anybody have one? what do you think,accuracy,reliability,functionality? some show as chambered 5.56,some 223. am i seeing wrong? 5.56 in a bolt gun chambered 223 still a bad idea or does it being a bolt change the allowable pressure/saftey level?
ruger american 223/5.56
- Thread starter mosin46
- Start date
The downside is you're limited to AR mag coal, so there's zero advantage over an AR.
Something that takes accurate mags or the Tikka with mountain tacticals can run the eldm 75 off the lands, which is absolutely fantastic and smashes all things 223 gas gun.
But they should work fine and be reasonably accurate if you don't handload anyhow.
Something that takes accurate mags or the Tikka with mountain tacticals can run the eldm 75 off the lands, which is absolutely fantastic and smashes all things 223 gas gun.
But they should work fine and be reasonably accurate if you don't handload anyhow.
I bought one for my middle son. First thing I noticed was a wildly off centered bore relative to the OD. Sent it back and Ruger put a new barrel in it. Chamber is deeper/sloppier than every other gun I have, and I'm not about to size brass different for just one rifle so I just deal with the fact that maybe 20% of the brass will come out with split necks and a faint incipient case head failure line. All that said, it's pretty accurate, high velocities for a 16" barrel, polished the trigger down to 1.5-2lbs, it's in a Magpul stock and feeds well from modified AICS mags and has very successfully gone to 900 yards with 75 ELD's.
They stopped caring about manufacturing these well. I mean I've had 5 in my hand in the past 2 years where the action is either so bound up it is unusable, the barrel bore is rough, or the called-for round doesn't chamber without forcing it. You find and buy a Tikka and move on.
while not the oh my god gun of the year , if you do your part and the gun is straight you should be able to hit any target someone with a 5x's more extensive gun can . Your barrel will heat up pretty fast throwing as most of them come with pencil barrels throwing off your groups a bit when hot . You can always buy a better stock if you like it enough and are willing to shell out even more money . No doubt would be better off buying a better gun , but other people have ruger Americans and shoot with them all the time some without problems some with . best of luck with what ever you do or get .
Mine is marked 5.56. I’ve had zero issues at all for 300 rounds. Shoots 69 SMK and 77 TMK @ MOA or better.
Yes the stock is not great and the bolt started out kinda rough but for what it is, it’s been great. I personally have had good luck with the American line. IMO.
Yes the stock is not great and the bolt started out kinda rough but for what it is, it’s been great. I personally have had good luck with the American line. IMO.
The Ruger American line is a great budget truck gun. They're fairly accurate out of the box but know it has limitations. You'll either get a great one or a complete piece of garbage. Did I mention its a budget gun? It is what it was intended to be.
I’ve been shooting a Ruger Am. Varmint 223 on 3 prairie dog hunts in 3 years. Very good with 40 vmax, 200 rnds/day. Kills at 575 & 625. Guide I use has one in 204 that won’t group at all. Wanted a cheap starter to see if I liked it. LOVE IT! May move on to higher quality gun, but still 223. I don’t reload.
I have the earlier version that takes the Ruger rotary mag instead of the AR mags. Wish I had the AR mag version. I was planning on putting it in a Magpul Hunter, but Magpul couldn't handle the two versions, at least as of a few years ago. As it is, it is a pretty good option for a ranch or farm rifle. Reasonably accurate, decent trigger, threaded barrel. Stock is pretty bad. I think it occupies a pretty good place in terms of a bargain .223 bolt. But if you want to shoot small groups, I'd look at the Tikka, or build something that is a clone of your target guns. I don't ever shoot mine, at least not since I put a PVA .223 barrel on my Nucleus.
I don't agree that these somehow have less utility than an AR. With a can they are pretty pleasant and you would be hard pressed to burn the barrel out.
I don't agree that these somehow have less utility than an AR. With a can they are pretty pleasant and you would be hard pressed to burn the barrel out.
A friend has had 2 of the Ranch Rifles. One rotary and one AR version (still has the AR version). FWIW, those rifles have Wylde chambers, so no worrying about the whole 5.56 thing.
Both shot very well. The rotary version can be taken apart and dremeled/milled in the back to increase OAL (for 75 ELD’s).
Another buddy bought a .243 for his kid. I stuck a $150 Burris on it and it shoots cheap blue box Federal well inside an inch for 3. I did have to re-torque the stock and rail as everything was loosely-goosey out of the box.
I like the rifles and have been tempted by the predator models. The stocks do suck and there is a degree of “Ruger Roulette”.
Both shot very well. The rotary version can be taken apart and dremeled/milled in the back to increase OAL (for 75 ELD’s).
Another buddy bought a .243 for his kid. I stuck a $150 Burris on it and it shoots cheap blue box Federal well inside an inch for 3. I did have to re-torque the stock and rail as everything was loosely-goosey out of the box.
I like the rifles and have been tempted by the predator models. The stocks do suck and there is a degree of “Ruger Roulette”.
I picked up a cheap used Ruger American .223 in stainless from Bud's back in 2016. Kinda shocked it was a 8 twist and will shoot 75/77 just fine. One thing I noticed is the chamber and freebore must be at the bare minimum...sucker is tight and does not like reloaded brass. Other than that I worked over the trigger , it weighs nothing, and is a handy little truck gun now.
My Predator is north of 1000 rnds, still hitting prairie dogs at 600yds. Just got back.
Issue - Has always split necks on 3-5% of rnds. Put it off to cheap ammo. This trip it went above 50%. Found burrs on the leading lips of the ramp. To the point brass was piling up from the crimp area of the nicked cases. Radiused all edges, polished and re-blued. Multiple rounds through, no splits.
Issue - Has always split necks on 3-5% of rnds. Put it off to cheap ammo. This trip it went above 50%. Found burrs on the leading lips of the ramp. To the point brass was piling up from the crimp area of the nicked cases. Radiused all edges, polished and re-blued. Multiple rounds through, no splits.
I had one of the originals right when they hit the market back in the 70s. That was a tack driver. I now own one of the new ones and it is a piece of sssst. There is one thing the "newer" one did I never saw any other do. Shooting at a range the action BROKE clean into at the magazine well. I managed to get it back to Ruger and when I got it back I returned a fiber stock rather than the wood I sent in and the safest place to be when it goes off is in front of it. They have become one of those companies where the dolor is more important than the quality and that will end up biting them in the financial but.
Holy thread resurrection!
FWIW, I’ve got a Gen 2 Ranch Rifle that I swapped the bottom plastic to one from Ruger that will accept AICS magazines.
It’s a fine little rifle that I don’t worry about getting banged up on the ATVs or when I’m checking the properties.
FWIW, I’ve got a Gen 2 Ranch Rifle that I swapped the bottom plastic to one from Ruger that will accept AICS magazines.
It’s a fine little rifle that I don’t worry about getting banged up on the ATVs or when I’m checking the properties.
