What's so bad about Ruger?

[dcali]

For all my griping about Rugers, I will say that the two #1s I’ve shot have both been very good shooters for factory rifles. And I’ve heard many similar tales from other shooters. I wouldn’t hesitate to give one of those a try.

 

[Spaz]

For all my griping about Rugers, I will say that the two #1s I’ve shot have both been very good shooters for factory rifles. And I’ve heard many similar tales from other shooters. I wouldn’t hesitate to give one of those a try.

My RPR is holding 0.6 MOA with Hornady Match and ELD-X, and that's with me shooting! LOL

 

[Evan]

I wish more guys would come out and shoot them. Too many folks think their rifle is the weak link after their first PRS style match, unless you got a total dud (which can happen, but not that often, with a factory gun) its almost never the gun that is the problem initially.

PRS targets are pretty big. I'm not sure they ever drop below 0.5MOA and are frequently more like 2 MOA. The whole series is built around unknown distances and conditions, not pure accuracy. It's way easier for somebody to look at their factory gun that shoots 0.75 MOA and say that it's the problem rather than have an honest look at their skill set.

Most people can afford better gear so the temptation is to try to buy better results with more expensive gear. Nothing wrong with that, but there is something wrong with trying to tell others that they have to buy expensive gear to have a chance.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Spaz,

what distance? I bought a single shot Savage in 338 Lapua about a year ago. I had the barrel throated, and the second test load I put in it stayed sub-moa. It does that today out to 1000 yards with me behind the butt plate. It has a trigger that I can adjust to 6oz, that stays at 6oz. What do you have your rugger set at?

 

[pirate ammo]

run what you brung, and hope you brung enough..

 

[mic2377]

I wouldn't necessarily pick a Ruger for long range shooting. Parts are not common enough, and there is not enough familiarity in the custom gunsmithing crowd with them.

That being said, my second centerfire rifle I ever got (after a Remington 7400, which is one of the worst turd potato stakes EVER!) was a Ruger M77 VT in 25-06. I got it used but basically NIB condition. It was fairly cheap, and HEAVY, but came with an amazing 2 lb trigger, smooth action, beautiful laminate stock/grey finish, and showed excellent accuracy for a factory rifle! Out of the box it would do <0.5 MOA with Winchester 90 gr HP's. When fed 115 gr Silverips, it was affectionately referred as the "lightning rod" because it killed every single deer dead in its footsteps. I still have it but rarely shoot it.

I also think the point of rifles like the Ruger American and RPR are lost on a forum like this. These are for guys who go out on the weekend and "ring steel at 800 bro!" Unfortunately they without a doubt outnumber BR and F-class shooters significantly, and are a wise business decision for Ruger to target. Ruger has adapted to a market and is really winning now!

 

[Spaz]

Spaz,

what distance? I bought a single shot Savage in 338 Lapua about a year ago. I had the barrel throated, and the second test load I put in it stayed sub-moa. It does that today out to 1000 yards with me behind the butt plate. It has a trigger that I can adjust to 6oz, that stays at 6oz. What do you have your rugger set at?

I had to qualify to use the 1,000+ yard range at the training facility I use. Member has to shoot a sub-MOA group at 100 yards. Before I qualified, I practiced for 2 days. On the second day I shot ten 5 round strings. The all ranged between .62 to .68. When I qualified, I shot a .62.

At the 500 yard line, we have a small target that is about 3.5-3.6 inches. That is about .6 MOA. On a calm day (5 mph or less and steady), I can hit that target 10+ times in a row.

I have only shot the 1,000 yard once. I had a pretty crap hit ratio on the 10" target. I kept forgetting to check my bubble and I was using ballistics for a 143gr ELD-X, but was shooting a 140gr ELD. So I need to test the 1,000 again. I can't see the 3.6" at 1,000 due to scope/vision limits.

Ruger says the trigger can go 2.25. I have it all the way down, but no scale to test it. I bought a Timney that is factory set to 1 lb (.5 per stage), but I haven't installed it yet.

run what you brung, and hope you brung enough..

Spoken like a true drag racer!

 

[pirate ammo]

Spoken like a true drag racer!

yup, early 90's,,turned e 460 Ford engine into 620 CI ford engine,tubed and tubed 85 T-Bird

 

[urbanrifleman]

Is it me or are most of these Rugers suck stories from 25-40 years ago?

I would hate to go buy a pickup based on one I bought 40 years ago. Yall would all be driving Toyotas.

 

[mongo chicago]

Is it me or are most of these Rugers suck stories from 25-40 years ago?

I would hate to go buy a pickup based on one I bought 40 years ago. Yall would all be driving Toyotas.

That's the problem with getting people's opinions. When I first got on the dept. in 1980 the old timers were big on S&Ws. They didn't realize that there was a HUGE quality difference from the 50s to the 70s and 80s

 

[Spaz]

That's the problem with getting people's opinions. When I first got on the dept. in 1980 the old timers were big on S&Ws. They didn't realize that there was a HUGE quality difference from the 50s to the 70s and 80s

You reminded me of something... I had a gap in purchases where I didn't buy any new handguns for 10 years. I had no idea what to buy and I knew this issue you mention was going to potentially be a problem for me. What was a great product or brand in 1998 may not have held true to 2008 or much better products may have evolved.

