Ruger Precision vs Accuracy International?

[Smoketheclay]

I know these rigs are very different. That said I pose a question.

If both were being used for 600 yard F Class, in moderate weather:

If they both had the same Bartlein barrel and the same trigger, would there be a difference consistent group sizes, etc between the two rifles?

 

[Dave62677]

 

[JimLee]

Different class of rifle, that being said I can get sub 1/4 MOA groups out of my RPR (factory barrel) with very detailed hand loads. I know I got a good barrel though, I'd say that's the exception rather than the rule. Once you take the barrel and trigger out of the equation all you have is the action, if your action is true its true, no matter the brand. I think you can get a great RPR and you can get a shitty AI (and vice versa) however I thing the quality control on the AI's is probably much higher than Ruger so the chances of getting a good gun out of the box certainly leans in AI's favor.

 

[winniethepooh]

Better make that 6 RPRs vs 1 AX lol. 7 if you get the 6 creed

 

[Smoketheclay]

I have had my RPR for about 2 years now and I’ve also gotten some 5 shot groups below .3 MOA recently since I now began measuring. When I go to a range without wind (blocked on both left/right/back) I’ve shot some groups that are basically 1 hole.

This is with the factory barrel too. So I assume I got a good barrel and also a good action. So since it’s good, I figure I can continue competing with the RPR and the benefits of an AI for me is probably minimal.

So besides barrel/action/trigger when it comes to accuracy, anything else where the AI has a big advantage?

 

[Smoketheclay]

Better make that 6 RPRs vs 1 AX lol. 7 if you get the 6 creed

What do you mean?

 

[winniethepooh]

What do you mean?

How many you can buy

 

[J-Fonz]

Sportsman’s is selling the 6CM for $675. ?

 

[C-grunt]

Much of the extra price of the AI is the ruggedness of the system. The AI is a military grade sniper rifle that's made to get banged around and spend its life in the woods.

 

[JimLee]

Much of the extra price of the AI is the ruggedness of the system. The AI is a military grade sniper rifle that's made to get banged around and spend its life in the woods.

Exactly, not something you really need shooting off a bench at 600yds. Nice to have because it's tacticool as fuck, but definitely not necessary.

 

[Smoketheclay]

Sportsman’s is selling the 6CM for $675. ?

Discount code? I see it for 749

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Accuracy is 90% in the barrel, so with too quality barrels on both you probably couldn’t shoot good enough to see a difference in accuracy.

When you spend the money for an AI you’re not just paying for accuracy, and yes it’s worth it if you can afford it. There’s no better precision rifle on the planet.

 

[J-Fonz]

Discount code? I see it for 749

Did you add to cart?

 

[J-Fonz]

 

[QuarterHorse]

Nevermind…….

 

[Roo_man]

AI.

 

[IW21]

I have had my RPR for about 2 years now and I’ve also gotten some 5 shot groups below .3 MOA recently since I now began measuring. When I go to a range without wind (blocked on both left/right/back) I’ve shot some groups that are basically 1 hole.

This is with the factory barrel too. So I assume I got a good barrel and also a good action. So since it’s good, I figure I can continue competing with the RPR and the benefits of an AI for me is probably minimal.

So besides barrel/action/trigger when it comes to accuracy, anything else where the AI has a big advantage?

Here it is in laymen's terms, "you can use your AI, as a baseball bat, if need be, and still shoot amazing groups", "you can throw your AI (literally throw), anywhere you want, and it'll still shoot amazing groups"....picture total, rifle ABUSE....and it'll still function, and shoot amazing groups....your RPR, will not....that's what you're paying for.

They just have two totally different functions

 

[GIXXER2000]

I have 4 AI's and they all shoot 1/4 moa groups. The RPR with the right barrel can really shoot well also. The fit finish and action smoothness just cost more then the RPR. The switch barrel is nice i can change from 300WM to 338LM in about 1 minute and the difference in the scope zero is .3 mil of elevation.

 

[JimLee]

I have 4 AI's and they all shoot 1/4 moa groups. The RPR with the right barrel can really shoot well also. The fit finish and action smoothness just cost more then the RPR. The switch barrel is nice i can change from 300WM to 338LM in about 1 minute and the difference in the scope zero is .3 mil of elevation.

At least you didn't say "go be poor somewhere else" lol, nice collection!

