Ruger Ranch 556- Call me flabbergasted!!

[hafejd30]

Ruger Ranch 556
Burris RT6 1-6
Saker ASR 556
Hornady steel match 55 gr HP

Got the ranch set up today and sighted it in along with my Tikka T3X in 300 WM

Shot an initial round to get idea of zero at 60 yds. Then same at 100. That round is next to the 30 cal hole.

Proceed to fire a 3 round group to see if this was even worth sighting in with this ammo. Surprisingly it shot 1/2 moa at 100 with the 1-6 Burris. Adjusted a few clicks and fired a second 3 round group to see if it really shot that well. Repeated it again

Extremely impressed for a $500 truck gun

 

[Bluedog82]

Rugers just shoot man. The stocks are cheap plastic but they are tack drivers

 

[hafejd30]

Rugers just shoot man. The stocks are cheap plastic but they are tack drivers

I fired the first group and thought “yeah you get lucky once in a while”. Made the adjustment on the scope, one up and two left, then fired the last two rounds I had. Saw the repeated outcome and ran in the house to get one last round. Which completed the .538” group

I’m just blown away this tiny package shoots as well as it does.

That Saker on the end sounds like a .22 LR when fired. Absolutely impressed with this setup

 

[Bluedog82]

My Ruger American Predator shot lights out in stock form and is even nicer in the Magpul hunter.

 

[CaptArab]

Once you start killing deer with it, the 300 might get lonely

 

[Middle Man]

Nice. Had great results with the Hornady Steel Match myself…

 

[Adam B]

I have had the same results with several of the newer rugers. Not sure what they are doing but it is working.

 

[cooper01]

I got my son a Ruger American Ranch in 300 BO and it shoots great. He killed his first deer with it 2 years ago. They are great shooting little guns especially for the price.

 

[hafejd30]

Nice. Had great results with the Hornady Steel Match myself…

Same. Shot very well in several AR’s for me

 

[nagantguy]

Okay so I’m not the only one my two Ruger ranch rifles one in 300blk and one in 450 BM shoot so good I’m embarrassed how embarrassed I was to buy them- both used - one came with ammo and a scope the other with extra magazine and some brass and a tree stand , figured they would be fine for truck/ camper /cabin/ lender rifles- well they shoot for sure , my 450 AR may be up for sale based on how good this ranch rifle shoots. Buddy has one in 308, and he’s not a “shooter” as much as a collector of sub $400 guns and with decent Nikon scope his ranch will keep up with anything out to 300 , I’m talking groups not even you guys here would make fun of , with regularity from a guy whose primarily a pistol shooter with no gear at Allan these cheap plastic little rifles just shoot. Color me imprey

 

[hafejd30]

Okay so I’m not the only one my two Ruger ranch rifles one in 300blk and one in 450 BM shoot so good I’m embarrassed how embarrassed I was to buy them- both used - one came with ammo and a scope the other with extra magazine and some brass and a tree stand , figured they would be fine for truck/ camper /cabin/ lender rifles- well they shoot for sure , my 450 AR may be up for sale based on how good this ranch rifle shoots. Buddy has one in 308, and he’s not a “shooter” as much as a collector of sub $400 guns and with decent Nikon scope his ranch will keep up with anything out to 300 , I’m talking groups not even you guys here would make fun of , with regularity from a guy whose primarily a pistol shooter with no gear at Allan these cheap plastic little rifles just shoot. Color me imprey

A buddy has a Ruger American Predator 308 (18” barrel/green stock) that’s an honest 3/4 moa gun. I reload for that rifle and it’s a excellent shooter with 180 SST

 

[Bluedog82]

How much was Hornady steel match going for before the dark times?

 

[hafejd30]

How much was Hornady steel match going for before the dark times?

I couldn’t even tell you. We used it for training. This exact 55 HP ammo I shot through this rifle. It shot very well in my AR and I purchased another 500 rounds which sits unopened as I have a couple hundred left over from the dept

I want to say around $150-$180 but that’s more of a guess. I remember it shooting so well for so little $$ that I was very impressed

They may have discontinued it even. I only grabbed this from my stash because I don’t use it for other guns. Purchased over 10 years ago

My AR’s run fiocchi

 

[Middle Man]

I couldn’t even tell you. We used it for training. This exact 55 HP ammo I shot through this rifle. It shot very well in my AR and I purchased another 500 rounds which sits unopened as I have a couple hundred left over from the dept

I want to say around $150-$180 but that’s more of a guess. I remember it shooting so well for so little $$ that I was very impressed

They may have discontinued it even. I only grabbed this from my stash because I don’t use it for other guns. Purchased over 10 years ago

My AR’s run fiocchi

So, sadly I doubt we’ll see any more Steel Match. Story goes Hornady sourced primed steel cases from one of the Russian makers. Then they cooked up accurate loadings with their canister powders and bullets to market in the LE channel and competition shooters. IIRC the pricing per round was slightly higher than generic ball, yet less than domestic match factory offerings. It hit a sweet spot price wise for 3gun shooters that wanted better long range performance.

I still have a box or two of 223 and a bunch of 45acp Steel Training Ammo with HAP bullets.

ETA: it really was a product offering that existed solely due to the conditions of that day. As Hornady gained access to Lake City production time/volume, they brought out the Frontier line in a similar manner. The Frontier line up is LC primed brass loaded with Hornady projectiles to their specs on LC lines.