I did some research and decided, whatever the "used market" was flooded with, was off the table. Especially if they were cheap, compared to original MSRP. Pistols that seemed popular and were either hard to find used and/or sold used for close to original MSRP, are pistols that I paid close attention to.

I figured if the price is low and everyone is getting rid of them, its for a reason. Likely good marketing with not so good of a product. On the other hand, hard to find and still expensive translated to desirable and likely a good product.

Of course a bit more went into it... but that was a big part of it.

 

[Lannister]

Bought a Ruger American Rifle in .308 Win. last month.. Put a Redfield 3-9 scope on it and took it to the range with Remington 150gr SP and some Winchester 150gr. SP.. Shot only 3 shot groups to keep the barrel from heating up too bad. Besides, who shoots more than three shots at an animal enyhow.. The Remington rounds shot into 1.25 - 1.5" groups at 100 yards, but the Winchesters shot in .75 - 1.0" groups. This was factory load.. I finally got all my reloading stuff for the .308 and am working on some 150 gr and 165 gr. handloads.. Using IMR 4064 powder and CCI primers in W-W cases..
Hope this helps.

 

[Steve Ladino]

I have been a "shooter" for years but only in the last four or five have I started to get serious about accuracy. I started accurizing AR's and moved up to an RPR .308. I liked it so much that I picked up a RPR rimfire, and I just picked up another RPR in .338 LM.

One universal constant is the hate poured out whenever I mention RPR. I built a 700P in .300 WM just to see if I was missing something...

The 700 after: Timney Calvin Elite, Blueprinting, Magpul Hunter stock, Threading, Badger Ordnance Knob, Ultradyne Apollo Compensator, Devcon Bedding, and many, many loads of H1000 and Berger 210 VLD's has turned out to be - just as accurate as my RPR. And more expensive. I am proud of the work I have done to it and it makes me happy to see groups all touching - but it was sooooo much cheaper and easier to do with a RPR. Instead of focusing on the rifle I focused on the loads.

I can't think of a way to get into VLD\ELD quicker or cheaper unless you "know that guy". Why is there so much vitriol whenever an RPR is mentioned? I am really hesitant about trying out PRS and local NRA Rimfire now just because of the flaming I see on the forums. And to make it just a little worse I choose to use NF for my optics.

In my short journey I have found that mechanics and habits of shooting (thank you Uncle Sam!) followed by handloading make the most difference for me. Everything else is incremental improvements. Does it really matter if I show up with a "box stock" rifle if I still shoot >1 MOA?

What are your thoughts?

Right there with you man...….love my two new Rugers.

 

[rr2030]

One can for-see the day when Benchrest will be dominated by Ruger rifles chambered in something Creedmoor

 

[pirate ammo]

One can for-see the day when Benchrest will be dominated by Ruger rifles chambered in something Creedmoor

coming soon to a theater near you..

 

[Brians356]

I own one Ruger.. A 22 Hornet.. It shot so bad that I sent it over to CPC. He recut the chamber, and fixed the bolt. Also cut a target crown. Shoots great now, like it should have from the factory..

Is your Hornet a 77/22?

I sent my 77/22-VMBZ (Varmint Magnum Stainless Laminated) to CPC in the early '90s for his $100 accurizing treatment. He headspaced to my preferred Win 40 JHP ammo. Groups at 100 shrank from 1.5" to 3/4", keeping in mind there is no such thing as "match grade" 22 WMR.
-

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Is your Hornet a 77/22?

I sent my 77/22-VMBZ (Varmint Magnum Stainless Laminated) to CPC in the early '90s for his $100 accurizing treatment. He headspaced to my preferred Win 40 JHP ammo. Groups at 100 shrank from 1.5" to 3/4", keeping in mind there is no such thing as "match grade" 22 WMR.
-

Yes.. With the POS shimmed bolt which he corrected..

 

[Brians356]

I've got centerfire hunting rifles - R700s in 223 Rem, 6mm Rem and 250 AI, and a '61 M70 Featherweight in 30-06. The 700s are the most accurate, the M70 the coolest, but for a walkabout big game hunter, my early M77 ST tang-safety "round top" in 270 Win is the one I grab. It shoots 2" groups at 200 yds and the action is the slickest I've ever cycled, whereas the 700s and M70 are grabby no matter how I clean and lube the actions. I can actually cycle the M77 without dismounting or pulling my eye out of the scope, almost as smoothly as a slide action.
-

 

[dave@aDave]

I've got two Ruger handguns that I would not part with.
The first is a Super Blackhawk that routinely digests 22.0gr of 2400 with a 240gr JHP. It has frequently swallowed some 24.0gr fodder. When I was in California in the 70's it made a trip to Davis in Sacramento for a tuneup with a 4 lb trigger, red ramp front sight, and white outline rear sight. Other than cleaning, nothing has been done to this gun. When I was farming, it spent it's life in a holster under the seat of the pickup. Never failed to fire. It was a tool and it did it's job very well.
The second is a P90 (.45ACP). It is my carry pistol. It has never failed to fire no matter what ammunition it is stuffed with. Except for some wear, it is just as it left the factory. Cleaned and lubed, dirty and dry, rain, snow, ice, dust, it just works.

 

[300_whisper]

Nothing wrong with the RPR. My little brother has a ruger American in 6.5 Grendel and it’s shoot 1MOA or better consistently. It’s a really fun little rifle. It’s was only $375 out the door. Life’s too short to be a hater.