 

[GIXXER2000]

AI are like LAYS Potato chips you can't just have 1...LO
The price you can get the RPR makes it a very good option and with the very high quality barrels you could be into one for about $1500 and it will shoot lights out.

 

[patriot07]

I really want an AI one day, but an RPR for $675 is silly.

 

[Ledzep]

Pure accuracy: properly installed barrel of the same maker, similar trigger--- very similar accuracy potential. To the point that I don't know anyone could shoot the difference.

 

[Smoketheclay]

Did you add to cart?

Thanks! Worked upon adding. Suggested a friend to grab one

 

[Stoweit]

The down side with theRPR is the chassis seems really flimsy. I was going to grab one, but after playing with it at LGS it just felt sloppy and cheap. At $675 there’s probably not a better rifle out there. I just don’t think it really compares to an AI, YMMV.

 

[bfglowkey]

I really enjoy my RPR. Been a year of trigger time and factory barrel shoots way above my pay grade. I have only had the pleasure of seeing an AI a few bays down from me....looked sweet and was performing well. But I would be willing to bet that the shooter could have done the same behind my rifle....he was very well disciplined. The money I saved on my RPR I reinvested in ammo, glass and range time. It is currently my favorite rifle to shoot. I have 3 barrels for it...6mm, 6.5 and 308. Takes me about 15 min to swap the barrel out now that I have the experience and right tools/gauges. Still haven't tried the swap at the range but that's more to do with my anal retentive nature and I like the feel of my workspace at home. I am sure with some Canadian ingenuity I could swap it out a few minutes before I pull the trigger.

 

[lennyo3034]

I don’t think either of these are ideal for F-class like the OP mentioned.

 

[Jackomason]

Accuracy is cheap. Its not worth camparing rifles based on accuracy only. If that were the case we would just buy two savages and keep the more accurate one. But it turns out we want more out of our rifles... consistency, repeatability, bullet proof design that insures the rifle will preform and featers that exploite all these atributes. If you think they are comparable then you should first look at the price tag and think "wonder why?" And then proceed to do some research.

 

[6brshooter]

The rpr's I've handled and shot were ok. The stocks are cheap and not my cup of tea, the bolt was about as smooth as a savage, factory triggers and timney 2 stage were pretty meh, crooked hand guards and rails....I'm out on them. My ae 6.5 is so much nicer in every regard its laughable to try to compare the two. I just snagged an ae 20" 308 folder at whittakers for 2100, it looks new. I'll shoot it and if that barrel hammers, I'll then have my smith cut off metric threads and recrown and thread 5/8-24.

 

[6brshooter]

I am not trying to be snobbish, the rpr is a nice starter rifle for lr shooting. It is not any better than a bergara, tikka, or howa. I do not mean to disparage the ruger, if it's what u like and can afford, then rock on. Just dont start considering it an ai, trg, custom rifle killer.

 

[Smoketheclay]

To sum up the replies:

*The RPR will essentially match the Accuracy International in moderate conditions for accuracy when they have the same barrel and trigger.
*The AI will be way more durable, can be thrown around and taken poor care of and it will still shoot as it did prior to the abuse
*The AI has easy to use features such as a quick barrel change
*AI has the option to have an amazing trigger

So essentially, if you’re looking for something to go to the range with and/or go to tournaments then the RPR should do its job.

 

[6brshooter]

Range, sure. Matches, err its ur funeral bro, lol. You can buy a rpr for 700-1050, add a bartlien prefit for 700, timney 2 stage (not close to ai..) for 200 and have a sub 2000 ruger rpr based on an economy action. Or find a nice used ai ae for 1800-2100 and be done. I've done the whole building of cheap guns into something accurate, but they dont have any resale. I never understood why AI were so much better than my savage/criterion/aics, until I got an ai, then it's obvious. Plain and simple, a rpr factory barrel isnt much better than .5-.7" ave. Yeah some will shoot a great group every once in awhile but they can't do it with the boring consistency of an ai.

 

[chavezz556]

For sure look at the Bergara LRP chassis rig over the RPR... By the time you put a barrel and all the mods on there... You're at the same price.

BTW it's on the R700 platform so chassis, trigger upgrades are all over the place

 

[perttime]

AI or Sako, if your life depends on the rifle, and/or you can afford it (or somebody else pays). Budget options if you just want to shoot.

