New "Econo" hunting package

A couple of weeks ago I bought a Leupold VX1 3x9x40 on sale as a Sportsmens Show Special at a local sporting goods store for $179.99. Since then I have been trying to decide where to mount the scope. All my other rifles are wearing glass already. I was checking my Tuesday lucky numbers st a local Bi-Mart store and saw an in store unadvertised sale on a few Ruger American rifles. They happened to have a blue 30-06 for $297. In my minds eye this will make a great economical hunting rifle. If it shoots like my American 22-250 it will be a great value!

Range report to follow assuming it quits raining long enough to hang targets! :wink:

Dave

So you bought a scope and now have to find a rifle to drive under it? I guess it's not that unusual. I've heard of shooters who buy a gun just to use some ammo they already have.

And, yes, an American would be a great choice.

The scope was a good deal. The rifle was a good deal. Should be a good match IMO.

Dave

That will be a nice setup. Great hunting rig for under $500 total. Post pics when its all put together.

Nice buys on both. I am impressed with my Americans (4 of them) accuracy every time I go to the range.

Look forward to pics and range report.

To the range today for first time with the '06 American. Bottom line, I am impressed! Out of the box accuracy with Winchester Power Point 165gr factory ammo was sub-MOA with some shots touching the same hole.

Reminds me of back in the day when Remington came out with the entry level 788. It proved to be more accurate than the Model 700's of the day. This one will give the best shooting 77MKII a run for it's money.

Once again, very impressed with my first 2 Americans. :mrgreen:

Dave

Sounds like you have a winner.

And.....original style Weaver rings & bases may not be the prettiest or the latest, but dependable as it gets. About 25 bucks total.

I was witness to all this. I expected the rifle to shoot well after all the positive results I've read about, but this rifle I think is absolutely great. We could create little cluster groups for as long as we wanted, and then make a scope correction, and the little cluster would move immediately where we wanted, with well under one inch groups. Turned out, while sighting the gun in, we were able to trust two shot groups, as the two shot groups touched each other, or were very close figure-eights. Some were truly two shots into the same hole.

How can they do this with a $297 gun? :mrgreen:

The only thing that has kept me from buying one, is the chintzy plastic magazine. But, on this rifle, the insertion of the magazine was simple and very positive.

WAYNO.

Great to hear! I just picked one up in 30-06 as well for $299 from Dicks Sporting goods of all places. Put a Nikon Buckmaster on it, also on sale for $119. By the time I added scope rings, a sling, a set of flip up scope covers, tax and Brady fees I was still out the door under $550. Going to the range for sight in Friday. If it shoots as well as yours I'll be a happy guy! What a deal! Can't wait for deer season.
H

Ccmano said:

Great to hear! I just picked one up in 30-06 as well for $299 from Dicks Sporting goods of all places. Put a Nikon Buckmaster on it, also on sale for $119. By the time I added scope rings, a sling, a set of flip up scope covers, tax and Brady fees I was still out the door under $550. Going to the range for sight in Friday. If it shoots as well as yours I'll be a happy guy! What a deal! Can't wait for deer season.
H

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The '06 did shoot fantastic. What's more is I also have an American in 22-250 and it shoots just as well!

Let us know how it goes with yours. The trigger is also very nice

Dave

I was skeptical of the magazines at first but really like them now. As Wayno said, very easy and positive to remove or insert. I saw a Ruger rep on TV tell the host of the show to just push the cartridge straight down into the mag. He said if it breaks we will replace it but so far no problem there.

Ccmano, good luck with your new American. Both my Predator 223 and my standard 308 will shoot 1/2 " groups if I do my part.

I wonder how many Americans Ruger has sold. I know 4 reside in my safe. One of the best bargains out there.

The prefix for American rifles is 690-. Production in 2017 reportedly started at 696-28xxx. It looks like lately they have been making about a hundred thousand a year so I would say the total number as of now would be pushing 800,000 or so.

When I first looked at a Browning X-Bolt, the thing I liked the most was the rounded carrying point ahead of the silly styled trigger guard. This is also a quality I like in the American rifle. Personally the plastic magazine does not bother me. It keeps the weight down. And cost. I bought the first .308 I could find and it is a great shooter, certainly better than I could prove. I don't always seem to have it pointed in the same direction when it goes off.

Well... needless to say I'm impressed. The first three shots from the rifle were at 1.5 inches at 100 Yds. The 4 shot group below was the best I could do. It seemed to like 180 grain Winchester PP better than the 165's. It certainly shoots better than I am capable of. I did notice that when the barrel got hot it tended to string the shots vertically. But then it's a hunting rifle not a target rifle. Also felt that recoil was manageable for such a light rifle. Not bad for a budget gun.
H

Looks like another accurate American. Becoming the norm for this platform. Congrats!

Dave