]

About the responses I was expecting to see from the AR following.. As I said I bought it right, have been leary about dropping a couple K's on a black gun..If I could shoot as much as I would like, it'd be a no brainer..
Been wondering what I'd been drinking as it is.. was just hoping for some quick follow-ups out doggin.
I'll keep messing with it.. H335 is on the list. Benchmark may be on the bench as well as the Superformance..
I have had issues with the spent cases not clearing the action, poor cycling.. I checked the gas port, thinking there may have been some crap in there from the TAC or X-Term, but was clean. Wasn't sure if the adjustable was worth the effort. Thought about a return spring upgrade, but if it wasn't kicking out empties, I didn't figure a stiffer spring would help. Not real keen on the ajustable dampner on the barrel, either, have messed with it, doesn't seem to make much diff. Brownells sells a heavy target barrel, BUT, there I go dumping money into a money pit, not ready to dig the hole yet.
SO many black guns and so many opinions and favorites...
THANKS GUYS for the input.. will do some more research,, visit with my smithy,, burn some more powder.. At least I can do it off the back porch...

 

[KMart]

If you start putting more money than loose change into it, you will wind up where I am...a lot more in it than I could ever get out of it. If it is new in the box when you got it, I would send it back to Ruger to get the cycling problem taken care of. Do this before you modify anything.
Knowing what I know now, if it were mine, I would get Ruger to correct the cycling problem, them move it.

 

[Rtheurer]

I would try H335 or Win748. Also, you may want to try to located some of the new Hornady Superperformance powder and try that as well.
Don

I would think Superperformance would be way to slow for the 223. Its burn rate is right at that H4350 area. Any recomendations on powder bullet combinations with Superperformance?

RussT

 

[232]

Old standby's for me for 52-55gr was H4895 and IMR4320. Never had a dirty problem, and was/is very accurate in a 700 bolt and an oly ar.

 

[Edo]

I dont think Ruger is going to help you with the rifle. Factory loads cycle fine, but your reloads don't. The Ranch rifle never has been a accurate shooter. Soon we will be in the best time of the year for shooting the little rodents and your shots will be limited due to the lack of accuracy. I maybe able to offer some help, if you are close to Gillette. Good luck.

 

[FRJ]

I have been playing with the mini's for a long time and have never heard of a out of box gun not ejecting a long ways. The biggest complaint on them is throwing the brass too far.I use Accurate 2520 and H335 with the Sierra 65gr gameking and get very very good accuracy out of both of them. If there is one mod that makes a Mini shoot its a Accustrut!!!! It took one of mine from a 12" at 100yards gun to a 2" at the same distance. With other mods it shoots 20 shot groups under 1.5", dirty and going from a cold to a smoking hot barrel. My Ranch that I just started playing with shot its first 3 5shot groups all under .750". They are darn good rugged rifles modeled after the M14. Nuff Said, Frank

 

[sparky123321]

If you can "consistently" get groups under 2" at 100 yards with Ruger you're a lucky man. I don't mean a lucky group here or there. I mean all the time. I love the looks of them and spend a lot of time and money on one trying to get it to shoot decent groups a couple years ago. I tried 6-8 different bullets and numerous powders and charges. I even tried different gas ports, recoil springs and barrel struts, etc. After getting so frustrated with it I sold it off. I didn't feel like spending $400 or $500 to have it rebuilt with a full length heavy barrel to compensate for it's defective design. Due to the thin barrel towards the receiver, the location of the gas port and blow back design it will always throw and string shots as the barrel temperature changes. Normally shots go up and to the right as the barrel warms.

Don't get me wrong I loved the rifle and it was a lot of fun to shoot. I really wish Ruger would revamp the design and I would buy another as soon as they were available.

I've owned several AR's and shot them in the military, but it is by no means my weapon of choice. All I can say it that I bought a $600 Olympic Arms K16 after selling off the Ruger and it easily shot "comsistent groups" one half to one quarter the size of the Ruger's best groups.

 

[1deadpdog]

HMMM, so many opinions.. Thanks!! I'm still messing with it, have found that it REALLY likes Noz 60gr BTBT over 25.5gr of Benchmark.. ragged hole @50yd, quarter size hole @100yd.. Am wondering if the barrel is starting to break in.. crowding 500rnd mark.. It won't shoot 60gr VMax.. Wife and I went out 'doggin the other day, was making puree'd magpie food out of them to 200yds.(she was shooting my .204, didn't leave me many long shots) I'm determined to get this thing to shoot w/o a crapload of $$ and upgrades.. I'm liking the Benchmark, too, as it meters very well, clean burning, real close to Varget but meters much better in the L-N-L progressive... I'm about as bullheaded as they come.. If I can't get it to shoot, I'll get rid of it.. Not a big fan of throwing my $$ down a pdog hole. Am being tempted by the .20 Tac and .20 Practical... Tho, I haven't seen them side by side, I see they are both gathering a good following.. As much as I love my 22-250, my .204 has become a fav.. $189 at WalMart.. 26"Bull Savage.. Bought just to try the .204.. I'll shoot it next to just about any thing..(realistically) And it shoots just about anything I put in it.. that's a BIG like.. One reason this RRTarget has been a frustrating issue..

 

[KMart]

I am glad the rifle has made some improvement in its performance. My load with Benchmark is a 52 gr Speer FB Varmint and 25.7 gr of powder. It works well in both an AR and Mini. The Mini seems to like a COL of about 2.245.

 

[1deadpdog]

Thanks for the input... I'm thinking the Mini Target might be kickin the can down the road today.. I found an AR that caught my eye. Bushmaster lower, flat top H-bar upper. Full float heavy Stainless, hoping it's 9tw. Good tight fit, top to bottom.
I was really impressed with the clean-up of the Mini, tho, ten swabs w/nylon brush with Butch's, dry patch, wet patch, two or three dry, spotless clean.. Wasn't a big fan of the thumbhole factory stock, was pretty.. Gun was terrible forward heavy, too, with the stabilizer, no eye for a bi-pod. I've talked to several people about this gun, some have tack drivers, some have scatter guns, some just shoots OK.. I'm not happy with OK, and only select loads/bullets. Not going to dump $$ into a gun I can't trust to do the job.
At least with an AR, I have lots of chambering options, barrels, dress her up like a prom queen or a junkyard dog..Looking at what's out there, she'll probably get a Geissele trigger job first..

 

[KMart]

Been there. Done that. Have the safe queen. You are headed in the right direction.

 

[1deadpdog]

Thanks,, life is too short for that much frustration... Luckily the most I had invested on that whim was optics, and they'll find a good home on the prom queen.. I knew the older Ranch .223's where scatterguns, just had my hopes up that with this 'so called' Target barrel, that may have changed.. I think it did for some, just not all.. not me.. thanks again! ???