 

[J-Fonz]

I own an AX and an RPR. I bought the RPR to take friends hunting and give them a capable rifle. Advantages of the RPR as I see it:

1. Great value
2. Good accuracy (mine is 0.5-0.75 MOA with Hornady 108)
3. Easy to mod.

When the barrel goes tango uniform I’ll replace it with a prefit at the house.

That being said, now I have a DTA on the way. I like variety.

 

[Smoketheclay]

Range, sure. Matches, err its ur funeral bro, lol. You can buy a rpr for 700-1050, add a bartlien prefit for 700, timney 2 stage (not close to ai..) for 200 and have a sub 2000 ruger rpr based on an economy action. Or find a nice used ai ae for 1800-2100 and be done. I've done the whole building of cheap guns into something accurate, but they dont have any resale. I never understood why AI were so much better than my savage/criterion/aics, until I got an ai, then it's obvious. Plain and simple, a rpr factory barrel isnt much better than .5-.7" ave. Yeah some will shoot a great group every once in awhile but they can't do it with the boring consistency of an ai.

The AI AEs I’ve seen in the marketplace are 3400+

 

[W54/XM-388]

The AI AEs I’ve seen in the marketplace are 3400+

Used ones are not too hard to find in the $2500ish range + / - depending on the season and who needs / has money.

 

[Smoketheclay]

Used ones are not too hard to find in the $2500ish range + / - depending on the season and who needs / has money.

These come with the easy change barrel?

 

[W54/XM-388]

These come with the easy change barrel?

If you want the quick change barrel, you need the 2014 or later AT or AX series.

However you might think about how many times you actually want to change the barrel out that it can't wait for 15 minutes at home with a vice & action wrench.

 

[6brshooter]

The AI AEs I’ve seen in the marketplace are 3400+

You can find them easily in the 2100- 2800 range. It will be more than a customized rpr, but it will say AI on the side not ruger.

 

[300ATT]

What people are saying here about the RPR you could say about any off the shelf factory gun - Remington, Savage, Bergara ... with enough time and money new parts gun smithing, you can get them to shoot as accurate as an AI even slightly better -but will they be same thing? Will they be all around as good/robust/capable/reliable as an AI - no.

“When it absolutely, positively has to be shot ...”

Get the AI ... they just work ...

 

[redneckbmxer24]

AE's are nice rifles, I've had a few, but they still aren't a fair comparison to a RPR.

I just sold my last MK3 folder for $2750 a couple months back and it sold fast at that price. So I'd say it's a good indication it's worth at least that. The ones going for closer to $2K are usually MK1's or MK2's and a lot of them have been well used PD trade in guns.

Lets just say you can get one for $2500, unless you want to shoot 308 then add $800 to the price for a good barrel and the factory AE's have almost no resale value. Even the AT's that can work on other guns barely bring $300.

You can buy a RPR right now for $675. For under $400 you can get a Proof SS barrel on sale at Stockys with the 10% off Christmas deal which is a sale they run almost every holiday. Then add a Seekins forend for $150 and you're good to go. That's a little over $1200 into it and the factory barrel and forend are easily worth $200. So for a little over a grand you end up with a fully functional rifle with a top tier cut rifled barrel. That's less than a third of the average price of an AE by time you add a good barrel to it.

$2000 more is a lot of extra money when you're talking about a budget rifle.

Would I give up my AX for an RPR? Hell no, because I can easily afford it. But if I was on a budget and my options was $1K for a decked out RPR or $3K for a AE I'd take the RPR and put that $2K difference towards better glass because I know it would be much better spent there than on the rifle.

With a $3K rifle budget I wouldn't even entertain the thought of an AE. I'd be buying a good action like an Impact, a prefit barrel, trigger of my choice, and then dropping it into something like a KRG or MPA. AE chassis lack too many modern enhancements that I want on a precision rifle like you can get by going aftermarket, or even with the RPR.

 

[6brshooter]

Fair enough. I just picked up a mk3 20" 308 folder that is pristine, for 2100

 

[redneckbmxer24]

You got a hell of a deal and that certainly isn’t the norm. MK2 non folders usually bring around that.

 

[6brshooter]

I know, I didn't need it but it was too good to pass on, the only 308 I have besides it is a m1a super match. I already snagged a steel proof 6.5 creed prefit for it, if I get bored with 308.